Kit K-meta limits

[Omerta]

How much aging time does the amount of K-meta, in an average kit, allow?

 

[PeterZ]

If you follow kit instructions and bottle at the time the kit saya to, then you can easily age for 2-3 years. If you are bulk aging, then add 1/4 tsp of K-meta every 3 - 4 months.

 

[pelican]

The kits I've had, said if you plan to age the wine longer than 6 months then you should add more K-meta at bottling time.

This is following their instructions and timelines. If you are planning to bulk age, you should add more K-meta along the way - I think it's about every 3 months (I don't do much bulk aging myself, so others can advise on that)

 

[smurfe]

It depends on the kit brand. If I remember correctly the Wine Expert brand says to add extra K-Meta if aging the wines greater than 6 months. It depends on the varietal and oak/tannin levels in the wine as well. I will say that I opened the last bottle of the very first kit wine I ever made that was over 4 years old, a Wine Expert Vintners Reserve Pinot Grigio. I did not add any extra K-Meta at bottling believing it would all be gone in less than 6 months. Most of it was but I did fond a bottle of it recently. I opened it and it was just fine. In fact it was fantastic so don't feel threatened by the drink within 6 months claim from the manufacturer. You can cellar these kits. I did start adding extra K-Meta at bottling on every batch after that first though.

 

[Omerta]

Smurfe: That was my next question. This is my first go at wine. I'm not sure how long or shorta vintage will last. I don't want to lose any to spoilage over the years. Oh well guess I'll have to grow gills and swim in it. I have two WEs that are ready to bottle. Maybe I'll add the the extra K as they state.

 

[BikerShannon]

If you don't have K Meta can you use a Campden tablet?

 

[Omerta]

Got plenty of the K-meta. I beat the hell out of my Merlot. Had to pick some up to fight the extra O2 I introduced during the beating.

BikerShannon: Is that pedal or motor bikes?

 

[Omerta]

Never mind just saw your intro. cool.

 

[BikerShannon]

Pedal
My husband, son and I all ride road and mountain, and they also ride BMX. I work in a bike shop. Mostly to support the bike habit. I need a job in a wine making store now, too!

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Pedal
My husband, son and I all ride road and mountain, and they also ride BMX. I work in a bike shop. Mostly to support the bike habit. I need a job in a wine making store now, too!

! There are a bunch of us like you on THIS forum! We all need wine shop jobs!


On the matter of k-meta. I have friends who do not add k-meta at all and make kit wines. They claim a sensitivity to it. I have tasted wines they made which were over two years old which were quite good and they claim they've had no spoiled bottles.
That said, we add extra k-meta to all of our reds.

 

[Omerta]

yeah the fiancee has a sulfite allergy.

 

[gaudet]

If you don't have K Meta can you use a Campden tablet?

Yes 1 tablet crushed per gallon is the equivalent of 1/4 tsp K-meta

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Gaudet,
Isn't that a bit much? I thought 3.5 tablets/6gals = about 50PPM SO2 which should be ok for bottle aging for a couple of years.

 

[hannabarn]

I've always used 1 campden tablet per gallon or 1/4
tsp per 6 gallons. (6 campden tabs per 6 gallons)

 

[grapeman]

If you don't have K Meta can you use a Campden tablet?

Yes 1 tablet crushed per gallon is the equivalent of 1/4 tsp K-meta

The normal recommended rate by the manufacturers is usually 1(One) Campden Tablet per GALLON - not 6 gallons. Foar ease of use 6/6 gallon batch. That is a bit higher dose than the 1/4 tsp of Potassium Metabisulfite recommended (provides 67 g free S02- 5/5 gallonswould be closer to 50). For this reason I use powdered potassium metabisulfite for all larger batches- and I don't need to crush them completely.


1/4 teaspoon of potassium metabisulfite in 6 gallons supplies 1.5 grams k-meta and supplies 38 mg/L of free S02


Go to www.fermsoft.com for a free sulfite calculator that will give you the amount of sulfite to add and can be adjusted to batch size for powder, liquid or tablet form(campden).

 

[grapeman]

Gaudet,
Isn't that a bit much? I thought 3.5 tablets/6gals = about 50PPM SO2 which should be ok for bottle aging for a couple of years.

Jack this is true for Sodium Metabisulfite -3.83 tablets=50 mg/L (ppm)
Potassium Metabisulfite- 4.48 tablets=50 ppm


so you can see the sodium does provide more sulfite, but also adds sodium to the wine.