Potassium metabisulfite or Kmeta for sanitizing

[sdelli]

I attended this years Winemakers Conference in Portland Oregon. Never been to that part of the country and found the area to be beautiful. Unfortunately no matter how much Pinot Noir I drink or make it is still not ever making my favorite list. Especially being a big Cab drinker.... As always the conference was very good and always room to keep learning! At one of the sessions the chemist talked about sanitation. I did not know that kmeta was not a sanitizer! Everything I read always told me it was..... We were told that it only "seals" the area but does not "sanitize" it. Unlike a true sanitizer of the Starsan type or iodine that actually "sanitizes" the areas it comes in contact with! So, I ask him... What should I put in my spray bottle to spray things with that I now am using kmeta? He instructed that if starsan is too foamy for me then the best thing to use is Everclear. So I guess now I will be filling my spray bottles up with Everclear.....

 

[vacuumpumpman]

did not know about the Kmeta ?

Don't use everclear in a plastic spray bottle as it will melt plastic.

 

[sdelli]

Hmmm.... Might melt my siphon pump for racking then too..... Looks like I will be using Starsan...

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Hmmm.... Might melt my siphon pump for racking then too..... Looks like I will be using Starsan...

Yes it will melt that also - I would ask other professionals on this site about Kmeta for sanitizing

 

[richmke]

It has been my understanding that it is the SO2 gas of K-meta that can sanitize (I use Na-Meta in my gas box).

If Starsan foams too much, you can use Saniclean.

 

[jumby]

I use "one step".

 

[Boatboy24]

I wouldn't put Everclear in a plastic bottle either. It's getting hard to find as well, since a lot of states have banned the sale of it.

 

[Floandgary]

HMMMMM!!! Potassium Metabisulfite (K-meta/Campden) has been sold as and used as an agent to ,,, DESTROY wild molds and bacteria,,, (http://www.eckraus.com/8-oz-potassium-metabisulfite.html) in the wine/beer making industry for a long time. I'm quite sure that everyone here has used it for that purpose. Having used it under that pretense in my own basement "laboratory", I am pleased to say that I have suffered no obvious effects of wild molds or bacteria in my endeavors. So I can surmise that K-meta when used according to instruction does work to eliminate the nasties. Either that or I'm luckier than I ever knew!!

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I attended this years Winemakers Conference in Portland Oregon. At one of the sessions the chemist talked about sanitation. I did not know that kmeta was not a sanitizer! ..

Can I ask who was the chemist that put on this seminar ?
Maybe we can find more information then -

 

[sdelli]

Bob Peak from Winemaker Magazine.

 

[Ants_Elixirs]

Bob Peak from Winemaker Magazine.

I guess I'm the oddball here. Though I'm new at this, I've been using StarSan from day one to sanitize my equipment. I keep a couple gallon jugs full and fill my spray bottle as needed.

 

[Floandgary]

All roads lead to,,,,

,,,, There are as many references, write-ups, and recipes on winemaking as there are roads to Rome and recipes for hamburger. Somehow they all end up in someone's wine glass! Happened to stop in here on the K-meta road and found this article simple and to the point. http://winemakersacademy.com/potassium-metabisulfite-wine/ For what it's worth

 

[sdelli]

Maybe that is what he meant by it is not a true sanitizer... But seals them off.

 

[DoctorCAD]

I think technically, he is correct per US regulations. You cannot call something a sanitizer without testing to those standards, and since a. Company cannot know how you are mixing it, they cannot say it really is sanitizing.