K-Meta question.

[koolaide187]

I recently started a new batch of wine. At first I added all my concentrates and water then added enough sugar to get my hydrometer's SG to 1.090. I remember a long time ago that somebody told me or I read somewhere to add a little K-Meta to my must before adding yeast and wait 24 hours. I am making 6 gallons and I added about a teaspoon of K-Meta and let the must sit 24 hours before adding the yeast nutrient and yeast to my must. Was I ok in doing this or did I possible hurt anything? Just questioning now after I have already done this which I probably should had asked before doing it. Thanks.

P.S. I am kind of thinking now I may not had needed the K-Meta added since it was concentrate and that stuff already has preservatives in it.

 

[SBWs]

Welcome to wine making. I got to say you are right about asking before you add. Normal dose of K-meta for 6 gallons is 1/4 tsp so you added 4 times what should of been added. I'd be surprised if the yeast don't have a hard time starting or start at all. Give it a day and see if you have any activity. Not knowing what kind of wine white, red or fruit I won't recommend splash racking at this time. However, I'd say give it a big old hard stirring a few times in the next day or two. If it doesn't start ask back.

 

[djrockinsteve]

In time you will be okay but the yeast will be hindered awhile. Keep us informed of its progress.

Normally you add 1/4 teaspoon after you ferment (providing good fruit/juice upfront). Yea you added too much. Don't fret.

I would suggest making a good yeast starter. That would help your must.

 

[koolaide187]

Thanks for the info. Since I just added it yesterday I will give it 48 hours before trying anything with it. I'll stir it a bit and I may have a yeast starter. I can't remember all the stuff I have off the top of my head right now. I may try that if after 48 hours it doesn't start. Since I added too much. What will be the side effects I may expect besides the yeast having a tough time starting? Any funny smells? taste?

1 more question also... How long should I wait until trying to add another batch for fresh yeast if my previous yeast did die?

 

[DeniseHogemann]

I just did this last month to my apple cider wine. I ended up making another yeast starter and got that going good then slowly introduced some of the must to it. I added it to the rest of the must and by the next day it was fermenting happily. I did stir it quite frequently while it was fermenting, about 5 times throughout the day(I come home from work for lunch so this worked out good). It is done now, degassed and sitting quietly aging in the corner.

 

[jswordy]

As far as funny smells or tastes, you might get a sulphur smell and/or taste initially if you do get it going because of so much SO2 in the must, but it will dissipate over time. There should be no need to add any more k-meta to the must through at least the first racking and maybe the first 2 rackings. I'd go through 2.

The longer a juice must sits without fermenting, the longer the flavors have to change and dissipate into the air, so it is ideal to get it going on time. But since you're in for a penny now, might as well be in for a pound and try to save it.

If it were mine I would grab the stoutest fermenting yeast in my arsenal, like EC-1118 or a champagne or something robust.

I goofed with a measuring error like this once and never could save the apple must. It went to feed the bacteria in my septic tank. It didn't go there, though, until I tried 3 times to save it!

Denise steers you right in how to save it, if it can be saved. Best of luck!

UNDER EDIT: A yeast starter is something you make up, not a supply. Lots of ways to make one. I make mine by boiling a cup of water, taking it off the heat and then adding about a half cup of sugar to it while stirring until dissolved. Then once it cools to 100 degrees F (lukewarm to the touch) I pitch the yeast on that and cover with a paper towel. In just a little while the yeast will wake up.

What Denise is saying is once you see activity in your starter, you should add a little of your must to it. I would add maybe half a cup and let it go for awhile. Check on it, and if the yeast seem to be doing OK, I would add another half cup of must.

Check on it again later and if they are doing OK and working away, then I would think about gently pouring the starter solution on top of the must in the bucket. I would leave it on top and not stir it until the next day. This allows the rocking and rolling yeast to gradually get into eating on the tainted must. If you succeed in acclimating them, your must will become wine.

Like I say, lots of ways to make a starter and I am sure others will chime in with theirs. Good luck!

 

[Turock]

Koolaide--You're right about not needing meta in the primary when working with concentrates. Don't forget to add some yeast nutrient.

 

[koolaide187]

The starter worked. My yeast started yesterday. I did add yeast nutrient before adding the first batch of yeast.

 

[koolaide187]

Just an update. The wine has been going great. Still pretty vigorous right now. The air lock pops about once every 3-5 seconds. Soon as that subsides I'll add my reserve to it. But come to think of it... I think I may had added the k-meta before I pulled out the reserve. Think it will be ok to add it back in? It's about a gallon or so. I am thinking it should be just fine if I add it back in even though the k-meta was in it when I pulled it out.

 

[jswordy]

Just an update. The wine has been going great. Still pretty vigorous right now. The air lock pops about once every 3-5 seconds. Soon as that subsides I'll add my reserve to it. But come to think of it... I think I may had added the k-meta before I pulled out the reserve. Think it will be ok to add it back in? It's about a gallon or so. I am thinking it should be just fine if I add it back in even though the k-meta was in it when I pulled it out.

Should be fine. That's a small reserve, right? It will be greatly diluted when added.

 

[koolaide187]

Yea it's 1 gallon taken out of a 6 gallon batch.

 

[SBWs]

Without all the information it's hard to give an answer. If the reserve was stored in a sealed container, I would not add it back without dissipating some of the SO2 . The original juice had 4 times the amount of sulfite added than should have been. I'd be concerned about stunning the yeast. If you are going to add it back I'd splash rack it back and forth a bunch of times. Make sure it's the same temp as the ferment before adding it back and add in small amounts until it's all added back.