stupid newbie wants to know: can this batch be saved?

Hi I am just getting into making my own wine, and had pretty good success with my first attempt with a white zinfandel kit. So now I thought I would try some apple wine from some recipes I got online. But I think I screwed up when I used potassium metabisulfite instead of campden tablets. Like, I think I used too much. I pitched the yeast 24 hours ago, but there isn't much activity there. Now what should I do? Add more yeast or pitch the whole thing? I live in a rural area and the nearest winemaking shop is 50 miles away and I don't have more yeast right now. Help! Thanks, Liz

Reply to
lilabet
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Liz:

1) Don't panic, be patient

2) Potassium metabisulphite & campden are the same.

3) How much potassium metabisulphite?

4) In fact let's have the entire recipe.

5) What is the specific gravity & temperature of the must?

6) Buy a couple of spare packs of yeast. Shouldn't be more than a $1 each.

7) With some wines, 24 hours isn't long enough.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Great advice has already been given, also make sure the area isn't too cold too as mentioned, wine likes average room temperature but not much less than 65F to start.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

ok

i knew that

1 gallon apple juice 1 lb sugar 1 tsp yeast nutrient 1/8 tsp pectic enzyme 1 1/2 tsp acid blend 1/4 tsp wine tannin 1 campden tablet (memory is fuzzy here - I think I used 1/2 tsp meta) 1 pkg Lalvin EC-1118 yeast

I mixed everything but the yeast in primary fermenter and let sit 24 hours. Then I added the yeast which I used according to the package directions for prep.

sg 1.092 temp 70F

will do from now on :)

Reply to
lilabet

Joe: Thanks for the reply. I will follow Steve's advice. Room temp is about

70F. Liz
Reply to
lilabet

Reply to
lilabet

Your guees is right - 1/2 tsp for 2 gallons would be a lot. For that amount of wine, 1/12 tsp gives about 40ppm, which is a reasonable addition at this stage. You've added 6x more.

The best way to deal with the problem is adjusting the recipe to make a bigger batch if you can - for example, making 6 gals instead of 2 without adding any more sulfite would bring the level to 80ppm (less really because some would have already combined with oxygen and other stuff in the must) - EC1118 would have no problem starting then, especially if you build up a starter.

Pp

Reply to
pp

I saw the same thing, I would have suggested 1/4 teaspoon for 5 gallons so come up with pretty much the same conclusion. If growing the batch to 10 gallons is not an option maybe splashing the heck out of it might work. The risk is dark colored wine (this time). It has become common practice for a lot of white wine makers to not add sulfite before fermenting and letting the wine brown initially and that color drops out at the end of fermentation. I can't say that will happen with apple, but it could work. Two things will happen, the wine will be aerated which is good for the yeast and the aeration will consume free sulfite which could be the reason it won't ferment. I would make sure the must is at least 70 F, then pour it back and forth from one container to another several times and see what happens. It's not a good suggestion but it 'could' work... If you can get more yeast before you do this I might do that; if I poured it back and forth 10 times and nothing happened in 1/2 a day i would add more yeast.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

I was going to say stirring the must in the primary. I believe that encourages some to come out of solution.

Splash racking and pouring back & forth (both already mentioned) would probably also help.

Steve

Reply to
Steve

Hi, Lilibet,

Another newbie here also, and this may be a stupid question too. Concerning your juice, is it preservative free? Check your label. Any preservatives will give you big problems.

Abby

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Reply to
Childfree Abby

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