Muscadine wine

[Joseph10]

I am on day 1 of wine making, I accidentally added potassium sorbate , I haven't added my wine yeast yet, will it still ferment and if not what can I do to make it ferment?

 

[Thig]

I Googled and found this. Have no personal experience.

"There is no way to remove sorbate once added. If the amount is only small (10's of ppm) a good strong yeast starter might be able to overcome it by adding large amounts of starter to small amounts of contaminated juice. Once fermentation begins, add a bit more contaminated juice and wait till fermentation begins again. Repeat until all the juice is added and fermenting.

But if the amount added is in the 100's of ppm, there's no quick way back really. What is the juice pH? Raising the juice pH with alkali as high as you dare (but don't exceed pH 4) will make the sorbate less effective and give the added yeast more chance to work. "

 

[jamesngalveston]

i can tell you how to kill the sorbate, and trick it to ferment,
how many gallons, what fruit, etc.
how much sugar....how much sorbate, did you add any campden,etc.

 

[jamesngalveston]

sorry...forgot it was muscadine...

 

[LoneStarLori]

Hi Joe. Don't be surprised if it starts fermenting. Those grapes tend to ignore sorbate. I have one that has re-started twice.
Wait till tomorrow and stir it up, then add the yeast. Maybe you will get lucky.

 

[Julie]

I would do like Thig posted
James what do you mean you can "kill the sorbate and trick it to ferment"?
Lori how old is your sorbate? If you have a wine that has re-started twice I believe your sorbate is old and is no longer working.

 

[Runningwolf]

Once "fresh" Sorbate has been added with the proper amount of kmeta, you will not restart it. Keep this in mind when stabilizing; Sorbate less than 1 year old and proper amount of kmeta based off of your ph.

 

[jamesngalveston]

stop was not a good word...i added sorbate to a must before yeast once making a concord juice concentrate wine. i did not want to toss it.
i added 1/2 quart of brandy, which yeas loves, then added sugar to get to my sg.
reading what sorbate does, coats the yeast cell walls...not kill them.
if you add yeast in the amount greater then the amount of viable sorbate the must will ferment.
so i added the brandy, then sugar]
then pitched one packet of yeast, one hour later i pitched another.
about 2 hours later I had a ferment going.

 

[LoneStarLori]

I would do like Thig posted
James what do you mean you can "kill the sorbate and trick it to ferment"?
Lori how old is your sorbate? If you have a wine that has re-started twice I believe your sorbate is old and is no longer working.

That is a thought Julie. I bought it about 2 months ago at the ONLY brew supply place within 150 miles. It may have been old.
Any ideas on how double dosing effects wine? I am going to a San Antonio tomorrow and they have several shops so I can stock up. Then I can stabilize it again. Should I kmeta it too?

 

[Julie]

I k-meta once every three months. The sorbate could have been old when you bought it. And when you do get a new supply, keep it in the frig, that will extend the life a few months longer.

 

[Thig]

i added 1/2 quart of brandy, which yeast loves,

Why would yeast love brandy which is already at 40%abv and well above the alcohol tolerance of yeast?

 

[Sammyk]

I wondered the same thing because yeast will die of alcohol poisoning.