Campden

[Kcuret]

If you use campden tablets are K-meta and Na-meta needed?

 

[Rembee]

No you do not. Campden tablets are Potassium Metabisulfite. Same as K-meta, just in tablet form.

 

[Johnd]

K-meta (aka: potassium metabisulfite, KMBS, or just sulfite) is useful in winemaking both as a tool / equipment sanitizer when mixed with water, and as an anti-microbial, anti-oxidant when added directly to wine. Some folks also add it to must to ward off any undesirable yeasts, mold spores, bacteria, etc, to prepare for fermentation.

Na-meta is also useful as a sanitizer when mixed with water, and will also act the same way in wine, but may leave your wine tasting salty. Most folks won’t use Na-meta as a wine additive for that reason.

I’ve never used Campden tablets, but they can be made of either the K or Na form of metabisulfite, so check the label. Personally I prefer to keep the powdered form of K-Mets on hand for easy measuring and never fearing putting the Na form in my wine by mistake.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Campden: advantage it is pre measured to be half a gram, good if you do not have a balance that reads 0.01 gram.
powder metabisulphite: faster solubility, if you do one gallon you can weigh out 0.02 gram, available as a potassium salt (preferred in wine) or a sodium salt

 

[winemaker81]

Most folks use Campden for small batches, 1 or 2 gallons, maybe 3. For larger batches, powdered K-meta is easier to use, and IIRC, it's cheaper than Campden.

I follow the old rule of thumb which calls for 1/4 tsp K-meta per 5/6 US gallon carboy at each racking. I use a 1/8 tsp measure for 3 gallon carboys, and rarely make smaller batches.

 

[RickD]

Just a heads up...if you buy Campden tablets from Amazon you need to look closely to see if it's K-meta or Na-meta. Fool me once...

 

[cmason1957]

Just a heads up...if you buy Campden tablets from Amazon you need to look closely to see if it's K-meta or Na-meta. Fool me once...

That whole problem can be eliminated by buying the specific one you want (and that is probably K-Meta) and forgo the campden tablets completely. K-Meta is much cheaper and no fillers to deal with in your wine.

 

[Scooter68]

Campden tabs are simple to use for 1 or 2 gallon batches or folks who are concerned about over-dosing their wines but, yeah, what is in those fillers? I keep them around for those small batches even though I invested in digital scale. That's about the only time I use the tabs I have a 1/8 tsp measure and since I typically make 3 gallon batches it works perfectly for measuring my k-meta doses.

 

[Rice_Guy]

the typical filler in medications where the active ingredient is specified as milligrams, is lactose.
I seriously question if Campden has any fillers since in the pilot plant putting two tons of pressure on a chemical powder does pretty good at creating a tablet, and we don’t list fillers on the package.

but, yeah, what is in those fillers? .

 

[Kcuret]

Most folks use Campden for small batches, 1 or 2 gallons, maybe 3. For larger batches, powdered K-meta is easier to use, and IIRC, it's cheaper than Campden.

I follow the old rule of thumb which calls for 1/4 tsp K-meta per 5/6 US gallon carboy at each racking. I use a 1/8 tsp measure for 3 gallon carboys, and rarely make smaller batches.

Thanks for the info

 

[Kcuret]

That whole problem can be eliminated by buying the specific one you want (and that is probably K-Meta) and forgo the campden tablets completely. K-Meta is much cheaper and no fillers to deal with in your wine.

That seems to be the general consensus, thanks