Quick question about k-meta

[geek]

I read the instructions say for wine preservation use a 1/4 tsp per 5gal. of wine.
I needed to add k-meta to 1gal and added what it seemed like a minuscular portion of k-meta.

Just confirming.

 

[Runningwolf]

In the future, What I would do is add 1/4 tsp to six ounces of water and stir it in. Then just add 1 ounce of water into your wine. Now you've added the correct proportion.

 

[CoastalEmpireWine]

I thought it was a quarter teaspoon per gallon, is it 1/4 per gallon or 1/4 per 5 gallons

 

[CoastalEmpireWine]

Another quick question, if I decided to use campden KMS tablets to stabilize, I would use 5 for a 5 gallon batch correct?

 

[Rocky]

CEW, yes, it is 1/4 t per 5 gallons of wine and yes, 1 Campden tablet per gallon of wine.

 

[Norton]

I am getting confused. On my container of potassium meta bisulfide it says to use 1/8 tsp per gallon and that gives you 100 ppm. Jack Keller website says to use 1/16 tsp per gallon. A Camden tablet container says it provides 30 ppm but everyone seems to agree you can't go wrong with 1 campden tablet per gallon.
So which is correct? And if I used 1/8 per gallon at first racking, and that is wrong, am I in trouble?

 

[Duster]

I just checked my package to make sure I wasn't going crazy.
L D Carlson K-Meta says 1/4 t per 6 gallon.

If you stabilized using 1/8 t per gallon you have over sulfaited your wine. Try a good splash racking and stirring with copper pipe.

 

[GreginND]

Potassium metabisulfite is not the same as hydrogen sulfide. A copper pipe will not help. It will only add copper to your wine that is unneeded.

 

[Ernest T Bass]

I believe it is 1/4 tsp if you are not going to back-sweeten and 1/2 tsp if you are going to back-sweeten. When I make only one gallon, I use the campden tablet.
Semper Fi
Bud

 

[BobF]

There was a time when all Campden tablets were equal. Not so any longer.

A quick look around reveals the following "strength" campden tabs available at popular brew/winemaking sources (rounded numbers):

- 550mg *active* sulphite per tablet (potassium). One tablet per gallon is equal to 83ppm addition.

- 1/16 tsp or 75ppm per gallon per tablet (sodium). Not recommended for stabilizing wine. Use the potassium version instead.

- 75ppm per gallon per tablet (potassium).

- 440mg tablet (old standard) = 66ppm.

The point of the above is two-fold. 1) Not all campden tablets are the same. 2) The labeled recommendations for use are VERY high. Especially for second and subsequent post-ferment additions.

Here's a good article:
http://winemakermag.com/stories/wiz...-do-i-measure-the-level-of-sulfite-in-my-wine

For k-meta powder (potassium metabisulfite), it is really better to use a gram scale ($15@Amazon) than measuring spoons. Convert your wine volumes to liters and use 57% for strength of k-meta. This makes calculations very straight forward. Doing this you can calculate ppm very easily (ppm = mg/L).

To get a general idea (ballpark) on measuring spoon additions:

1 tsp k-meta = ~5 grams

5 / 4 = 1.25 grams per 1/4 tsp = 1250mg

5 gallons = 19L wine

1250mg / 19L = 66mg k-meta per liter, or 38mg/L (ppm) SO2. (k-meta is 57% SO2)

Depending on the wine, 38ppm additions for the first and second post-ferment additions is probably OK. However, for later and especially pre-bottling additions, you really need to measure and add only what is needed. Measurement includes measuring pH as your target level is determined by pH.

As Dan suggested above, using a solution of known strength makes it easier to figure out exactly how much is needed.

Having said all of that ... a lot of people have made a lot of wine adding 1 campden tablet per gallon, or 1/4tsp k-meta per 5 gallons at every other racking with great success. If you're using campden, read the labels carefully so you know how much k-meta is in each tablet.

The .44g/tablet standard is no more!

 

[Duster]

Well put Bob.

 

[scotty]

I'm guessing that diferent sypplyers mix the K META with anoters ingredient that has no effect on the K META. Sounds like we better use the supplyers/manufacturers instructions for whater we add to our wines. I also asume that the cost can not be determined by its weight but rathet on how many gallons the particular brand/package can treat.
Life is no longer simple

 

[geek]

Just one more question on using the Potassium Metabisulfite.
I was watching a video on youtube and this guy pours the contents of a small package into a 5 gal. carboy. It seemed like more than a table spoon but not sure on how much.

Do you know the amount of k-meta in those packages that come with the wine kits?

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