To stabilize or not to stabilize...

[habanerojefe]

Hey all!

New here, just finishing the second primary of my 1st raspberry wine and I have a question!

The wine in the carboy is nice and clear and I'm ready to Burp it and bottle. I'm new and I'm afraid not stabilize my batch. It's been 5 weeks since the primary. If so, what to use. I've heard potassium metabisulfite, potassium sorbet and suffer dioxide.

Any advice? TIA

Hab

 

[RevA]

Hi,

If it was made with fruit you might want to give it a bit more time...but if you want to stabilize potassium sorbet is what you need to use, metabisulfite will help it keep, but won't stabilize you're wine

 

[GreginND]

In order to help you better we need more information.

What is the SG? Is the wine completely dry?
Do you plan to sweeten it or leave it dry?

FYI - potassium metabisulfite (k-meta) is necessary to protect the wine from microbes and oxidation. It is the source of SO2 in your wine. You will want to make sure you add some before bottling.

Potassium sorbate is a chemical that stops yeast reproduction. Note that it does not kill yeast, just stops them from growing. It is used only if you have and want sugar left in your wine. You need to stabilize with k-sorbate only if you are adding sugar to sweeten to prevent it from restarting fermentation. The sulfite alone will not do that. You need to have you wine as clear as possible and free of yeast before sweetening and adding sorbate.

If you will bottle your wine dry, there is no need for sorbate.

 

[barbiek]

If it's only been 5 weeks I would let it set in carboy for at least a year and add the appropriate additions of kmeta although it seems clear now you will regret bottling it so soon

 

[habanerojefe]

Thank you all for your advise. There's so much to learn about making wine. I've been taking notes on everything. Stabilize with potassium sorbet. Metabisulfite to protect the wine. So by Christmas maybe!

And one other question. While in the secondary, do I still use the air locks or do I plug it? TIA

Hab

 

[Runningwolf]

GreginND is spot on. At this point, yes it is best to protect your wine with an air lock.