K-Meta Missing from Back Sweetened Batch

[Jovimaple]

Many of us will wait at least a week or two after backsweetening before bottling. I typically wait at least a couple weeks after adding potassium sorbate before I backsweeten, too! (I add kmeta after fermentation completes and then every 3 months of aging, then as I am bottling, so it may be done at a different time than when I backsweeten.)

@Rice_Guy has mentioned 9-12 months aging of the unsweetened wine usually is safe for NOT using potassium sorbate before backsweetening because any remaining yeastie beasties should be well and truly dead by then.

 

[winemaker81]

I recently bottled a gallon of Chardonnay as a sparkling wine, in champagne and beer bottles. The wine was 4 months old and I figured the yeast was viable enough, so I added carbonation drops and crown capped the bottles.

Nope, tried a beer bottle after a month, no carbonation. I will be creating a new yeast starter, unbottling the wine, mixing, and rebottling. Not a big effort for just 1 gallon. More irritating than anything.

There is a corollary to Murphy's Law: the likelihood of a renewed fermentation in the bottle is inversely proportional to how much (or little) that renewed fermentation is desired.

 

[CortneyD]

I recently bottled a gallon of Chardonnay as a sparkling wine, in champagne and beer bottles. The wine was 4 months old and I figured the yeast was viable enough, so I added carbonation drops and crown capped the bottles.

Nope, tried a beer bottle after a month, no carbonation. I will be creating a new yeast starter, unbottling the wine, mixing, and rebottling. Not a big effort for just 1 gallon. More irritating than anything.

There is a corollary to Murphy's Law: the likelihood of a renewed fermentation in the bottle is inversely proportional to how much (or little) that renewed fermentation is desired.

I 100% believe this. If I wanted it to end up sparkling, there's no way it would work. Since I'm ambivalent about it my odds are 50/50.

 

[barryjo]

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!

Don't beat yourself up. I have been making wine for 20 years. I had 4 wines and a beer getting ready to bottle. Added sorbate. Could not get that beer to carbonate. Turns out I had added sorbate to the beer also. I was told long ago. "You will never be able to make all the mistakes possible. Learn from other fermenters as you go."

 

[CortneyD]

Don't beat yourself up. I have been making wine for 20 years. I had 4 wines and a beer getting ready to bottle. Added sorbate. Could not get that beer to carbonate. Turns out I had added sorbate to the beer also. I was told long ago. "You will never be able to make all the mistakes possible. Learn from other fermenters as you go."

LOL. I appreciate this and you for sharing. Makes me feel better for sure! Sorry about your flat beer though!

 

[winemaker81]

Another tip is to ALWAYS read the package label. I recall an acquaintance adding acid blend to his wine. Unfortunately he didn't read the package and added several teaspoons of K-meta intead!

 

[TurkeyHollow]

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!

As long as it's not going to be in refrigeration for an extended length of time, there's no risk of tartrates falling out of suspension.

 

[barryjo]

I was told years ago that I could never make all the mistakes possible. With anything. Always listen to others and constantly learn. Another lesson learned. By me. A while back, I had 4 wines and a beer. ready to bottle. Added sorbate. It took me a while to figure out why my beer didn't carbonate! I was on a roll. Sorbated all 5 jugs. I am now the proud owner of a kegging system.