Buckeye Brian
Junior
After back seeetening should you cold crash and rack again or is it good to bottle right away?
Back sweetening
- Thread starter Buckeye Brian
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If you've back sweetened, you need to stabilize to prevent fermentation in bottle by using about 1/2 teaspoon of potassium sorbate per gallon of wine. Sodium sorbate, sodium metabisulfite, or potassium metabisulfite can also do the job if that's all you have. Be sure to mix it thoroughly and you should be good to safely bottle if you're happy with the taste!
If you bottle without stabilizing a wine with residual sugars, it won't taste the same when your drink it or you'll blow your corks.
If you bottle without stabilizing a wine with residual sugars, it won't taste the same when your drink it or you'll blow your corks.
Last edited:
Ohio Bob
Senior Member
Any time back sweetening is done you should add potassium metabisulfite and sorbate. Sorbate by itself is not recommended, I forgot the exact chemical reason.
People have said after 9 months or so, that the yeast should be dead, but there have been others that say they’ve waited that long and still had bottle bombs. It’s not worth the risk since exploding bottles is extremely dangerous. You’re lucky if all you get is a volcano when opening a bottle.
People have said after 9 months or so, that the yeast should be dead, but there have been others that say they’ve waited that long and still had bottle bombs. It’s not worth the risk since exploding bottles is extremely dangerous. You’re lucky if all you get is a volcano when opening a bottle.
In addition to Trevor's and Bob's advice, cold crashing AKA cold stabilization does NOT kill the yeast, if that is what you were told.
Welcome to WMT!
If you stabilized with potassium metabisulphite (powder or crushed campden tablet form) plus potassium sorbate, you can bottle whenever. I typically wait a couple weeks to bottle after stabilizing and backsweetening, just to be sure fermentation hasn't restarted.
Potassium sorbate stops yeast from reproducing, while potassium metabisulphite kills off yeast (and other organisms). Together they make sure fermentation doesn't start again when you add more sugar to backsweeten.
Sodium metabisulphite does the same thing as potassium metabisulphite but some folks say it adds a salty taste, so most everyone here agrees that potassium metabisulphite is the better choice.
Also, potassium sorbate expires after about a year, so make sure yours is fresh enough. That's another reason to give it a few weeks after backsweetening before you bottle, if you are at all unsure of the age of the sorbate.
If you stabilized with potassium metabisulphite (powder or crushed campden tablet form) plus potassium sorbate, you can bottle whenever. I typically wait a couple weeks to bottle after stabilizing and backsweetening, just to be sure fermentation hasn't restarted.
Potassium sorbate stops yeast from reproducing, while potassium metabisulphite kills off yeast (and other organisms). Together they make sure fermentation doesn't start again when you add more sugar to backsweeten.
Sodium metabisulphite does the same thing as potassium metabisulphite but some folks say it adds a salty taste, so most everyone here agrees that potassium metabisulphite is the better choice.
Also, potassium sorbate expires after about a year, so make sure yours is fresh enough. That's another reason to give it a few weeks after backsweetening before you bottle, if you are at all unsure of the age of the sorbate.
Oh, welcome to WMT! Good catch @Jovimaple
you can bottle right away after sweetening with sorbate once it dissolves.
Buckeye Brian
Junior
Thank you
Buckeye Brian
Junior
Thank you everyone.
Welcome to WMT.
I have bottled an hour after it is dissolved as well as two days later. Key, get it dissolved/ mixed in.
I have bottled an hour after it is dissolved as well as two days later. Key, get it dissolved/ mixed in.
