K-Meta Missing from Back Sweetened Batch

[CortneyD]

I made my first big wine making whoopsie.

I back sweetened a batch of Serviceberry wine and got distracted and didn't add the K-Meta. I know the risk here is that whatever yeast is in there will wake up, eat that sugar, and explode on me. Is my best bet to drink it quick?

I did have a bit left over that was too little for a wine bottle, but just enough for a leftover booze bottle with a tasting stopper- I figured I'd drag it along for Easter dinner for sampling. Should I just keep an eye on that one? Figuring that the tasting stopper will blow well before corks? Or should I look for bubbles forming? Or just get on with drinking it to save the glass and wine confetti?

Thanks all! I'll certainly not make this mistake again!

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

But did you add potassium sorbate, which is what serves to inhibit fermentation ?

 

[CortneyD]

Nope, just added the sugar, got distracted and bottled it up.

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

Nope, just added the sugar, got distracted and bottled it up.

Uh oh. As soon as the first bottle explodes, uncork the rest and add it then.

if final SG was low enough, and it aged long enough maybe it will beOK

 

[CortneyD]

Uh oh. As soon as the first bottle explodes, uncork the rest and add it then.

Wouldn't it be better to just uncork everything, add it and then rebottle than wait for an explosion? Or is this a way to hedge bets that it MIGHT not explode?

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

Wouldn't it be better to just uncork everything, add it and then rebottle than wait for an explosion? Or is this a way to hedge bets that it MIGHT not explode?

I edited my post above. Was fermentation totally done ? Final SG ? Was it bulk aged a long time ? Suppose there a chance it might be OK.

if you bottled soon after fermentation stopped it might be better to sacrifice a few corks and fix it,

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

Or you could drink it quick

 

[CortneyD]

Or you could drink it quick

Well, I fermented it totally dry (so SSG 0.990) and then it has been finishing in the carboy since December. I'm happy to drink it fast if need be (lol, what a burden!) but what sort of timeline are we talking?

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

Well, I fermented it totally dry (so SSG 0.990) and then it has been finishing in the carboy since December. I'm happy to drink it fast if need be (lol, what a burden!) but what sort of timeline are we talking?

I’m not an expert yet. That might be long enough. You might just want to put them in a big Tupperware tote until you’re sure.

 

[CortneyD]

That I can do! Good solution to stave off total basement disaster! Thanks for all the assistance- like I said, I won't be bone-headed enough to do this again!

 

[winemaker81]

@CortneyD, unless rated for pressure (e.g., beer or champagne), a bottle is NOT rated, meaning it is not safe for any pressure. This statement is from a bottle manufacturer, stating a rated bottle is required if there is any pressure.

If the bottle is a standard corked bottle, it's most likely to blow the cork and make a mess. If the bottle is screwcap, or if the cork is wired down, should the pressure exceeds the weakest part of the glass, it can explode.

Me? I'd unbottle, add sorbate and K-meta, and rebottle. You can take your chances with standard corked bottles, but you may find out too late that you have refermentation in the bottle.

 

[BigDaveK]

@CortneyD I recently rebottled a gallon batch for essentially the same reason - saw something shiny, distracted, won't happen again. With my luck I KNOW if I have a bottle bomb, whether it's 2 months or 2 years after bottling, it will happen within a fraction of a second of me touching the bottle. No doubt in my mind.

 

[VinesnBines]

Refermentation may not push the corks or blow the bottle but you will have a fountain when you open the bottle. Experience. You can keep the bottles in the refrigerator if you don't want to re-cork. Easy if a gallon batch, not so easy for anything larger. For long term; I say open and add kmeta and sorbate.

 

[heatherd]

I made my first big wine making whoopsie.

I back sweetened a batch of Serviceberry wine and got distracted and didn't add the K-Meta. I know the risk here is that whatever yeast is in there will wake up, eat that sugar, and explode on me. Is my best bet to drink it quick?

I did have a bit left over that was too little for a wine bottle, but just enough for a leftover booze bottle with a tasting stopper- I figured I'd drag it along for Easter dinner for sampling. Should I just keep an eye on that one? Figuring that the tasting stopper will blow well before corks? Or should I look for bubbles forming? Or just get on with drinking it to save the glass and wine confetti?

Thanks all! I'll certainly not make this mistake again!

You can either unbottle and add your chemicals or you can keep them somewhere that you don't mind glass and wine exploding. I have been lucky so far but a friend gave me a bottle of her wine and told me to drink it fast.

 

[CortneyD]

Refermentation may not push the corks or blow the bottle but you will have a fountain when you open the bottle. Experience. You can keep the bottles in the refrigerator if you don't want to re-cork. Easy if a gallon batch, not so easy for anything larger. For long term; I say open and add kmeta and sorbate.

I was thinking about this as an option- its only a 1 gallon batch and we have a dedicated drinks mini-fridge so I'm going to move them in there for now. Corks aren't that expensive, but it would be a hassle. I wouldn't hesitate if it were a larger batch...

 

[CortneyD]

@CortneyD I recently rebottled a gallon batch for essentially the same reason - saw something shiny, distracted, won't happen again. With my luck I KNOW if I have a bottle bomb, whether it's 2 months or 2 years after bottling, it will happen within a fraction of a second of me touching the bottle. No doubt in my mind.

Always happy to know it isn't just me getting distracted! Could you (this is me being super duper lazy) uncork the bottles and add a pinch of k-meta to each bottle (appropriately measured) and then recork without having to decant everything?

 

[hawkwing]

Keep them cold if you can. Refrigerate if possible. If you notice a slight carbonation as you drink them then you could consider dealing with them at that time. If there is no sign of carbonation then you probably can relax.

 

[BigDaveK]

Always happy to know it isn't just me getting distracted! Could you (this is me being super duper lazy) uncork the bottles and add a pinch of k-meta to each bottle (appropriately measured) and then recork without having to decant everything?

Mega ultra super duper lazy!
Common sense says it should work. Maybe an old timer here knows for sure. Otherwise, I guess it's your call.

 

[winemaker81]

Always happy to know it isn't just me getting distracted! Could you (this is me being super duper lazy) uncork the bottles and add a pinch of k-meta to each bottle (appropriately measured) and then recork without having to decant everything?

You have 5 bottles? Dissolve the sorbate and K-meta in 5 Tbsp water, then add 1 Tbsp to each bottle. Re-cork, and shake to distribute.

If you have a renewed fermentation, this may not work, so keep an eye on the bottles. I believe we're talking a couple of days, so it's more likely to work than not.

 

[VinesnBines]

I go for the easiest; put it in the mini fridge. If you like it warmer to drink, take it out 20 or 30 minutes before serving. It won't referment in 30 minutes!