Stabilizers

[User196221]

I have been reading on Jack Kellers website about finishing you wine. He talks about two different stabilizers, potassium sorbate and sodium bensoate.
As a beginner in wine making I'm not sure which to use for fruit wines. Does anybody have an opinion on which would be the best? Thanks.

 

[robie]

I have been reading on Jack Kellers website about finishing you wine. He talks about two different stabilizers, potassium sorbate and sodium bensoate.
As a beginner in wine making I'm not sure which to use for fruit wines. Does anybody have an opinion on which would be the best? Thanks.

I have never used bensoate, so I can't comment. Sorbate is the more commonly used stabilizer. It might depend of the kind of wine; what does Jack Keller say?

 

[Tom]

I dont know ay any wine stores that sell Sodium benzoate. I would use Potassium Metabisulfite and Sorbate only if you plan on sweetening it. Sorbate is not needed in reds that are gonna be aged as they are fermented dry.


Sodium benzoate is a type of salt that may occur naturally in some foods but is more likely to be chemically produced and added as a preservative to foods. When used as a preservative, sodium benzoate is typically added to foods in small amounts only. If too much is added, food may take on a very bitter taste.

The reason you will note sodium benzoate listed in the ingredients of so many foods is because it works very well at killing bacteria, yeast and fungi. You will most commonly see it used as a preservative in foods with a high acid content, since sodium benzoate will only work when the pH balance of foods is less than 3.6. It is therefore effective in most sodas, vinegar, fruit juice, and in mixed ingredients like salad dressing. It is additionally used to stop the fermentation process in wines.

 

[sly22guy]

I use Sorbate for all of my wines both fruit & Grape. Buy it in bulk

Edit: Yes only used when sweetening as mentioned above

 

[User196221]

I have never used bensoate, so I can't comment. Sorbate is the more commonly used stabilizer. It might depend of the kind of wine; what does Jack Keller say?

I have been reading Jack Keller's Finishing Wine (Advanced Wine Making section) He writes that potassium sorbate does impart a taste to the wine which you might want to avoid if you want to enter a competition. Also the slight taste gets stonger over time. Sodium bensoate's action is the same as sorbate. He feels it's less obnoxious, in his opinion, than sorbate. I was able to find it in the current Midwest catalogue on page 68. Think I might try the sodium bensoate, don't want to mess up my chances at county fair competition!! Thanks to all who have replyed to my posting!

 

[ibglowin]

You definitely need one or the other if the wine has any residual sugar!

 

[Tom]

I have been reading Jack Keller's Finishing Wine (Advanced Wine Making section) He writes that potassium sorbate does impart a taste to the wine which you might want to avoid if you want to enter a competition. Also the slight taste gets stonger over time. Sodium bensoate's action is the same as sorbate. He feels it's less obnoxious, in his opinion, than sorbate. I was able to find it in the current Midwest catalogue on page 68. Think I might try the sodium bensoate, don't want to mess up my chances at county fair competition!! Thanks to all who have replyed to my posting!

Most reds do not have/need sorbate.
It's mostly used on fruit wines that are back sweetened or wines that a f-pac is needed.
I bet you or most here can't taste sorbate when addd in proper quanities.