How long to to sit after SO2 before testing?

[David Engel]

Good Morning All,

As I sit here studying my 2 favorite references for home winemaking, neither of them mention anything about letting the must sit for any length of time after adding SO2 before moving on to testing. They go right into discussion about testing and adjusting. I would think there should be a little time in between?

Dave

 

[ibglowin]

Its a fast reaction so you should be good to go after stirring well and then letting any sediment fall back down and settle. How are you testing?

 

[Rice_Guy]

I agree that binding of free SO2 is extremely fast chemistry.

What we are trying to do is 1) kill SO2 sensitive microorganisms. We can argue that traditional wind didn’t need this since wine is a preservative system, ,,, so we don’t. 2) we are changing the redox potential so that flavors are retained/ we have more safety factor.

 

[Hazelemere]

Good Morning All,

As I sit here studying my 2 favorite references for home winemaking, neither of them mention anything about letting the must sit for any length of time after adding SO2 before moving on to testing. They go right into discussion about testing and adjusting. I would think there should be a little time in between?

Dave

Once sulphite dissolves its reaction is instantaneous. You can see this if you put sulphite crystals into a rubbermaid tub collecting apple juice from a bladder press. If you swirl the the juice in the rubbermaid tub at say 1/4 tsp potassium metabisulphite for a full tub before bailing juice into a primary fermenter to adjust specific gravity before transferring to carboys to ferment, the juice stays blond (little or no oxidation). If you leave out the sulphite it goes dark brown (oxidation).