Doh! So much for that must!

[bigabyte]

So, I was bored late last week and had a couple cans of frozen concord concentrate. I decided to make up a quick gallon batch. I used the Jack Keller Welch's recipe, decided to do it exactly as he showed it. One thing I should mention is that it calls for a fixed amount of Acid Blend. I have a TA testing kit and thought about using it, then thought, nah, I'll just go with the recipe as it is. So I measured everything as called for in the recipe.

After the must is ready, I go to give it a good sniff. I notice a sulfite smell, pretty strong really, almost smells like sanitizer. Since I only added 1 Campden, I think back, and can not think of any way a lot of sulfite could be added. So I convinced myself I had simply oxygenated the must very well and the sulfite smell was coming from that one little Campden tablet.

48 hours later I go to pitch the rehydrated yeast, and stir it in good. I still smell sulfite. At this point I'm really starting to wonder how it got in there. Maybe the concentrate was sulfited?

So, last night, an idea came up. I had my yeast nutrient in a ziploc bag with the label from the nutrient bag, and I had my K-meta in a bag the same way, with the label in there so I knew what it was. Was it possible I mixed them up? After looking closely, I remembered something. It wa a new bag of nutrient, and since it was open, that means I used nutrient, and not K-meta. Otherwise the nutrient would still be closed. So it was still a mystery.

This morning, the must is still quiet, no fermentation at all. While looking at it, I realize that maybe I used K-meta instead of Acid Blend. I also stored my Acid Blend in a ziploc bag, but without a label, it is written on the bag with a sharpie.

so I go to my supplies and look around for the acid blend. I can't find it. Then I remember I stuffed it in my TA kit last time I used it. I remember NOT opening my TA kit when I made this must, so I MUST have added K-meta instead of Acid Blend! That would be 2 tsp of K-meta to this 1-gallon of must, along with the campden tablet.

Well....I guess this won't be starting up any time soon!

 

[Green Mountains]

Damn that stinks.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Damn that stinks.

Literally!!

You could probably still salvage this if you wanted to.

 

[bigabyte]

I'm going to stir it daily, see what happens. I guess I don't have to worry about it getting too oxygenated. I do have to wonder what the chances are of it coming out worth a darn.

 

[winemaker_3352]

Yeah - but at least it is only a gallon - so not a huge loss if it doesn't turn out right.

 

[bigabyte]

Yeah - but at least it is only a gallon - so not a huge loss if it doesn't turn out right.

That was the first thing i told myself too!::

Then again, i might just start cleaning my equipment with this stuff!

 

[winemaker_3352]

That was the first thing i told myself too!::

Then again, i might just start cleaning my equipment with this stuff!

- at least you must will keep for some time now..

 

[non-grapenut]

If you do get it going, then drink it and grow a third eye, let us know.

 

[Tom]

So, I was bored late last week and had a couple cans of frozen concord concentrate. I decided to make up a quick gallon batch. I used the Jack Keller Welch's recipe, decided to do it exactly as he showed it. One thing I should mention is that it calls for a fixed amount of Acid Blend. I have a TA testing kit and thought about using it, then thought, nah, I'll just go with the recipe as it is. So I measured everything as called for in the recipe.

After the must is ready, I go to give it a good sniff. I notice a sulfite smell, pretty strong really, almost smells like sanitizer. Since I only added 1 Campden, I think back, and can not think of any way a lot of sulfite could be added. So I convinced myself I had simply oxygenated the must very well and the sulfite smell was coming from that one little Campden tablet.

48 hours later I go to pitch the rehydrated yeast, and stir it in good. I still smell sulfite. At this point I'm really starting to wonder how it got in there. Maybe the concentrate was sulfited?

So, last night, an idea came up. I had my yeast nutrient in a ziploc bag with the label from the nutrient bag, and I had my K-meta in a bag the same way, with the label in there so I knew what it was. Was it possible I mixed them up? After looking closely, I remembered something. It wa a new bag of nutrient, and since it was open, that means I used nutrient, and not K-meta. Otherwise the nutrient would still be closed. So it was still a mystery.

This morning, the must is still quiet, no fermentation at all. While looking at it, I realize that maybe I used K-meta instead of Acid Blend. I also stored my Acid Blend in a ziploc bag, but without a label, it is written on the bag with a sharpie.

so I go to my supplies and look around for the acid blend. I can't find it. Then I remember I stuffed it in my TA kit last time I used it. I remember NOT opening my TA kit when I made this must, so I MUST have added K-meta instead of Acid Blend! That would be 2 tsp of K-meta to this 1-gallon of must, along with the campden tablet.

Well....I guess this won't be starting up any time soon!

Me thinks a funeral is in order. just chalk it up as a oops!

 

[JohnT]

I am not familiar with k-meta, but I assume that it is some form of meta-bi-sulfite.

You can easily salvage your must. I highly recomend a series of "splash rackings" over a couple of days. This should do the trick.

johnT.

 

[winemaker_3352]

I am not familiar with k-meta, but I assume that it is some form of meta-bi-sulfite.

You can easily salvage your must. I highly recomend a series of "splash rackings" over a couple of days. This should do the trick.

johnT.

Yeah - k-meta is Potassium Metabisulfite.