Apple Cider Wine with Sorbate

[kiljoy]

I have my starter ready and I just went to the orchard and purchased 1 gallon of apple cider. I made sure to buy pasteurized and to make sure there were no sulfites in it. Well, low and behold, I got home and noticed the fine print at the bottom said, “less than 1/10 of 1% sorbate added for freshness.” This shouldn’t pose a problem should it??

 

[arcticsid]

I'm thinking you'll probably be fine if you are using a starter. I bought 4 gallons of cranberry pomegranate the other day. Read the label, nothing scary, sulphites, etc. got home and read it again....25% juice.Son of a gun!! I drank it but for wine you want all juice.

I think you'll be ok KIL but just to remind everyone, read the labels!!

Troy

 

[kiljoy]

Thanks! I'm going for it. I only spent $5 on the cider. I actually found a partially used pack of yeast in the fridge that is of indeterminate age. I made a starter and it looks good. So, if it goes down the drain, I won't cry too hard...

 

[Wade E]

I dont know how sorbate would do anything for freshness! I would make a good starter and slowly introduce a little must until the starter is 3 times the size it was when you started and still going good and then pour intom your must. What you were really looking for was untreated not pastuerized!!!!!!!

 

[kiljoy]

Wade,

I made a starter using 1C. water, yeast hulls, and about a Tbs. honey. When I came back at the end of the day, it was foaming to the top of my container. I pitched it in with 1 campden and pectic enzyme. I checked it last night and this morning. It seems like it might be doing something, but if it is, very slowly. My spare “wine room” has been in the upper 60’s . I know that’s a little chilly, so I’m going to keep an eye on things and check some S.G. readings later. I’m thinking the small amount of sorbate is inhibiting my fermentation.

If this try is a bust, I’ll go to the health food store and get some unadulterated apple juice. I have a hankering for apple wine.

On a side note, that same health food store has bulk bentonite. I asked them what it was for and they said it was a dietary supplement to “detox”. I chuckled for two reasons. One, I’m a Skeptic on “detoxifying” and I know that I can get the same stuff much cheaper from a wine making supply store.

 

[Wade E]

Why did you add a campden tablet with the starter, that wil only slow it down or just give it more trouble.

 

[kiljoy]

I didn't put campden in with the starter. The starter was going and then I put it in the juice as well as a campden tablet. I thought you always had to add campden when starting a new must to protect it. Um, is that only the case with fresh fruit?

 

[St Allie]

If using pasteurised juice.. the campden isn't required at the outset.. as long as everything else is sanitised too..

the initial campden inhibits the wild yeast and bacteria.. both not present in your shopbought juice when already pasteurised..

Allie

 

[Wade E]

You add sulfite and then wait at least 24 hours for the silfite to stun the wild yeats and dissipate before adding the yeast of choice. In other words, the sulfite is to make any wild yeast go to sleep and kill off any micro organisms but those sulfites should be tamed down by at least 24 hours before adding the yeast you want to use. You should be alright though if you have a good starter but dont do that again.

 

[kiljoy]

Dough! Ah well, you learn something new every day. Apparently patience has not been one of those things I've learned.

 

[Wade E]

Its not the patience thats the problem here, its just the order of making wine and that will come with time and mistakes or lots more reading first.

 

[kiljoy]

OK, three dxays and no appaent activity. It it time to pitch and start over? I've not taken ant SG reading, but will definitely do so before throwing it away.