Potassium Metabisulphite: Apple Fruit Wine Base

[Surefoot]

I bought a can of Vintner's Apple Fruit Wine Base and plan to make the 3-gallon recipe. It calls for the base, 3.5 cans warm water, 4 lbs sugar, 1 tsp citric acide, 2.5 teaspoon yeast nutrient, 1 tsp pectic ensyme, 3 campden tablets (crushed or 3 liquid tsp solution of bisulphite), 1 package yeast and 1.5 tsp potassium sorbate.

The directions say to put the fruit in the strainer bag and add to fermenter. Then it says to add all ingredients (except yeast and sorbate). It then says to add solution of Potassium Metabisulphite and stir. Later on in the recipe it refers to Campden tablets.

There are directions for making bisulphite: Dissolve 5 tsp sodium or potassium bisulphite in 1 cup water. It says that you may substitute 1 teaspoon of this liquid solution whenver the recipe calls for 1 crushed campben tablet.

Does this mean that I can use the campden tablets interchangeably for potassium metabisulphite? What is the difference between thes?

 

[REDBOATNY]

The camden tablets are usually sodium meta instead of potasium meta. You can use them but most every one uses kmeta to avoid the sodium. The tablets are also harder to disolve.

 

[grapeman]

Campden tablets can be made of either potassium bisulfite or sodium bisulfite. They can be used interchageably with either or the powdered form. Note that they provide slightly different amounts of free sulfite, but not enough to worry about. If you have tablets, use them. In my opinion they are harder to use than powdered as you have to crush the tablets and then dissolve, whereas the powdered you just dissolve. Your choice.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Whether you use tablets or powder dissolve them first in a small amount of water, just a few drops unless you are using them for a sanitizer. The powder will dissolve in a few seconds then add to your must and stir.

Most of us have moved onto the bags of powder (potassium meta.) rather than the tablets as they are quicker to use and we know how much to use for each batch and at what stage. Plus it will be cheaper in the long run.