High Sulfites Pre-MLF

[Sorta Newbie]

So I did something a little different this time around and ordered pre-crushed grapes from a local vineyard. Once received, I added the the appropriate amount of sulfite and let it sit for about 36 hours. I fermented until SG of 1.000 was achieved and transferred the whole lot plus a MLF culture and nutrient to a 55 gal drum with an airlock. It sat 30 days and I tested the sulfite level because I was suspicious no MLF occurred. 100 ppm!!!

Is my MLF Culture dead?

I am planning to aerate rack in a couple days to lower the sulfite levels. Any other tips?

The wine tastes good but I want this process to happen.

Thanks for the tips....

Sorta Newbie....

 

[AlFulchino]

mlf wont happen at that rate....you will have to splash rack until ppm is more to 15-20 or less then re-innoculate

i find something to be missing here....if the only addition of so2 was prior to your ferment to kill wild yeast and bacteria and then you fermented then your so2 at the outset could not be so high to have permitted ferment and then also be at 100ppm right now....are you sure your nutrient was nutrient? and not actually something else?

somethings missing

 

[ibglowin]

Agreed,

Should have been an initial addition of ~ 30ppm Sulfite to take care of the wild yeast. That level should have dropped considerably after fermentation down to almost nothing.

I wonder how he tested for sulfite?

 

[Wade E]

What are you using to test this S02 level? Some of this test kits out there dont do a very good or accurate job. Besides a digital test unit I think the best thing out there is the Accuvin test kit for this.

 

[Sorta Newbie]

Good Catch. I think my test procedure is faulty. I use Titrets and found out they are not very accurate with the reds. Aargh!!!

OK Suggestions?

 

[ibglowin]

I think it would help to know more detail. What did you start out with? You say that you transferred to a 55 gallon drum. Thats alot of juice! How much sulfite did you add? What form was it?

I have used the Accuvin but found it hard to read/differentiate the color. You may have better color vision than me. My solution was to switch to an aeration/oxidation rig and titrate to endpoint. Much more accurate but also much more work.

At any point I don't see any problems with getting the sulfite levels down and then re-innoculate like Al said previously.

Keep us posted!

And welcome to the FVW Forums!

 

[Wade E]

You can dilute the red wines with distilled water which makes it much easier to determine color change.

 

[Randoneur]

You can dilute the red wines with distilled water which makes it much easier to determine color change.

That's what I would do. Dilute in a ratio so you can multiply the titrets reading by 2, or 3 if your red is really dark.


Lately I've been doing both Titrets and AO to compare them. Titrets are not considered very accurate, but I've had reasonable results if I'm real careful with matching the end color of the diluted red.

 

[Randoneur]

Is it possible that the supplier had already added SO2?????

 

[Dean]

at such a high SO2 rate, MLF will certainly not occur, but have you done your chromatography testing to see if you've had even a little drop in malic acid? What about temps of the wine? I know that out here in the Northwest Pacific area, we can innoculate with MLF all we want, but it usually will not start or finish until early spring when it warms up enough.

I'm assuming of course, that you are not doing this in a heated house, but in a wine garage, or somewhere else subject to the seasonal weather change?

I do agree with the others to retest as 100ppm seems high for post fermentation.