WineXpert Really need sorbate?

[whynot]

So I've been doing this for a few months now, and I realize you put in K-sorbate to prevent new fermentation when you back sweeten? So why do they put sorbate in WE Eclipse & LE kits, if we are not back sweetening?

I recently racked my Oregan Pinot LE2013 and decided not to put in the sorbate.. is there any reason we should??

 

[sour_grapes]

No, most people here do not put the sorbate in their dry reds. I think the kit makers put sorbate in the kits for "insurance" against bottle bombs of people who bottle before the sugar is well and truly gone.

 

[ibglowin]

Like Paul said, its added as insurance in case you didn't ferment to dry or your sanitization practices were poor. Not required unless the wine is back sweetened etc.

 

[whynot]

thought so, thanks for the confirmation

 

[wildvines]

So I've been doing this for a few months now, and I realize you put in K-sorbate to prevent new fermentation when you back sweeten? So why do they put sorbate in WE Eclipse & LE kits, if we are not back sweetening?



I recently racked my Oregan Pinot LE2013 and decided not to put in the sorbate.. is there any reason we should??

What do you think of the LE Pinot? Starting mine soon.


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[whynot]

I've done 4 or 5 kits since I started, that pinot going from primary to 2ndardy smelled like one of the best batches ever... I'm thinking of picking up another one, my LBS has more...

I have a vadai barrel, but with that one I'm not going to oak age it, I used a med toast american oak spirals, from start to finish also...

 

[wildvines]

I have few French medium toast oak spirals. Did you use the same one in primary? Or just placed it in secondary and used it through out?


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[whynot]

I put in 2 medium oak americans during primary, then cleaned them with hot water and a quick k-meta spray before putting them back into the 2ndary.. the way I figure, the wine takes 6 weeks to make so why not oak it the whole time.. .. It'll still get the benefit from aging, but I don't have to bulk age it in oak..

I have a Shiraz right now in a 5g PET w/ Heavy French Oak spirals, so that's 4-6 weeks after I made it I've got to wait... I'll probably put it in my barrel for a few weeks because I have a gap between what's in now and what goes in next, so it'll get a few weeks of micro-oxygenation before I bottle it..

 

[wildvines]

K thx not bad idea


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[NoSnob]

I'd be very interested in knowing if any here have NOT added sorbate to their kits (assuming its included) and had subsequent difficulties such as re-fermenting action.

NS

 

[whynot]

we will find out, I've got 2 kits now I'm not using it on... I can't see any referm happening.. you ferm to dry, we are not adding sugar back in...

 

[Floandgary]

There are as many yea's and nay's as there are posters, so the only decision maker will be your own experiences. I have done several juice bucket reds fermented dry, K-meta'd, degassed (I believed sufficiently), then bottled w/out sorbate. Have not had any popped corks, however upon opening at a later time there seemed to be some pressure. And there was a slight spritzy feel to the wine. Shook the bottle like we used to do with a Pepsi or Coke and got a little bit of foaming. Mouth-feel much better after that. So did any further fermentation take place or did I simply not de-gass enough??? I've decided that Sorbate is cheap and proper amounts will do no harm to me or the wine. The call is yours

 

[SouthernChemist]

There are as many yea's and nay's as there are posters, so the only decision maker will be your own experiences. I have done several juice bucket reds fermented dry, K-meta'd, degassed (I believed sufficiently), then bottled w/out sorbate. Have not had any popped corks, however upon opening at a later time there seemed to be some pressure. And there was a slight spritzy feel to the wine. Shook the bottle like we used to do with a Pepsi or Coke and got a little bit of foaming. Mouth-feel much better after that. So did any further fermentation take place or did I simply not de-gass enough??? I've decided that Sorbate is cheap and proper amounts will do no harm to me or the wine. The call is yours

It sounds like a case of just incomplete degassing. Some people also claim that they can taste the small amount of sorbate added and avoid using it.

 

[GaDawg]

I know sorbate has a shelf life. So, you guys that keep sorbate in your winemakers took kit, how much do you keep?

 

[whynot]

I'm talking primarily about kits, though I did notice for some reason the LE2013 kits have you clear without racking so there's still stuff floating around. So this kit I did use it to prevent any of that would be ferm from starting... for the pinot I racked it first.. I think the shelf life on sorbate is pretty long, at least long enough to keep it in the kits..

 

[SouthernChemist]

I think manufacturers would say the official shelf life is around a year, but provided it is stored in a dry, cool place away from light, there is no reason it cannot last much longer than that. The fact it is a potassium salt only helps in storage (it's actually sorbic acid that is responsible for all the preservative properties we use it for).