SO2 and Gallon Batches

[RegionRat]

I have 8, one gallon batches of various fruit wines I am going to rack in the next few days. Should I take the time to check for free SO2 in each one or should I just crush a camptom tablet for each one. There have all been aging for 5 to 6 months. I plan on letting them age another 4 to 6 months before I bottle them.

Thanks

RR

 

[GreginND]

I generally add 0.2 g per gallon if I'm not testing. A campden tablet is roughly twice that. With that many individual gallons I probably would not test them all and just add a small dose. You could add half a tablet now and another half tablet or so at bottling.

 

[RegionRat]

I generally add 0.2 g per gallon if I'm not testing. A campden tablet is roughly twice that. With that many individual gallons I probably would not test them all and just add a small dose. You could add half a tablet now and another half tablet or so at bottling.

Thanks for the input.

What do you think about crushing a tablet and mixing it in 2 oz water. Then adding one oz solution per gallon...

If I had an accurate enough scale then I cold also just add 0.2g sodium metabisulfite per gal?

RR

 

[GreginND]

That's what I would do if I were you.

 

[whackfol]

Since I have the ability and don't have as many different batches going on at once, I always figure what i need to add by subtracting what I have from my target.

Be aware that a camden tablet is about 250 mg. of SO2. Adding half of one (125mg) to 1 gallon (3.78L) increases SO2 by 33mg/L or ppm. Depending on pH, it's about right for a first addition. Subsequent additions I would expect to require lower levels of SO2 addition. If you are having to make significant future additions, you need to look at O2 exposure. In my experience FSO2 remains fairly stable during aging unless you have an O2 problem or there are some VA's. My point, test quarterly or semiannually if you can. If you can't, 1/2 campden tablet is fine for a first addition. Subsequently, I'd test a few until you get a sense of how the FSO2 in your batches is holding.