too much kmeta?

[drewberrr]

Started a 3gal blueberry wine according to a combination of recipes, most called for campden tabs, but I have kmeta powder. I did some conversion and ended up putting in 5 grams of kmeta in the primary. Added yeast about 24 hours after ingredients were added. Fermentation was slow to start, about 72 hours and only after I added half a banana as some had suggested. Fermentation was very vigorous then, punched down daily and it finally came time to first racking into carboy. It was then that I realized I provably had too much kmeta. Afera few weeks I did another rack, splashed and degassed by stirring. Fermentation stopped almost no action thru airlock. Took sample with wine thief today and from a standing position could smell the sulfur. Sample had light sulfur smell and as my wife says " tastes like cheap wine".

Thoughts?

I am considering starting a 1 gal batch w no kmeta in primary and blending after secondary. Pros/con's? Other ideas?

 

[acorn]

To address your last question first, I have to say that in my experience wine is a pretty robust and resilient liquid, especially during its first several weeks, granted you don't just leave it completely exposed to the open air or use pretty moldy fruit base. Before I knew what K-meta is, I had been making wines on wild yeast, and none had spoiled on me. Long story short, you more likely than not are safe by starting without K-meta at all.

In regard to your first concern, though, I suggest you splash rack the wine once more and don't add any more K-meta as it ages through time. Eventually, the sulfur smell will go away. 5 grams of K-meta is a double dose of what I would put into a very low acid wine to keep it from spoiling, but again, time will do its job, so don't worry.

 

[grapeman]

You put in approximately 5 times too much k-meta. What is the SG of the wine now? If it finished up dry, then a good splash racking will tie up a lot of the excess. Don't add any more without being able to test it for free S02 to be sure it is in range.