Bad sorbate?

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GoBigBlueF150

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We have 15 gallons of muscadine from last year that we back sweetened and bottled 3 weeks ago. Last night we found a out 2 case's worth of wine spilled. Now others are popping corks. I know we added sorbate at the 3rd racking (first racking after dry). I'm thinking my sorbate may have expired. I bought a large bag from a hobby shop about 2 maybe 3 years ago. I remember the owner put it in my cart and said "this stuff doesn't go bad". Your thoughts?
 
We have 15 gallons of muscadine from last year that we back sweetened and bottled 3 weeks ago. Last night we found a out 2 case's worth of wine spilled. Now others are popping corks. I know we added sorbate at the 3rd racking (first racking after dry). I'm thinking my sorbate may have expired. I bought a large bag from a hobby shop about 2 maybe 3 years ago. I remember the owner put it in my cart and said "this stuff doesn't go bad". Your thoughts?
Also... What do we need to do now?
 
Also... What do we need to do now?
Like Kmeta, I'd replace it every year. Just think how inexpensive it is verses the issues you are having with your finished wine. You may want to think about ordering it from a high volume online vendor that turns over their stock more frequently. I've marked a bag at our local shop and noticed it still there two years later.

I had part of a Cab Franc batch turn to the sour side, even though the airlock was the main issue, the Kmeta was older and I think didn't have the ability to ward of the added oxidation very long from the compromised air lock.

Oh, I think the only recourse is to take the remaining bottles and pour them back into a carboy, add some new sorbate (and probably some Kmeta). It is quite possible the yeast that remained at bottling has grown to a sizeable portion that will eat up all of that back sweetening that you added. Once it becomes stable and the yeast drops out, rack it and then you can back sweeten again and let it sit for some time in the carboy to make sure fermentation doesn't start up again, then bottle.
 
Potassium metabisulfite will last for years. I've used some over 20 years old without problems. Potassium sorbate will not. I keep my sorbate in the freezer at all times and it usually lasts a couple of years. But I wouldn't trust it beyond that.
 

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