How do you add PMS before crushing grapes ?

[artooks]

Hi Everyone,

You put your basket under the grape crusher, and before even starting to crush the grapes do you put your pms in the basket by dissolving it in some water or just put is as is in powder form ? and lets say if you have 5 baskets of grapes each 20 Kg( 44lb) you divide the total PMS that you are going to use in 5 parts I guess. How do you do it, how do you recommend it ?

 

[winechef]

PMS, that's a severe problem, I wouldnt be crushing any grapes if I had PMS.

I think you potassium metabisulfite. k is potassium. not P
clean your equipment, and your buckets with either star San or equivalent


but add kmeta 1/4 tsp for every 5 gallon of juice.

 

[winemaker81]

The short answer is yes, I figure out how much K-meta the entire batch needs, then divide it up by container.

When I add K-meta at crush time (and I don't always), I dissolve it in a small amount of water and put it in the Brute along with any maceration enzyme I'm using. We crush by the lug into a plastic Tote, then dump each lug into the Brute. When I get the grapes home, I stir as best I can, then check SG in 3 spots.

In this fashion the additives get distributed.