learning question

[kahaas56]

i know your suppose to add metabisulphite and sorbate to 1/2 cup of cool water, what would happen if you add the both to your wine in a dry form without water?

 

[dralarms]

Well, first you don't add them together, you can add 1 or the other first but never mixed together. I always add my k-meta dry, but potassium sorbate needs to be mixed in a small amount of warm water to activate, then you can add it.

 

[kahaas56]

glad you cleared that up about adding them separately by reading my direction i probably would have mixed both together.. the warmth of the wine wouldn't activate the sorbate?

 

[dralarms]

Nope, what I do is place 2 or so oz of water in the microwave for 20 seconds and while its warming I add k-meta to the wine and stir. Then I add the correct amount of sorbate to the water, give it a quick stir and dump it in and stir the wine.

 

[kahaas56]

So if the sorbate was added dry, what would be the fix for it? Actually my directions say 1/2 of cool water..not warm..

 

[dralarms]

I just don't think it would work, that's all.

 

[cpfan]

So if the sorbate was added dry, what would be the fix for it? Actually my directions say 1/2 of cool water..not warm..

In the past, I have had some minor problems getting the sorbate to dissolve when added to the wine dry. So now, I always put it in a bit of water, and whisk it a little. Then I let it sit for a few minutes while adding the K-meta and degassing the wine before adding the sorbate solution.

Steve

 

[kahaas56]

my plan is to bulk age it...at what time should I add the sorbate

 

[SBWs]

Well, first you don't add them together, you can add 1 or the other first but never mixed together. I always add my k-meta dry, but potassium sorbate needs to be mixed in a small amount of warm water to activate, then you can add it.

Why never mixed together? I've done it that way several times am I doing something wrong i don't know about?

 

[cpfan]

Why never mixed together? I've done it that way several times am I doing something wrong i don't know about?

I don't know if it is wrong or not. Most instructions that I have seen suggest that they be done separately. I have seen one kit's instructions that called for them mixed together.

However, I prefer to do them separately (when I actually add sorbate) because I stir and degas between the two, giving one more shot at degassing.

Steve

 

[GreginND]

The two do not react with each other. So mixing them should be no problem. There is no such thing as "activating" the sorbate. The only issue is getting it to dissolve. Best practice is to dissolve solids in a small amount of wine or water first and then stir it into the wine. You could do this together or separate. But I have added both in solid form directly to my wines many times and never had a problem.

 

[dralarms]

OK, learned something new. I was told that they act on each other and would gel. Guess that's what I get for not checking things for myself.

 

[GreginND]

Hmm, I don't know why they would gel but I haven't done the experiment. Does anyone. Have experience?

 

[dralarms]

When I get time I'll try it to see what it does.

 

[Arne]

I usually just add them with a final rack. Dump em in an empty carboy and rack on top of them. Arne.

 

[Turock]

We add both the meta and sorbate together but we crush the sorbate up first and add it to a clean carboy, then rack the wine into it. Then we microwave the sugar with some wine, add it to the carboy and stir very well. This has worked well for us over the past 23 years.

As a side note, always be sure your sorbate is well mixed thruout the wine.

 

[wineforfun]

I just add them separately (not diluted in water/wine first) and then stir the crap out of them in the carboy..............granted I am using only doing this with 1 gal. carboys so getting them to dissolve hasn't been a problem.

 

[Polarhug]

I've tried to add it dry, it doesn't mix very well. Pre dissolving in warm water does the trick and I've added them in the same water too with no bad effects.

 

[kahaas56]

for everybody that say the sorbate doesn't mix well dry, what problem(s) arise if the sorbate isn't mix well.

Thanks for all the feed back, I'm trying learn as I go on, very interesting I must say..

 

[Chiumanfu]

RJS Winery Series and En Primeur instructions both say to add sulphite to carboy and stir vigorously then add sorbate to carboy and stir vigorously.

The WE Eclipse kit I'm doing now says to add sulphite and sorbate to 1/2 cup of cold water and add to carboy.

I typically do the same as Arne and Turock, no matter what the instructions say. Dump the chems in an empty carboy and rack on top. Never had any problems.