campden tablets

[darkalex]

Hey Gang

I am using campden tablets, following the directions on sanitizing brewing equipment below:

TO SANITIZE EQUIPMENT: All equipment should be cleaned with soapy water first. Crush and dissolve 16 Campden Tablets per each gallon of water. Also add 1/2 teaspoon of Citric Acid. Sanitize fermentation vessels by putting in 2 to 3 inches of solution in the bottom of the vessel. Seal the vessel air-tight for 20 minutes to allow the fumes from the solution to permeate the inside walls. You can also put in the vessel other equipment such as hoses, hydrometer, air-locks, rubber stoppers to be sanitized at the same time.

Two questions:

1. Are the vapors harmful?

2. At these concentrations, is this considered no rinse?

 

[robie]

If you very carefully take a very tiny whiff of the solution, you will find out it could be harmful, if you couldn't get away from it. They way you are using it, it is fine, sealed up like that. Once you open it and remove it, the fumes will dissipate quickly. Just don't get too close when you empty it.

Personally, though not always necessary, I always rinse with clean water.

Your campden tablets are probably Kmeta. Instead of crushing that many tablets, you can buy the Kmeta powder in bags and save all that extra work and cost.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I agree - get the k-meta powder - much easier to use.

 

[non-grapenut]

I have always used 5 tablets crushed per gal. water...since 2008 and no spoiled bottles.
For sanitizing my 5 gal carboys--5 tablets crushed with 1.5 inch hot water, put cap back on and let sit til ready to use. For bottles, soak in very hot water and oxyclean in the tub, rinse each bottle out with very hot water when getting ready to use and then sanitize for 20 minutes with a fresh gallon of 5 crushed tabs in 1 gal of water. I fill each bottle with about .5 inch of solution and top with saran wrap, get my wine supplies soaking in solution and then bottles are ready. I keep a bucket by my knee to dump the bit of liquid right when I'm ready to syphon wine in and cork immediately.