Too much metabisulfite at start. Can batch be salvaged?

[PaulKolf]

My mother-in-law accidentally added 1.5 tsp of metabisulfite to her grape juice before inoculating with yeast. Can the grape juice be salvaged? Or is it ruined?

Thanks,
-Paul

 

[Johnd]

My mother-in-law accidentally added 1.5 tsp of metabisulfite to her grape juice before inoculating with yeast. Can the grape juice be salvaged? Or is it ruined?

Thanks,
-Paul

To what quantity of juice was the 1.5 teaspoons added?
Regardless, it can be salvaged. You can either go through the process of stirring and / or aerating the must to cause the sulfite to disperse, or you can add some hydrogen peroxide to the mix, which will instantaneously neutralize the sulfite. Most commercial yeasts are pretty tolerant of sulfite, but too much can make it very difficult to start / maintain a steady ferment. If you can get it down under 50 ppm, you should be able to proceed as normal.

 

[PaulKolf]

Looks like about 4 gal, but that includes skins (she has a few grape vines but was only able to harvest that much after bees/wasps).
I think she's only hoping to make a bottle or so.
How would I measure the ppm?

 

[PaulKolf]

She tried aerating by "splashing" but after inoculating hasn't seen signs of fermentation. How much hydrogen peroxide would you guess?

 

[Johnd]

She tried aerating by "splashing" but after inoculating hasn't seen signs of fermentation. How much hydrogen peroxide would you guess?

I couldn’t guess without at least knowing how many ppm of sulfite is in there.

 

[montanarick]

maybe this will help - check it out https://www.awri.com.au/wp-content/uploads/TN06.pdf