Hello group,
OK.. i bought my first winemaking kit... crushed the grapes and put in the yeast, campden tablets et. al., the only problem was i added 2 tsp of Potassium Sorbate by mistake ( what was i thinking.. probably shouldnt do this after dinner.. the brain must have fallen asleep!!!)
Anyway, i realise that Potassium Sorbate is an inhibitor of yeast growth. Is there any way to rectify the situation without throwing away all my precious crushed grapes? I did add furmax too.
Thanks
Rick
Make a solution of sugar and water to an SG of about 1.090 or so, boil it if you want to. Add nutrient and yeast (after it has cooled) When that is fermenting crazy, add it to your grapes. You might get it to go.
Or, you could pitch about 5 times the amount of yeast that you normally would have. Basically you have to sacrifice a few yeast to take care of the sorbate.
I guess that could work, I didn't reply because I really can't come up with a solution. Maybe the sorbate was old, that would help.
Maybe go the other way around. Do the starter like you said, but add the must to it in small increments and see what happens.
Maybe start with equal volumes of must to starter; if it goes ok, double it and so on...
Joe
Joe's solution may well work but you will need a very good yeast starter. Sorbate does not kill yeast. It prevents it from multiplying. So if the wine has cleared there should be very few yeast cells in it and if you prevent it from multiplying you are safe.
If you get a very strong starter going and then add it, it may have enough cells to keep the batch going until it is finished. But it will probably ferment slow.
Ray
well.. i did what droopy adviced.. seems like i got it to go... as i can see it bubbling... although it is kinda slow...... thanks again guys for the advice.
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