adding k- metabisufites

[mf148954]

i started a batch of coolaid wine recently, having become interested in it due to some spare time and some interesting online posts. i also started a batch of dandelion wine and having failed due to infection caused by lack of good secondayr firmenter and lack of efficient starilization i descided to order a kit.
my coolaid wine is still active and looking good. i racked it and added about a half cup sugar mixed with some of the wine in a staralized sauce pan at 2 weeks, and it is now just over 20 days into the firmentation.

now my question is:

can i add metabisulfites to it now when my kit comes in (in about 2 days)
and be assured that it will preserve it and keep it from turning into vinager or is it too late and should keep it a sulfite free wine that cannot age but a few months? also any further suggestions are welcome reguarding the well being of the wine.

 

[Tom]

I would like to see the recipe.
What is the starting gravity and the gravity now? Do you have a hydrometer? If not STOP and do not make anymore wine till you get one.

 

[Wade E]

I must say that you can make wine without a hydrometer but I surely dont recommend it especially for a new winemaker! If you are referring to using the sulfites on your coolaid wine and if it is still fermenting that is a no no. The process go like stated below.
When making wine from any type of fresh fruit then use sulfites at first to stun the wild yeast so that your preferred ast of choice can take its hold and youll want to wait 24 hours after adding the sulfites before adding your wine yeast to let the sulfites dissipate. Once the wine is done fermenting (verified by taking 3 sg readings a few days in a row with no changes) then you can add your sulfites and also sorbate if it has residual sweetness or if you plan on sweetening your wine. These sulfites will protect your wine from oxidation and also from infections.

 

[mf148954]

the recipe is roughly 3 1/2 quarts water mixed with about 3 cups of sugar 2 packs of coolaid and a packet of yeast. i will have my hydrometer on monday and i will take a reading and let you know. what should my reading be when its done? laso i want it to be a sweeter wine not quite as sweet as giani that chillable cabernet, but definately not dry either.

 

[Tom]

you added the yeast let it go dry .990 then add meta and sorbate .. Then backsweeten

 

[Wade E]

Not knowing what your starting gravity was and what wine yeast you used makes it impossible to tell you where it could possibly end but like Tom said it really should be around the .990 - .998 area and then you sweeten back to where you want it. Trying to stop a fermentation in progress with chemicals is not a good idea and usually doesnt work either. Trying to predict where your wine will stop by starting with a higher gravity then your yeast can handle is a crap shoot and can really backfire on you leaving a much sweeter wine then wanted so the best way to di it is figure out how much alc you want and use a yeast that will suit your flavor profile and exceeds your alc needs and let it finish fermenting and stabilize your wine and sweeten to taste.

 

[mf148954]

well honestly im rather embarrassed to admit that i used quick rise bread yeast. i have some red star Montrache yeast in the mail and am going to get it tomorrow. then i want to start a batch of blue berry wine. but for now, how likely is it that my coolaid wine is doomed to undrinkability and waste?

also i read a few places that allowing it to firment a few weeks adding meta then stiring 6-8 times over the next 2-3 days to get gas out then adding sorbate to prevnt refirmentation then a fining agent stir and let clear then bottling is the way to go, opposed to letting the firmentation stop on its own which could take up to a year. what are your views on this?

 

[Wade E]

That is not the way to go and like I said before, trying to stop a fermentation in progress usually doesnt work and can cause many problems. 1 of them being a very bad taste and aroma from stressing the yeast out by adding those chemicals to a fermenting wine. Unless you are fermenting at temps around 52*F there it will never take up to one year. What could happen is that you could ferment dry and by not adding sulfites your win e could start a malolactic fermentation after that which is a secondary fermentation that turns the malic acid in your wine into lactic acid which can be great with red grape wines and a few white wines and even apple or blackberry wines but not very good for to many others. Stopping a fermentation in progress like that also leads to problems later with possible start ups in the bottle. The only true way to stop a fermentation in progress is to cold crash the wine and then sterile filter it with a .045 micron filter which is fine enough to remove all yeast particles from your wine like a winery would do as they are not allowed to use sorbate.

 

[mf148954]

so basicly i should just let it go till there are no more bubbles then add the k meta and sorbate? im sorry im such a noob at this.. im sure its frusterating at times.

 

[Tom]

so basicly i should just let it go till there are no more bubbles then add the k meta and sorbate? im sorry im such a noob at this.. im sure its frusterating at times.

Do you have a hydrometer? If not get one. That is your best friend in winemaking.
Wine can still be fermenting with "no more bubbles". Check the gravity 1st.

 

[St Allie]

so basicly i should just let it go till there are no more bubbles then add the k meta and sorbate? im sorry im such a noob at this.. im sure its frusterating at times.

we all start somewhere.. and if you ask the obvious questions, you can be sure someone somewhere will be reading this and getting something useful out of it too.. we're here to help, so keep asking the questions ..

I'm interested in where the coolaid recipe came from?

oh and when you say coolaid.. is it a packet of flavoured sugar that you make up as a summer drink or is it a cordial type concentrate?.. how much is in a packet ( weight/volume)..?

Allie

 

[mf148954]

the recipe was kind of my own invention, not to say its never been done (im sure it has) but i kind of just estimated amounts of sugar water and yeast. i didnt add the cool aid (which is infact the little packets you buy at walmart as a caffine free refreshing sumertime drink) untill somewhere around 2 weeks into firmentation (i would have to check my wine log to get the exact dates, and i simply cant find the motivation to get out of this cozy *** bed at the moment.) wich was at the time of my first racking.

on another note my wine kit came in today which included all the chemicals i need for a few one gallon batches of fruit wine. blue bery is my first choice so i will be starting that this after noon. i also plan to purchace a few more gallon carboys so i can rack into glass rather than my primary fermentation bucket, and so i can get a batch of mango or strawberry going at the same time. any suggestions as to where to get affordable (cheep) one gallon glass jug?