Other Mistaken stabilizer addition advice anyone

[barryray]

Hi,
I am a fairly new wine kit maker residing in Ireland. I was a little sleepy the other morning and mistakenly added the packet of stabilizer instead of the yeast. I probably further complicated it by the adding the yeast packet.
Can this batch be recovered or do I just have 23 liters of strong grape juice to look forward to?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[sour_grapes]

I think we will need to know for sure what the "stabilizer packet" actually contained. Was it potassium metabilfite, or was it potassium sorbate?

 

[barryray]

it was potassium sorbate. thanks for the reply

 

[Bergmann]

First Let me welcome you to the site.

If you added sorbate it may still be possible to create a ferment. Add Kmet stir vigorously and let stand for 48 hours. You need a rocket fuel yeast such as Lalven EC-1118 place must in warm location. Take 1 1/2 cup of 110F water and add Go-firm according to instructions, let cool to 100F Add yeast. stir gently, then add 1/4 cup 1 to1 sugar water, allow to sit for a day or two until fermentation is running strong, add 1/4 cup must, wait 12 hours stirring to introduce Oxygen add 1/2 cup must. wait 12 hours, add 3/4 cup must wait 12 hours you can wait any amount of time between 12 and 24 hours. follow this until you are adding 2 cups. let ferment for 24 hours then add to must. If at any time fermentation stops start over. if it does not work after 3 attempts, it probably wont work at all.... I have not personally made that mistake myself. But my sister did and that process worked for her. Good luck.

 

[barryray]

Hello Bergmann,

Thank you for a nice technical reply. I am pretty new to winemaking and this was my 6th kit wine batch.

Pardon my ignorance but what is "kmet"?

I will take a shot at this, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Cheers from across the pond, and again, thanks.

Barry

 

[Boatboy24]

Welcome Barry.

"kmet" or KMeta is Potassium Metabisulfite.

 

[Charlesthewino]

I had a similar situation a few months ago on a batch I was trying to ferment. I ended up splitting the batch to dilute the sorbate. I added more fresh juice to each of the split batches and was able to dilute enough to get the batches to start fermenting. I also used a yeast starter batch to help get it going.

 

[Charlesthewino]

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=528114

 

[Charlesthewino]

I hope that helps. Welcome. There are a lot of seasoned wine makers here and tons of advice.

 

[barryray]

Thanks Boatman24 - I luv the "not a newbie but still clueless"!

Charlesthewino, that sounds like a neat idea, I actually have a new kit arriving this afternoon, same cabernet.

Weird as it may be, last night when I got home from work I saw a little action from the bubbler. It was only one burp per 15 minutes (not the normal 1 per 8-10 seconds on startup) but shows there is some life in there.

I'll ponder this overnight and decide which way to go by Sunday.

I appreciate all your replies and it seems like I have found a great website for future reading and learning about winemaking.

Thanks and Cheers from across the pond,
Barry

 

[richmke]

what are your daily SG readings?

 

[barryray]

Saturday evening now here in Dublin. My fermentation lock is bubbling like normal without having done anything.
Thank you for the tips I will keep them for my future mistakes.
I will let this kit run its course and report back to let you all know how it turns out.
Regardless I have a backup batch to start in case it fails.
My supplier "homebrewwest.ie" has never heard of kmet!

 

[Bergmann]

Saturday evening now here in Dublin. My fermentation lock is bubbling like normal without having done anything.
Thank you for the tips I will keep them for my future mistakes.
I will let this kit run its course and report back to let you all know how it turns out.
Regardless I have a backup batch to start in case it fails.
My supplier "homebrewwest.ie" has never heard of kmet!

Kmet or K-met is Potassium Metabisulphite, ask if they know what that is! K is the chemical symbol for Potassium.. The met is an abbreviation for metabisulphite. Type it a few times and you will understand why many abbreviate it. I generally try to spell the abbreviated word out once in each post I use it, but that one? Sometimes I get lazy....