K-meta

[Brew]

Ready to bottle my first batch on the 16th...I here alot about K-meta...What exactly is this and what are its uses...Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[grapeman]

What is the batch - a kit with added packets or a fruit/country wine?
K-Meta is Potassium metabisulfate which is basically a preservative. I keeps S02 suspended in the bottle so that bacteria and other nasties can't have a favorable environment to reproduce in. If you followed a kits directions and added all the packets- you are all set unless you buk aged(in which case you probably want to add an extra 1/4 tsp per 5 or 6 gallon kit).

 

[Brew]

Thanks Appleman, I have a WE island mist Blk Rasp Merlot...Is there a need to add K-meta to the bottles or is thatjust for longer aging wines???

 

[Wade E]

This is kind of a trick question. It is really designed for wine that will stay the test of time but will help your low abv wine shelf longer also. It is an anti-oxidant. It really helps alot with wines that we bulk age also.

 

[Brew]

If added to bottles (750ml) what would the amount be or justadd to the bulk wine and then bottle?
O yeah, why "K" in K-meta?

 

[Wade E]

"K" is the chemical name for Potassium like H20 is water. I would add 1/4 tsp per the 6 gallon batch and stir it in well, preferably extract a cup of the wine, stir in the k-meta and add it back. N- meta is Sodium meta and is a stronger sanitizer but not recommended for adding to wine. We have enough sodium input in our bodies with out adding to our wines plus it gives off a slight taste. It is a cheaper way off sanitizing though and is actually stronger so if you start to make a lot of wine then I recommend this as a sanitizing alternative.

 

[Joanie]

Yeah...k-meta = potassium metabisulfite! Who wants to type that bad boy out???

 

[grapeman]

Like Wade says, the potassium metabisulfite should be added the the batch not each bottle. That would take forever and how do you split a quarter teaspoonful of potassium metabisulfite into 30?That would be like 1/120 of a tespoonful per bottle. And then how do you stir the potassium metabisulfite in each bottle? You could use campden tablets, but they would need to be spit into 5 pieces and then crushed and added to give the proper amount per bottle of potassium metabisulfite.


I typed out potassium metabisulfite each time I wanted to use potassium metabisulfite in a sentence. What a pain to type in potassium metabisulfite so many times, much quicker for k-meta!

 

[Brew]

Thanks, I got it....Didnt know K=Potassium...7th grade earth science was a few years back.

Not sure if I extract a cup of wine for the K-meta that it will make it back to the batch though!