Didn't use campden tablets

[LucyT]

On March 17th, I made 3 different recipes: peach mango/white grape, rasberry white grape, and a berry blend. These were made out of juices. I did not add campden tablets--didn't think I had to . SG reading on all of them was 1.090 On March 20th, it was 1.010 on the 2 white grapes, and 1 on the berry blend. On March 21st, it was 1 on the white grapes and 90 on the berry blend. The next day I racked them all into secondary. I've never used the campden tablets ever! Not in the recipe and not when I racked. It has been 2 weeks now, and very little sediment on bottom of the 2 white grape mixes, but berry has about 1/8 inch. I want to rack it again and let it sit another 2 weeks or so before bottling. (and back sweeten) Should I use the campden tablets when I rack it again? When I bottle and sweeten it, should I use the campden again along with the stabilizer? Just wondering if using the campden so close together would affect taste. I'm hoping I didn't ruin this as I haven't tasted it since racking on the 22nd and they were all dry and strong .

 

[BigDaveK]

I posted a similar question a while ago. I wondered why some recipes called for tablets and some didn't. The consensus was essentially everybody uses them just in case. It won't hurt anything.

My thought would be to rack and use the campden and wait. And don't use the calendar to bottle. Wait until the wine is clear. Depending on how long that takes, maybe another at bottling.

Hopefully some more experienced members will weigh in.

 

[Ohio Bob]

Skipping Kmeta is tempting fate, the longer you avoid it, the better chance your wine could spoil. Adding Kmeta at primary fermentation is a mixed bag, some people do, some don’t. The reason it can be skipped here is if you pitch the must with a robust yeast that’s already working, the yeast will out compete the bacteria, fermentation CO2 will help stave off more bacterial infection.

Once your in secondary it’s highly recommended to add Kmeta at every racking. Once the wine is clear you can back sweeten, add more Kmeta and almost most importantly add potassium sorbate to stop any residual yeast from restarting with the sugar you’re adding. The residual yeast with sugar will create CO2, this can be dangerous for glass bottles.

 

[LucyT]

Skipping Kmeta is tempting fate, the longer you avoid it, the better chance your wine could spoil. Adding Kmeta at primary fermentation is a mixed bag, some people do, some don’t. The reason it can be skipped here is if you pitch the must with a robust yeast that’s already working, the yeast will out compete the bacteria, fermentation CO2 will help stave off more bacterial infection.

Once your in secondary it’s highly recommended to add Kmeta at every racking. Once the wine is clear you can back sweeten, add more Kmeta and almost most importantly add potassium sorbate to stop any residual yeast from restarting with the sugar you’re adding. The residual yeast with sugar will create CO2, this can be dangerous for glass bottles.

The wine is already in the secondary, so if I rack it tomorrow or tonight I will add the Campden. Thank you

 

[Rice_Guy]

Meta and Campden tablets have two purposes. 1) a fence which keeps microbiological infection down and 2) an antioxidant which keeps the flavor fresh (drinkable)

Grocery store juice has been treated or filtered to make it shelf stable, so not using meta really didn’t matter. Down the road there is a risk that aerobic organisms may develop, but here again there is little risk of a food poisoning organism at 11% alcohol and below pH 4, ,, so the issue is more cosmetic as Acetobacter could produce vinegar. You mention sweetening the wine. There is a significant risk that a wine which is under nine months still has live yeast, these live yeast could utilize the added sugar and produce a bottle bomb! Normal procedure with wine folks is to add meta (which knocks down the yeast a bit) and potassium sorbate. The fence analogy is useful, neither technique is 100%. Option B might be to pasteurize the wine as at 150 for a few minutes like Cider folks do. ,,,Option C is to refrigerate the sweetened wine.

The antioxidant issue is related to shelf life. In the 1800s white grape and fruit wines basically were not viable products. One could make them but oxidized ethyl alcohol (acetaldehyde) developed and they became undrinkable. If your purpose is a fast to drink brew “ jail house wine” well it will work. The yeast/ wine will actively release CO2 for about a month so you will be fine. If your goal is to have a wine with a year shelf life you need to treat the wine to pull oxygen out, ie treat with meta. The flavor is green apple at low levels and a burn in the back of the throat at high levels.

I sin and am a grocery guy so I would add the Campden. ,,,, By the Way the organic wines that taste ok are either treated with meta and/or are red grape which have polyphenols antioxidants.

 

[LucyT]

Meta and Campden tablets have two purposes. 1) a fence which keeps microbiological infection down and 2) an antioxidant which keeps the flavor fresh (drinkable)

Grocery store juice has been treated or filtered to make it shelf stable, so not using meta really didn’t matter. Down the road there is a risk that aerobic organisms may develop, but here again there is little risk of a food poisoning organism at 11% alcohol and below pH 4, ,, so the issue is more cosmetic as Acetobacter could produce vinegar. You mention sweetening the wine. There is a significant risk that a wine which is under nine months still has live yeast, these live yeast could utilize the added sugar and produce a bottle bomb! Normal procedure with wine folks is to add meta (which knocks down the yeast a bit) and potassium sorbate. The fence analogy is useful, neither technique is 100%. Option B might be to pasteurize the wine as at 150 for a few minutes like Cider folks do. ,,,Option C is to refrigerate the sweetened wine.

The antioxidant issue is related to shelf life. In the 1800s white grape and fruit wines basically were not viable products. One could make them but oxidized ethyl alcohol (acetaldehyde) developed and they became undrinkable. If your purpose is a fast to drink brew “ jail house wine” well it will work. The yeast/ wine will actively release CO2 for about a month so you will be fine. If your goal is to have a wine with a year shelf life you need to treat the wine to pull oxygen out, ie treat with meta. The flavor is green apple at low levels and a burn in the back of the throat at high levels.

I sin and am a grocery guy so I would add the Campden. ,,,, By the Way the organic wines that taste ok are either treated with meta and/or are red grape which have polyphenols antioxidants.

Thanks! This is my first time making wine and the goal was a fast wine.