On the rescue of an alcohol-steeped fruit-berry mixture

[Vorney]

Hello All, some advice on saving a alcohol-steeped fruit-berry mixture would be great please.

What I've done:
I have mixed various berries (2kg), white wine (12%, 2.25L), sugar, vodka (66ml) and topped with cooled-boiled water in a container (4.5L) and sealed with a solid bung. I planned on leaving it steep for one to several months then filter/clear. The fruit was from frozen and consequently I had trouble getting the sugar to dissolve. I had the bright idea of wrapping a heating-belt around the container to bring it to ambient temp more rapidly.

Here's my problem:
I unintentionally fell asleep and in the morning found the bung had popped out (I had filled the container such that there
was a small air gap between the bung and the liquid which clearly expanded on heating). Thus far I have sterilized the bung
and resealed the container maintaining the same air gap as previous however, now its now at ambient temp.
I worry that bacteria may have sneaked in and may over time ruin things. So, I was thinking of doing the following in order
to remove any bacteria:

My stab at a solution:
Re-fit the container with an air-lock, add some (~1/3) campden-tablet (and perhaps potassium-sorbate too), refit the heater-belt,
and leave for X amount of time to allow the sulfur to dissipate. Would this be a good idea? or will the alcohol concentration
be sufficient alone. Or should I just strain what I have and enjoy what I got?

Any advice on this specific issue or steeping fruit/berries/anything within shop-bought alcohol would be ideal. Even a brief comment or opinion would be much appreciated.

Thanks, g

 

[barbiek]

Don't know what your trying to make but if you plan on letting this ferment out don't add sorbate! And since it was topped up and added vodka should be ok. What is the Abv of said wine? If you added vodka sounds like the alcohol would be enough to kill anything anyway and yes airlock!

 

[sour_grapes]

I do not think you will have any problems due to spoilage. On the other hand, I think your plan of adding a campden tablet is a fine one. I do not understand why you wish to use so little sulfite. The usual dosage (to provide a level of SO2 that inhibits spoilage but is below perceptible levels) is 1 tablet per 4 L. Also, I do not understand why you want the SO2 to dissipate. Just add it and leave it!

 

[Vorney]

Don't know what your trying to make but if you plan on letting this ferment out don't add sorbate! And since it was topped up and added vodka should be ok. What is the Abv of said wine? If you added vodka sounds like the alcohol would be enough to kill anything anyway and yes airlock!

No I'm not trying to ferment am just attempting something like slow gin. I.e. Soak fruit in cheap shop bought alcohol. After which I will recover the bulk of fruit matter for trifle and the liquid try and clear to a reasonable level to serve as a low viscosity drink.

I've got other things currently fermenting so know a little about brewing but wanted to expand on a recipe I found for "easy strawberry wine": essentially soak strawberries and sugar in white wine (12%).
Thanks

 

[Vorney]

I do not think you will have any problems due to spoilage. On the other hand, I think your plan of adding a campden tablet is a fine one. I do not understand why you wish to use so little sulfite. The usual dosage (to provide a level of SO2 that inhibits spoilage but is below perceptible levels) is 1 tablet per 4 L. Also, I do not understand why you want the SO2 to dissipate. Just add it and leave it!

Thanks for confirming spoilage is unlikely. I think I was a little over worried because the bung had fallen on the floor where it picked up a load of dog hair which made things look disastrous at 5:30 am whilst rushing out to work!

My reluctance to use 'normal levels' of campden is part due to the fact I thought contamination (if any would be minimal) and in my limited experience it gives a taste and smell I don't find pleasant. (In the past I have perhaps used too much!?!??! However, this was to fermented stuff.) I thought using a small amount, adding heat and an air-lock would allow the evolved SO4 to escape after having killed any bacteria if indeed any is present.

You recommend 1 tablet per 4L as typical. Is this added to sealed vessels and left to remain in the final product? I was under the impression campden adds SO4 to the liquid which is typically acidic therefore an amount of H2SO4 (sulphuric-acid) would then be present, which sounds rather unappealing. Is 1tab/4L sufficiently low concentration that taste and smell will be unaffected?

Thanks for you advice

 

[sour_grapes]

Campden tablets do not produce sulfuric acid.

One tablet per 4 L will result in an initial dose of about 67 ppm of sulfite. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campden_tablet) This is below the threshold of perception by humans. Moreover, much of this initial dose will react with constituents of your wine and be removed, further reducing any possible perception of sulfites.

 

[Vorney]

Campden tablets do not produce sulfuric acid.

My bad sorry. I read in one of the other replies that SO2 (or SO3) anions are produced from dissolving Campden tabs. For some reason my head decided that free the H+ cations in the acidic mixture (along with some of those dissociated from the heated H20) would result in H2SO4. Why I jumped to this conclusion I don't know given the stoichiometry involved. Thanks for pointing that out! I was just about to add a few drops of 98%-sulfuric instead of Camden tabs since the kids have just admitted to 'losing' all my Campden tabs.
Cheers for the help