assistance needed K-meta

[Denis whalen]

Let me start with the back story. Started a WE Moscato kit 10 days or so ago and my son wanted to help, so i asked him to pour in the bentonite when we started and mix it in. When i returned i knew something wasnt right because it was still clear and i noticed he used the sulphite sorbate packet. We dumped that and started over in a clean fermenter but my SG is getting down to where I'm supposed to rack add the sulphite sorbate packet and degass. Can i use K-meta 1/4tsp per 5 gallons then continue on with the degassing and keiselsol per kit directions or is there something else I'll need as well.

 

[salcoco]

if fermentation is complete rack the wine wait three days rack again add k-meta at dosage of 1/4 tsp for 5 gallons. rack again
in three weeks of of fine lees and then again in three months add k-meta. if clear can bottle at that time or age longer

 

[Rocky]

Denis, we may need more information to help you but I think I made that kit somewhere in my past. Does it have a sweetener packet or some such thing and do the instructions say to add it when the SG gets down to some level? If it is the same kit I made, and I was only making it to blend with Zinfandel, I fermented it to dry and threw away sweetener pack before I blended it with the Zinfandel. If it is the kit I made, the Sorbate is to prevent re-fermentation and to keep the wine with an off dry or sweet taste. If you want to have a sweeter Moscato, you will need to get more Sorbate (readily available and inexpensive) and add it after the sweetener. You could also ferment the wine to dry (SG 0.992-0.994), back sweeten it with simple syrup (2 cups of sugar dissolved in 1 cup of water) and then add the Sorbate. If you do as you suggest, you will likely have a dry Muscat wine which will not taste like he Moscato's sold in stores.

 

[Denis whalen]

Denis, we may need more information to help you but I think I made that kit somewhere in my past. Does it have a sweetener packet or some such thing and do the instructions say to add it when the SG gets down to some level? If it is the same kit I made, and I was only making it to blend with Zinfandel, I fermented it to dry and threw away sweetener pack before I blended it with the Zinfandel. If it is the kit I made, the Sorbate is to prevent re-fermentation and to keep the wine with an off dry or sweet taste. If you want to have a sweeter Moscato, you will need to get more Sorbate (readily available and inexpensive) and add it after the sweetener. You could also ferment the wine to dry (SG 0.992-0.994), back sweeten it with simple syrup (2 cups of sugar dissolved in 1 cup of water) and then add the Sorbate. If you do as you suggest, you will likely have a dry Muscat wine which will not taste like he Moscato's sold in stores.

Yes it came a sweetener pack. The directions say when it gets below .996 to rack add the sulphite/ sorbate packet, degass then add keisolsol wait 24 hrs then add the sweetener pack and chitosan. I bought some potassium metabisulate from our local brewing store but he wasn't sure how much I'd use if that is even the right product. I just don't want to add the sweetener and some yeast come back to life.

 

[Rocky]

Yes it came a sweetener pack. The directions say when it gets below .996 to rack add the sulphite/ sorbate packet, degass then add keisolsol wait 24 hrs then add the sweetener pack and chitosan. I bought some potassium metabisulate from our local brewing store but he wasn't sure how much I'd use if that is even the right product. I just don't want to add the sweetener and some yeast come back to life.

Okay, Denis, I think I now understand what happened. Your kit is newer than the one I made and WinExpert has begun combining the two additives into one packet, containing both Potassium Metabisulfite and Potassium Sorbate and that is what was added and then dumped. So, if you want to move forward from here, you will need both chemicals, K-meta and K-sorbate. It sounds like you have purchased the K-meta and you need to get some K-sorbate to prevent the sweetener pack from re-fermenting. The dosages are: for K-meta 1/4 teaspoon will treat 5-6 gallons of wine and for K-sorbate 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of wine to prevent re-fermentation.

K-meta does not prevent re-fermentation. The confusion probably comes from the combining of the two chemicals into one packet which does prevent oxidation (K-meta) and re-fermentation (K-sorbate). Because I don't use K-sorbate in any of my wines, when I buy one of the new WinExpert kits with the combo bag, I toss it and use my own K-meta.

 

[Swedeman]

I would suggest that you buy a 0,01 gram scale instead of using measuring spoons. Adding 1/4 of a teaspoon easily becomes 1/2 teaspoon and then you have doubled the addition in one go.

But each to his own!