Campden tablets

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el wino

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I realize that 1-campden tablet per gallon when starting a fruit wine is needed when using real fruit.But ,do I keep adding the tablets after each racking as opposed to just before you bottle........
 
I try to do it every other racking. I think that is what Jack Keller suggests, so I have always tried to do this. I have to admit, I have forgotten and things still turn out ok...
 
I believe that you should not use the metabisulfate when you transfer from your primary to a secondary fermenter. After that you may do it each time you rack off the lees or ever other time as you chose. I always do it when racking from a secondary etc.
 
Thanks for the advice...I have not use any yet.But the next racking of the wines i have,I will use it.....
 
I am curious why the tablets are needed every racking. It makes no mention of it on the VR directions I have. It indicates only once. Out of curiousity why the need every racking, or for that matter every other racking?
 
I hope someone has the answer to that one.


It is a precautionary amount as i can see it. To prevent the growth of some unwanted bacteriahas beenmy conclusion.
I noticed in terry gareys book that she gives it as an option in the evevt that anyone may be sensative to sulfites.


I am in process of reducung the amount by a couple of grains per gallon in my next small project.
 
Fly boy said:
I am curious why the tablets are needed every racking. It makes no mention of it on the VR directions I have. It indicates only once. Out of curiosity why the need every racking, or for that matter every other racking?











Not sure where the idea of adding sulfite with campden tablets at every other racking came from but I think the idea is as old as the the use of campden tablets itself.





You could very easily over sulfite your wine if you rack multiple times and don't take into account the multiple additions.
 
[/QUOTE] Not sure where the idea of adding sulfite with campden tablets at every other racking came from but I think the idea is as old as the the use of campden tablets itself.





You could very easily over sulfite your wine if you rack multiple times and don't take into account the multiple additions.

[/QUOTE]


That's what occurred to me and what begged the questions. Although, being a newbie you could probably convince me of most anything, it did not sound right from my reading and escapades in winemaking thus far.Edited by: Fly boy
 
You and your thought provoking ideas LOL LOL




I was sanitizing my juice this morning for another small batch of grape. Then I have to wait 24 hours before adding the pectic enzyme.


OK OK so when we rack with sulfite's and then the wine sits for days or weeks before the next racking how can we over sulfite?????


Doesn't the so2 rise to the top and dissipate????
 
Al i'm saying is that now you have left me with a question ..??????????????????????


so when we rack with sulfite's and then the wine sits for days or weeks with an airlockbefore the next racking how can we over sulfite?????


Doesnt the SO2 disipate??????


I dont know the answer and wonder if anyone can/will clarify this for me
 
No it will not dissipate sitting under a airlock anymore then it will in a bottle which is very slowly over time.


This info written by Ben Rotter should help:


SO<SUB>2</SUB> can be lost from wine under a number of circumstances. Molecular SO<SUB>2</SUB> is volatile and some is lost from both juice and wine through vaporisation to the air, especially if the juice/wine is agitated. This loss is higher in wines stored in barrels. However, the quantity lost in this way is usually negligible.
SO<SUB>2</SUB> will be lost during alcoholic fermentation. This is partially through vaporisation with escaping carbon dioxide from the fermentation. At the end of fermentation it is common for a wine to possess zero to just a few milligrams per litre of total SO<SUB>2</SUB>, however significant deviations from this norm can be found.
Losses additionally occur through the oxidative protection of SO<SUB>2</SUB>. This is largely due to SO<SUB>2</SUB> reacting with hydrogen peroxide to form sulphuric acid. Interactions of SO<SUB>2</SUB> with quinones to form monosulphonates may also result in SO<SUB>2</SUB> loss [Lu Valle, 1952].
SO<SUB>2</SUB> is also lost in bottled wine [Ough, 1985]. Müller-Späth [1982] found that the total SO<SUB>2</SUB> had dropped by 20-30% after 5 years at 12°C in two bottled white wines. The rate of total SO<SUB>2</SUB> loss appears to be 2-3 times faster in reds than in whites [Ough, 1985]. Peynaud notes that SO<SUB>2</SUB> losses in bottle are a few mg/l per year [Peynaud, 1984, p.271]. The causes for SO<SUB>2</SUB> loss in bottle are numerous. SO<SUB>2</SUB> vapour may be lost through the cork, but this is not substantial under normal temperatures of storage. Oxidation of the SO<SUB>2</SUB> with oxygen in the bottle will certainly occur, but this reaction is very slow. Oxidation of the SO<SUB>2</SUB> by formerly oxidised phenols will lead to the production of sulphate and a loss in total SO<SUB>2</SUB>. SO<SUB>2</SUB> loss may also occur due to rearrangements in the reaction processes within the wine after long time periods, favouring redox/equilibrium reactions rather than kinetic reaction rates.

Given this information, it should be kept in mind that the total SO<SUB>2</SUB> is not the same as the amount of SO<SUB>2</SUB> that has been added to the must/wine, since some of the added SO<SUB>2</SUB> will be oxidised irreversibly to sulphate and some lost through volatisation.

Whenever losses occur, the equilibrium between free and bound SO<SUB>2</SUB> will re-establish, resulting in a small decrease in bound SO<SUB>2</SUB>.
Edited by: masta
 
then over sulfation is possible-perhaps sulfating after racking from the secondary when fermentation has finished is a good time to sulfate but after waiting for a wine to clear and then racking off the lees may not bea good time because the wine in adition to still having residual SO2 has the alcohol to preserve it. At bottling may be a difeent story i again guess.
 

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