When do I need to add campden?

[ben485]

I made a cherry wine out of vintners harvest, and used their recipe except i used a lot less sugar, and didn't follow their timeline as far as when to rack from primary to sec. They said rack it @ 1.040 then in 3-4 weeks when the sg is at 1.010 to 1.000 add campden.

Well, what i did was start at 1.085, added 1122, fermented in the primary to about 1.005. I was plan on fermenting it to dry in the carboy and then adding the campden. Is this correct, or sould i have already added it? Thanks for the help, u guys are the best!

ps at what point do i need to degas?

 

[JasonH]

Add one tablet/gallon to the primary to kill any unwanted bacteria then wait 12 hours to add pectic enzyme and then 12 more hours to add yeast. Don't add any more campden tablets until fermentation has finished and the batch is dry. After racking off of the sediment in the secondary, add 1 tablet/gallon and continue to add 1 tablet/gallon every couple of months during rackings. If you are going to backsweeten, make sure you add campden with the sorbate to stun the yeast.

Degassing can begin after fermentation has completed.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Ben I've done 2 Vintner;'s Harvest and I will admit I did have to read the directions a few times, just to be sure.

There is a specific reason for everything to be done when making wine, however wine can be a little forgiving.

Potassium Metabisulfite (camden tabs.) kill th unwanted bacteria in your juice/must. Pectic enzymes do not work well in a sulfite environment hence for waiting 12 to 24 hours before adding.

Pectic enzymes do not work well in a yeast environment hence for the waiting 12 to 24 hours before pitching your yeast.

With this in mind just because you have added your yeast does not mean that the p.e. stops working. It will begin to stress and slow as the yeast increases hence the reason why your fruit turns to pulp @ 1.030-1.020 The p.e. does it's duty then stops working justin time for the yeast to finish their job.

Rushing the process will only create problems later on.