To de-gas or not to de-gas...

[wineview]

Packet D is K-meta + sorbate

That’s not what Label Peelers told me on the phone. Where did you get you information?

 

[silverbullet07]

That’s not what Label Peelers told me on the phone. Where did you get you information?

I can see and smell it in the pack with the sorbate. The sorbate is the pellets and the kmeta is the powder in it. Also the instructions says it raises SO2.

 

[wineview]

I can see and smell it in the pack with the sorbate. The sorbate is the pellets and the kmeta is the powder in it. Also the instructions says it raises SO2.

Copy

 

[Rice_Guy]

I never use sorbate. Should I?

Be aware that if you do use sorbate, you will eventually/ two year time frame, ,, produce ethyl sorbate which contributes a “bubble gum” artificial type flavor. It isn’t nasty as in I have had a bottle at a vinters club meeting with someone taking seconds and also remarking that in a contest it wouldn’t place since the developed flavor overpowers any fruity aromatics that one would expect from an ingredient label.

I try to avoid potassium sorbate but have put it in to make wine ready for contest faster.

 

[Venatorscribe]

please just relax and let your wine take its own journey. For me (apart from primary which I undertake in open buckets under a towel), I would stir twice a day with a hand stirrer for ten to fifteen days. following primary there is absolutely no degassing as you would understand it - other than which happens during subsequent rackings. so following primary, a lid is placed over my 30lt fermentation buckets and I install an airlock. I would rack after a month. if I’m fermenting a red grape I would then rack every three months - (treating the wine with egg albumen somewhere in that time) - for at least a year before even thinking about bottling red grape wines whilst for fruit wines I would rack every two months for six months prior to bottling. K - meta is applied at every racking and sometimes / sometimes not - k sorbat for the fruit wines prior to bottling - other that the reds. As time goes on you'll develop a feel for each wine and start to work from a level of instinct and experience. But in your early years, work with what you learn. the key priority is to enjoy the art and help others. All the best.
Craig

 

[winemaker81]

Be aware that if you do use sorbate, you will eventually/ two year time frame, ,, produce ethyl sorbate which contributes a “bubble gum” artificial type flavor.

I've had backsweetened wines last 5 to 7 years without an adverse flavor, the longest lasting wine an Apple-Riesling kit, and the taste was fine to the last bottle. Given that my results appeared to differ from your statement, I checked online sources and found confirmation that sorbate does inevitably break down. [Your facts are always spot on, but I checked as my results appeared to differ.]

Many sources are emphatic to not overdose the sorbate, and in thinking it through, I suspect that my Apple-Riesling did have an off taste, but it was slight enough that we didn't notice it. If compared directly to an identical wine without sorbate, I suspect we'd notice the difference.

My take is to skip sorbate if making a dry wine, as it provides absolutely no value. Kit wines always include sorbate to mitigate beginners making mini-bottle volcanoes, but if the winemaker is correctly using a hydrometer, skip the sorbate and add plain 'ole K-meta at bottling time.

If using sorbate? If it's a kit, add the finishing/bottling packet (or whatever the vendor calls it). If making a non-kit wine, follow the sorbate packet instructions, adding exactly as much as it says.

As I said on the last page, I'm going to reserve 4 liters of Elderberry and bulk age another 6 months, backsweeten, and let it rest for another month to see what happens. Or I may simply trust David is right and just bottle it. [But I will keep an eye on those bottles!] Six and twelve months later I can compare the sorbate and no-sorbate bottles to see if there is a difference.

 

[wineview]

I've had backsweetened wines last 5 to 7 years without an adverse flavor, the longest lasting wine an Apple-Riesling kit, and the taste was fine to the last bottle. Given that my results appeared to differ from your statement, I checked online sources and found confirmation that sorbate does inevitably break down. [Your facts are always spot on, but I checked as my results appeared to differ.]

Many sources are emphatic to not overdose the sorbate, and in thinking it through, I suspect that my Apple-Riesling did have an off taste, but it was slight enough that we didn't notice it. If compared directly to an identical wine without sorbate, I suspect we'd notice the difference.

My take is to skip sorbate if making a dry wine, as it provides absolutely no value. Kit wines always include sorbate to mitigate beginners making mini-bottle volcanoes, but if the winemaker is correctly using a hydrometer, skip the sorbate and add plain 'ole K-meta at bottling time.

If using sorbate? If it's a kit, add the finishing/bottling packet (or whatever the vendor calls it). If making a non-kit wine, follow the sorbate packet instructions, adding exactly as much as it says.

As I said on the last page, I'm going to reserve 4 liters of Elderberry and bulk age another 6 months, backsweeten, and let it rest for another month to see what happens. Or I may simply trust David is right and just bottle it. [But I will keep an eye on those bottles!] Six and twelve months later I can compare the sorbate and no-sorbate bottles to see if there is a difference.

I am of two minds and I think I posted this on another thread. I have used sorbate and not used it. Never really tasted any difference. When making a few FWK this past Spring, I used all the packaged ingredients and followed the directions exactly to see what all the hoopla was about with FWK’s. So far they smell really good. Having said that, if SG is down to .996, there is probably no need for sorbate. Please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[winemaker81]

Having said that, if SG is down to .996, there is probably no need for sorbate. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Generally speaking, if the SG is <= 0.998 and hasn't changed in 3 days, fermentation is considered done. If you're wrong, so am I!

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule -- I've had grape wines quit at 1.002 and never restart, and had one quit at 1.000, didn't react to a new starter, and spontaneously restarted 3 months later. With the exception of H2S, the "P" word is our friend!

 

[Bmd2k1]

Personally....only use sorbate if backsweeting my vino.

Cheers!