First kit underway

[pierce652]

Since my Welch's white was almost ready to be racked over I started my kit yesterday. To try and get my wife into this, and make it our mess instead of mine she helped.


We did a Cellar Craft barolo. Everything went well, using tips learned on these boards. I almost goofed in that the sg was high...I reread the directions and learned that an imperial gallon is not the same as our gallon. Witha minoradjustment everything zeroed in on the starting gravity.


As for the Welch's it was racked over today and degassed. Tasted a bit and it seems like it will come out decent.


Question is does anyone bother with potassium sorbate or potassium metabisulphate with the small one gallon batches? If so, how much of each?

 

[gaudet]

Question is does anyone bother with potassium sorbate or potassium metabisulphate with the small one gallon batches? If so, how much of each?

If you want to drink it dry then the potassium sorbate can be left out. Make sure that your sg is stable for a few days in succession before bottling. If your hydrometer reading is >1.000 you have residual sugar and probably should use the potassium sorbate (1/2 teaspoon per gallon).

If you plan to age the wine then you need 1 tablet of campden to protect it. If you don't have the tablets, you can take 6 ounces of water, dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of potassium metabisulfate and then add 1 ounce to your wine.

 

[pierce652]

The FG was .99 when I racked it over.

 

[gaudet]

Long as you aren't going to back sweeten it you can omit the potassium sorbate.

 

[Wade E]

If you even think about sweetening and bottling then you absolutely will have to add k-meta and then sorbate or you will have exploding bottles or corks flying and sparkling wine all over the place.