K-meta questions

[cuz]

What is the best way to add 1/4 teaspoon of K-meta TO 6 gallon carboy. I boiled half a cup of bottled water, added the K-meta, waited for it to cool, then added it to my wine

When sanitizing with K-meta - how often can you reuse the gallon mixture you made with 2 oz of k-meta. How ling does that gallon last.

I saw one post where the person mixes the k-meta with citric acid. Is that the norm?

 

[Johnd]

What is the best way to add 1/4 teaspoon of K-meta TO 6 gallon carboy. I boiled half a cup of bottled water, added the K-meta, waited for it to cool, then added it to my wine

When sanitizing with K-meta - how often can you reuse the gallon mixture you made with 2 oz of k-meta. How ling does that gallon last.

I saw one post where the person mixes the k-meta with citric acid. Is that the norm?

Dump it into the wine, stir, and move on.

If you have lees you don't want to disturb, theif out 1/2 cup wine, mix sulfit in, dump back in.

Citric acid is combined with sulfite to increase its effectiveness as a sanitizer. DO NOT add this to your wine! Once mixed and kept in a sealed container, I don't ever toss, just use for sanitizing til it's gone.

 

[rustbucket]

What is the best way to add 1/4 teaspoon of K-meta TO 6 gallon carboy. I boiled half a cup of bottled water, added the K-meta, waited for it to cool, then added it to my wine

When sanitizing with K-meta - how often can you reuse the gallon mixture you made with 2 oz of k-meta. How ling does that gallon last.

I saw one post where the person mixes the k-meta with citric acid. Is that the norm?

I generally draw a cup of wine out of the batch when I'm racking the wine and mix the K-meta into that. Then, after I finish racking, I add it back to the batch and stir it in.

With regard to the K-meta sanitizing solution, it depends how long you keep it. After awhile, it gets really strong smelling. When I can't help but cough on opening the bottle, I know that it's time to through it away and make more. That's usually after about 3 months.

As to the last question, I don't understand the roll that citric acid plays when added to a K-meta solution so I'm unable to give you any insight on it.

 

[dralarms]

I generally draw a cup of wine out of the batch when I'm racking the wine and mix the K-meta into that. Then, after I finish racking, I add it back to the batch and stir it in.

With regard to the K-meta sanitizing solution, it depends how long you keep it. After awhile, it gets really strong smelling. When I can't help but cough on opening the bottle, I know that it's time to through it away and make more. That's usually after about 3 months.

As to the last question, I don't understand the roll that citric acid plays when added to a K-meta solution so I'm unable to give you any insight on it.

Actually you have this backward. When the smell is gone is when you toss it.


And to the OP. I use mine until gone or collects some trash in it somehow

 

[richmke]

I use the All-in-one to rack from carboy to carboy.

I rack enough to cover about 1 inch of the bottom of the receiving carboy. I then add k-meta. Start racking again (vacuum out the air). I then shake/swirl the receiving carboy to mix it up. I continue that until the carboy is about 1/3 full and too hard to shake.

 

[cuz]

So did I compromise the k-meta by boiling it in water?

When you sanitize with K-meta doesn't the residual left in the carboy effect the yeast?

 

[cuz]

Is the life expectancy of Starsan the same. Just keep it basically until used

 

[Ajmassa]

So did I compromise the k-meta by boiling it in water?

When you sanitize with K-meta doesn't the residual left in the carboy effect the yeast?

Boiling? Just check by smelling for that unmistakable "this stuff is still good" smell.
Let it dry as much as you can first. A few droplets in a primary bucket will not affect anything.
When you first mix k-meta you'll notice that smell punching you in the face. And then every time you unscrew the cap. ---when that smell is gone is when I make a new batch, as previously said.
Star San seems to last slightly less. If you have ph strips it's easy to check with that. Star san is only effective under ph 3.3 or less. Dip a strip to see if she's still got power in her- looking for that light lime green or yellow on the strip.
Ballparking it at Maybe 3+ months for k-meta. And 1-2 months for star san.

 

[Floandgary]

As anyone handy around the kitchen will attest, a "warmed" medium will dissolve things (sugar, powders, K-Meta, sorbate, etc.) much quicker than cold. No need to boil. As noted by others, if the smell knocks you back, it's still working!!! Storing your winemaking stuff in a fridge helps keep it longer (dryer and less prone to evaporation)...

 

[Johnd]

As anyone handy around the kitchen will attest, a "warmed" medium will dissolve things (sugar, powders, K-Meta, sorbate, etc.) much quicker than cold. No need to boil. As noted by others, if the smell knocks you back, it's still working!!! Storing your winemaking stuff in a fridge helps keep it longer (dryer and less prone to evaporation)...

Totally agree, no need to boil, just warm if you are worried about getting it to dissolve. I do not know if using boiling water harms the effectiveness. When sulfiting my wine barrels, simply thief out 1/2 cup of wine, put into a sanitized measuring cup, add the sulfite and swirl around for about 30 seconds. Never had any trouble dissolving 1/4 tsp in 1/2 cup of wine at 55F, it's clear as a bell. From there, just dump it into the barrel. No need to add any water when it'll dissolve in wine, IMHO.

 

[Brickhouse]

I dump it at the bottom of the empty carboy and rack away. Gentle stir after I'm done. No issues.

As for the gallon of sanitizer....when it doesn't have a strong smell, I toss it.

 

[jgmann67]

I do as many others: prior to racking, I drop the 1/4 teaspoon at the bottom of a clean carboy; rack an inch or so of wine and swirl till it's dissolved. From there, I just rack away.