K-meta + pectic enzyme between crush and press of white grapes

[BigH]

I have seen recommendations that pectic enzyme should not be added within 12 hours of a k-meta addition. I think the theory is that the enzyme doesn't work as well in the presence of sulfur dioxide gas.

Yesterday, I wanted to press my Edelweiss grapes soon after crushing them, but i also wanted to hit them with the enzyme to increase juice yield. I was planning on soaking for 4 hours before pressing. If I believe that the 12 hour rule matters, then something has to give.

What would you do?

1. Skip the enzyme for now. It won't help yield much in that short of time. Add it to the juice later if desired
2. Skip the k-meta until after fermentation
   
3. Add both and ignore the 12 hour rule.

I actually went with option 4: Add the enzyme right after crush, do a bunch of googling, and 3 hours later, finally decide to add the k-meta.

H

 

[Johnd]

I have seen recommendations that pectic enzyme should not be added within 12 hours of a k-meta addition. I think the theory is that the enzyme doesn't work as well in the presence of sulfur dioxide gas.

Yesterday, I wanted to press my Edelweiss grapes soon after crushing them, but i also wanted to hit them with the enzyme to increase juice yield. I was planning on soaking for 4 hours before pressing. If I believe that the 12 hour rule matters, then something has to give.

What would you do?

1. Skip the enzyme for now. It won't help yield much in that short of time. Add it to the juice later if desired
2. Skip the k-meta until after fermentation
   
3. Add both and ignore the 12 hour rule.

I actually went with option 4: Add the enzyme right after crush, do a bunch of googling, and 3 hours later, finally decide to add the k-meta.

H

I rarely use Kmeta after crush, as long as the fruit is in good shape. I’d have added enzyme right into the must as it was coming out of the c/d, than pressed when planned.

 

[BigH]

I rarely use Kmeta after crush, as long as the fruit is in good shape.

Do you add any k-meta before fermentation?

H

 

[stickman]

As @Johnd said, much depends on the type of grapes and the condition, I don't have experience with Edelweiss, but some grapes are known to be more sensitive than others. If you decide to add sulfite, it's best to add before the must turns brown, if you add sulfite after the must is brown it can cause the brown to become permanent. Usually must or juice that has turned brown will return to a nice color once fermentation completes and the wine has settled.

 

[Johnd]

Do you add any k-meta before fermentation?

H

Not on reds, but on whites that weren’t planned for MLF, I would add it after pressing, for the day while the juice is settled, before pitching yeast.

 

[Scooter68]

As JohnD stated - Pectic enzyme is best added as soon as possible. It will help get all sugars released as well as eventually aid in clearing. I've seen far more recommendations to add it with K-meta rather than later. Most recommendation suggest adding it before wine yeast is added as fermentation is reported to inhibit it's work. In any case sooner rather than later and even later is far better than after fermentation.

I've even added it to apple juice that I have no intention of fermenting - to aid in breaking down the pulp. (I process the apples in an Omega Juicer and do not filter so there is a lot of pulp that is essentially applesauce consistency. So the point is to add PE early so that it can free up all the flavors and sugars and permit settling of pulp.