Bottles and Sorbate

[John Prince]

My wife cleans the bottles and I sterilize them with Kmeta and water and let them hang on the drying rack, not all the kmeta drains out and my wife thinks she can smell metasulfite after we fill the bottles with wine. The last 150 bottles we corked last week we I followed this technique. Clean, sterilize hang on the rack then rinse with water and hang on the rack.
Does anybody else do this? Can she really smell metasulfite?

The last 150 bottles were 12 to 18 months except the mead (2.5 years) and I did NOT add sorbate before I bottled. See any problems with this? Do you think it will referment in the bottle?

Thanks,

 

[wildvines]

I don't add sorbate to any of my reds. I like my reds dry. Many people on the forum don't use it but it's my preference. Only if your going to back sweeten your wine would I use sorbate


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[John Prince]

Thanks. Do you rinse out your bottles?

 

[salcoco]

I just rinse with a Kmeta solution never rinse. Your wife may have a sensitivity to KMeta. does she smell the sulfur after bottles are three months old or older? maybe you need to reduce the solution strength. Use 3 grams per gallon of water, add about 11 grams of tartaric acid , the acid make the so2 more potent.

 

[John Prince]

That might be it. I make a real strong solution. I just dump some kmeta in water and stir.

 

[reefman]

I now rinse with DI water after using Potassium Met. on my bottles. I've had people sensitive to Sulfates tell me they could taste it in some of my early wines.

 

[GaDawg]

Maybe you should try Star San. It does not have a smell or taste.


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[calvin]

X2 star San

 

[reefman]

I'll give that a try next batch. Thanks.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

You can minimize your meta - by using citric acid or any other acid to lower the ph.

I use 1 tsp of each per gallon of sanitize solution- there are alot of mixed views on this subject

here is one link from E.C.Krauss
http://www.eckraus.com/8-oz-potassium-metabisulfite.html

 

[rolsen99]

Why don't more people in winemaking seem to use Star San? It seams most prefer k meta for sanitizing.

Also, is Star San considered no-rinse when bottling? It is what I always use for beer brewing / prior to kegging.

 

[cimbaliw]

My thoughts
K/Na Meta help preserve the wine (I don't measure sulphites)
K/Na Meta are far less slippery
K/Na Meta last longer when reusing
K/Na Meta can be used (1/2c.) to keep carboys ready to use
Yes, I FEAR THE FOAM! :<

 

[calvin]

I use a plastic bottle filler. When bottling I fill til I get a drip or two of wine to come out the top of the bottle. The foam comes out first.

I've never experienced any off or funny flavors. I've actually tasted the foam just to be sure and it was absolutely tasteless

 

[rolsen99]

My thoughts
K/Na Meta help preserve the wine (I don't measure sulphites)
K/Na Meta are far less slippery
K/Na Meta last longer when reusing
K/Na Meta can be used (1/2c.) to keep carboys ready to use
Yes, I FEAR THE FOAM! :<

Do you rinse prior to bottling after k meta? I bottled my first batch recently and simply rinsed with k meta solution as stated in the original post. Now questioning why i didn't use Star San like I have done for years (non-wine).

Don't fear the foam!

 

[wildvines]

I use star San. I still rinse the bottles once in a while if not totally dry. I use a bottle washer. So easy and quick and place on bottle tree to dry


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[mmadmikes1]

I use little to no K meta and zero sorbate, even when I back-sweeten. Yes you have to wait a while before you bottle but PATIENCE is a virtue