Reduless vs Stinky Sulfur

Scooter68 · Feb 8, 2017

Well I've been down this road a couple of times before but this time the outcome was much better.

A Blush Zinfandel about 4 weeks in (2 weeks past end of fermentation) developed a distinctly familiar sulfur / rotten egg smell. I checked around again and re-read the fixes recommended. Then I found the suggestion of using Reduless to eliminate the smell.

Wow - ordered it and and digital scale since my batch was only 2 gallons. Left it in there 72 hours and the smell is gone.

So I guess I'm recommending that as a solution to the Rotten Egg smell to all of you starting out. I've only been making wine since July of 2015 but I can tell you that this was really an easy way to resolve the problem. AND you can use it twice in a batch if needed.

It takes just a heaping 1/8 teaspoon (.5 grams by weight) to do the job.

Happy to hear if anyone else has used it and has any more experience with it.

cmason1957 · Feb 8, 2017

I had to use it once on a Chambourcin I made and it does work.

The better thing to do, by far is to feed your yeastie beasties to keep the smell from happening in the first place. I have taken to probably adding a bit more yeast nutrient than needed and haven't developed any problems from it over about 3 years, so far. I generally add about a half dose of what the package says to even kits, mostly because I seldom like the yeast they send with them.

marino · Feb 8, 2017

Did you use the citric acid treatment as well? Saw a paper from Cornell recommending citric acide before reduless. Am I imagining this?

Scooter68 · Feb 8, 2017

marino said:
Did you use the citric acid treatment as well? Saw a paper from Cornell recommending citric acide before reduless. Am I imagining this?

Didn't see that but so far the one treatment was all it needed. The smell wasn't over-powering but it was definitely there so instead of the copper whip (didn't work on the last batch that has this issue) I went to this. Also don't like the idea of adding copper since an overdose of that is seriously bad for the wine an me.

I also agree to prevention rather than treatment but this one snuck up me. The smell didn't appear until the end of secondary fermentation.

heatherd · Feb 8, 2017

I have a batch of South African Pinotage that is nasty-smelling and -tasting. I'm going to give reduless a try as a last-ditch effort to save the batch.

Scooter68 · Feb 8, 2017

heatherd said:
I have a batch of South African Pinotage that is nasty-smelling and -tasting. I'm going to give reduless a try as a last-ditch effort to save the batch.

Let us know if that does the trick for you. I found it fairly simple to do. Just required one racking to eliminate the lees from the Reduless.

Johny99 · Feb 8, 2017

I've used it, copper sulfate, and the old trickle it down copper wires method. By far the reduless was the simplest. However, I did enjoy the chemistry and testing of the CuS. It would be an interesting test to do both side by side and see if one has other effects than just clearing the H2S.

Scooter68 · Feb 8, 2017

Johny99 said:
I've used it, copper sulfate, and the old trickle it down copper wires method. By far the reduless was the simplest. However, I did enjoy the chemistry and testing of the CuS. It would be an interesting test to do both side by side and see if one has other effects than just clearing the H2S.

According to the contents - Reduless also has some Bentonite in it so it may be there just o clear the Reduless or it may also help clear the wine too. I did the treatment over the last weekend so I'll be watching for more sediment to drop and see it the clearing is more pronounced now. Need to do some other testing too to check pH and a little taste test to. The odor seems to be gone though and that was the only thing I expected from the Reduless.

JohnT · Feb 10, 2017

Redueless is nice in that it is a very controlled way to add copper to your wine.

To put it as simply as I can....

H2S reacts with copper to form a, insoluble compound that will settle out of your wine. In most cases, this should work very well.

The problem is when the H2S becomes "bounded" (which will happen when H2S is left untreated). This is when H2S forms into compounds that copper may not treat. In these cases, you need to first add ascorbic acid to convert the compounds back into H2S, then treat with redueless.

Scooter68 · Feb 10, 2017

Thanks, That's probably what happened to one of my first strawberry wine batches. I didn't have or know about Reduless then but I tried everything except copper Sulfate (?) and that was because I wasn't sure enough that I wouldn't end up poisoning my self. Anyway the ascorbic acid, pre-treatment is something I'll remember if I get this issue again. At least this time I caught it in time that Reduless alone seems to solved the problem.

( I ended up dumping about 1 gallon of the strawberry batch. I'd split it into 3 1 gallon carboys and two ended up almost good but the 3rd was bilge water, didn't even have enough alcohol in it to keep it from spoiling. )

heatherd · Feb 15, 2017

The Reduless did not cure the stinky pinotage. I added a dose that was at the top end of the spectrum in the directions.

Scooter68 · Feb 15, 2017

heatherd said:
The Reduless did not cure the stinky pinotage. I added a dose that was at the top end of the spectrum in the directions.

Sorry to hear that. I still have a very faint odor in my wine now and I'm going to try the Ascobic acid treatment before using a second dose of Reduless.

By the way the topic of Reduless was also discussed on this forum in 2014. Here's a link to that: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47996

AND if that doesn't put you to sleep... here's a link to a PDF document about Reduless and the chemical reaction PLUS A table that describes the different off smells that wine gets as well as the cause of those smells.

http://www.scottlab.com/uploads/documents/SulfurCompounds.pdf

heatherd · Feb 17, 2017

Scooter68 said:
Sorry to hear that. I still have a very faint odor in my wine now and I'm going to try the Ascobic acid treatment before using a second dose of Reduless.

By the way the topic of Reduless was also discussed on this forum in 2014. Here's a link to that: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47996

AND if that doesn't put you to sleep... here's a link to a PDF document about Reduless and the chemical reaction PLUS A table that describes the different off smells that wine gets as well as the cause of those smells.

http://www.scottlab.com/uploads/documents/SulfurCompounds.pdf

Thanks! Looks like good reading.

Arne · Feb 18, 2017

Does the reduless have an expiration date? Don't need any, but it might be nice to have some sitting on the shelf if I run into any problems. Thanks, Arne.

sour_grapes · Feb 18, 2017

heatherd said:
The Reduless did not cure the stinky pinotage. I added a dose that was at the top end of the spectrum in the directions.

Heather, I hope this does not sound rude, but how familiar are you with Pinotage? To my palate, Pinotages ARE somewhat stinky. It has Cinsault (sometimes spelled Cinsaut) as a parent, and, boy, does it ever smell and taste it! I think of it as redolent and gamey. Other descriptions are more forgiving.

Scooter68 · Feb 18, 2017

Arne said:
Does the reduless have an expiration date? Don't need any, but it might be nice to have some sitting on the shelf if I run into any problems. Thanks, Arne.

Hmm good question. It's made from yeast. Here's the info AND an ANSWER from the manufacturer:
SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Inactivated Yeast, bentonite
Appearance: Beige Color
Odor: yeast smell
Storage: Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and strong odors. It can be stored for up to four years from production date

That last line is the tricky part - my package was a repackage and the original date ????

Arne · Feb 19, 2017

Scooter68 said:
Hmm good question. It's made from yeast. Here's the info AND an ANSWER from the manufacturer:
SPECIFICATIONS
Composition: Inactivated Yeast, bentonite
Appearance: Beige Color
Odor: yeast smell
Storage: Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight and strong odors. It can be stored for up to four years from production date

That last line is the tricky part - my package was a repackage and the original date ????

Guess I'll just wait and ask at my lhbs next time I go there. If he carries it think I'll just wait and see if I run into a problem where I need it. Can give him a shout and get it within a couple of days. Arne.

Johny99 · Feb 19, 2017

Arne said:
Does the reduless have an expiration date? Don't need any, but it might be nice to have some sitting on the shelf if I run into any problems. Thanks, Arne.

I just received some repackaged by an online shop. It has a May 2017 experiation date. I wonder how much of that is the shop vs reality.

Scooter68 · Feb 19, 2017

Sounds like a shop trying to make a little extra by breaking up old stock and reselling it. That means it sat somewhere for over 3 years before it got sold. I think that calls for a request for replacement.

That four (4) years shelf life is what the manufacturer states - four years from date of production I could understand a 1 year or 2 years on the shelf at most, but after that it should be considered for a markdown.

Just checked my package and same date May 2017. Sounds like a very large container was repackaged and distributed.

Note to Self - Next time I need this - Check date before ordering.

heatherd · Feb 20, 2017

sour_grapes said:
Heather, I hope this does not sound rude, but how familiar are you with Pinotage? To my palate, Pinotages ARE somewhat stinky. It has Cinsault (sometimes spelled Cinsaut) as a parent, and, boy, does it ever smell and taste it! I think of it as redolent and gamey. Other descriptions are more forgiving.

@Sourgrapes, no offense taken. I tried a bunch of commercial pinotages to be sure I liked it before I took the plunge of making an all-grape batch, and I liked all of them. None had the strong smell and taste of my batch even after Reduless.

Reduless vs Stinky Sulfur

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

Fruit "Wine" Maker

CRS Sufferer

Senior Member

Fruit "Wine" Maker

Senior Member

Fruit "Wine" Maker

Junior Member

Fruit "Wine" Maker

Senior Member

Fruit "Wine" Maker

Senior Member

Fruit "Wine" Maker

Senior Member

Senior Member

Victim of the Invasion of the Avatar Snatchers

Fruit "Wine" Maker

Senior Member

Junior Member

Fruit "Wine" Maker

Senior Member

Similar threads

Join the conversation!

Join today and get all the highlights of this community direct to your inbox. It's FREE!