SO2 Management During Barrel Aging

[crushday]

I wonder if anyone has experience adding KMeta during barrel aging? I just filled a 225L and a 112L barrel tonight. I added KMeta during filling to the proper levels, ppm. In a few days I’ll check to see how much free SO2 I have and make adjustments.

This is my first experience with barrels this size. When making adjustments, do I just mix the necessary KMeta in the topping wine, top up and assume it will mix throughout? Should I use my paddle wand by hand and give it a couple agitations to mix it in?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[CDrew]

I'd get the self dissolving granules or tablets. Inodose is one brand and I just bought another brand of the tablets todayLink. They are fizzy like an Alka-Seltzer and dissolve themselves in the wine. They make a 2gm SO2 tablet and a 5 gm SO2 tablet. There are also packets of granules that do the same thing, though I've been looking for more Inodose packets and have been unable to find them.

The 2gm tablets or packets add about 50ppm SO2 to 10 gallons, so it's pretty easy to dose and keep track.

 

[Johnd]

I use the Inodose granules thar @CDrew is talking about, have two full 60 gal and one 30 gal, they’re pretty handy since the dissolve and mix on their own. You can still use Kmeta powder, just have to predissolve it in some wine.

As for frequency, I’ve cut WAY back, not suggesting you do the same, just sharing. I top up brand new barrels monthly for the first 6 months, add sulfite to 44 ppm every three months, then top / sulfite once every 4 months til it’s ready to come out.

 

[user 36973]

I pretty much follow the same frequency as @Johnd except I dose it at 50ppm every 4 months. I use the regular kmeta powder dissolved into water and add it before topping off. I figure it has a chance to mix somewhat during topping. My barrels are all 200L.

 

[Ajmassa]

You guys

. I top up brand new barrels monthly for the first 6 months, add sulfite to 44 ppm every three months, then top / sulfite once every 4 months til it’s ready to come out.

A you dosing higher than what ph calls for? After the first month of a new 50L with ph calling for 25ppm it’s read 7ppm (added 1/2 a 2g granule pack for ~18ppm). Then essentially the same thing the next month. Is it typical to dose higher than ph calls so it doesn’t need such frequent additions?
(Btw big fan of the granules. Just started using for this barrel)

 

[NorCal]

I will measure free SO2, and pH. I'll then look at my tool to see the target free SO2 level and based on the wine volume, how many grams of SO2 are required to get it to the target (PM if anyone wants a copy). I'll take a number things into consideration before deciding out how many grams of SO2 powder to use. Since I'm usually dealing with high pH (3.7-3.9) wine, which require higher additions over the course of 12 months, I pay attention to the total SO2 as well.

- If it is my first addition after mlf completion and it is in a barrel, I'll tend to go heavy. I find that first addition gets eaten up pretty quick.
- I'll check my barrels every 6-9 weeks depending on pH and I'm still pretty aggressive on the first few additions, within the range below
- I'll taper down the additions after the spring racking (if I do it) noting total SO2 and depending on total SO2, I'll target 50 ppm at bottling, since I am expecting all the wine to be consumed within 5 years.

Something also interesting, one year I had the same wine in a barrel, flextank and a glass carboy. The barrel took 2X more SO2 to maintain its level than the glass carboy, the flex tank was right in the middle of the two of them.

 

[Johnd]

You guys


A you dosing higher than what ph calls for? After the first month of a new 50L with ph calling for 25ppm it’s read 7ppm (added 1/2 a 2g granule pack for ~18ppm). Then essentially the same thing the next month. Is it typical to dose higher than ph calls so it doesn’t need such frequent additions?
(Btw big fan of the granules. Just started using for this barrel)

pH on most of these wines is in the 3.7 - 3.8 range, which calls for around 45 ppm, so I'm hitting them right on track with my packets, just less frequently.

 

[crushday]

I use the Inodose granules thar @CDrew is talking about, have two full 60 gal and one 30 gal, they’re pretty handy since the dissolve and mix on their own. You can still use Kmeta powder, just have to predissolve it in some wine.

As for frequency, I’ve cut WAY back, not suggesting you do the same, just sharing. I top up brand new barrels monthly for the first 6 months, add sulfite to 44 ppm every three months, then top / sulfite once every 4 months til it’s ready to come out.

John, what format Inodose to you use? 2gm or 5gm? And, are the tablets able to be cut in half?

 

[Johnd]

John, what format Inodose to you use? 2gm or 5gm? And, are the tablets able to be cut in half?

I use the powdered form that comes in packets, and have both the 2g and 5g packets. I bought a box of each, which I think has 20 - 25 packets in each. Each box has a note written on it with a Sharpie, telling me how many ppm each pack furnishes in a 30 gallon barrel and 60 gallon barrel, since that's all I have.......................

 

[CDrew]

@crushday I just gave the tablets a careful look. The tabs are not scored, but look like they could be easily cut with a sharp thin blade knife. Or you could crush them up with a mortar and pestle and use them like the packets. For whatever reason, both Lodi Wine Labs and MoreWine are out of the Inodose granules just now. I think @stickman uses the tabs, and it was his posts that led me to try the tablets as a substitute. I think they will be fine.

Also remember the 2 gm SO2 tablets or powder actually weighs about 5.5 gm to account for the Potassium bicarb that makes it fizzy.

 

[stickman]

I use a utility knife to do the score and snap technique if smaller pieces are needed for carboys etc.

 

[crushday]

I ordered 2 packs of 5gm tablets from Napa Fermentation Supplies. Looks like the powdered form in small format has been discontinued. Not thrilled about the $21 shipping rate, but so be it...

 

[CDrew]

I ordered 2 packs of 5gm tablets from Napa Fermentation Supplies. Looks like the powdered form in small format has been discontinued. Not thrilled about the $21 shipping rate, but so be it...

Next time, let me get it for you and I'll send it to you in a Priority mail box. That's a stupid shipping rate. I'm down that way every couple of months, so if you have something you need, just let met know. Lodi Wine Labs also sells the tablets and they are even closer. Door to door is about 25 minutes. I was there today getting CH16. They may even have the 5gm tablets. For sure they have the 2gm tablets because I bought a box.

 

[crushday]

Next time, let me get it for you and I'll send it to you in a Priority mail box. That's a stupid shipping rate. I'm down that way every couple of months, so if you have something you need, just let met know. Lodi Wine Labs also sells the tablets and they are even closer. Door to door is about 25 minutes. I was there today getting CH16. They may even have the 5gm tablets. For sure they have the 2gm tablets because I bought a box.

Very kind, Drew! I appreciate your friendship!!

 

[Johnd]

Checked in the wine room last night, I do indeed have both 2g and 5g packets of granules, they came 25 packets to a box. I used the handy dandy chart below from the Inodose website to write dosages on each box. Thus far, I’ve not made any dosing errors, it’s pretty foolproof even for me.

My dosage instruction on the boxes indicate what you see above, 2g = 9ppm in a 60 gallon barrel, 18ppm in a 30.
5g = 22ppm in a 60 gallon barrel, 44ppm in a 30. So when it’s time to dose, the 30 gets one packet of 5g for a 44ppm dose, the 60’s get two packets each, also for a 44ppm dose.
The fact that they’re premeasured and ready to dump is super nice, not having to pre-dissolve is icing on the cake.

 

[crushday]

@Johnd - extremely helpful. Thanks!

 

[winemaker81]

I've got a 54 liter barrel and am getting a second one, a size which isn't addressed in the table @Johnd provided. However, I checked the figures and the progression is linear, e.g., simple multiplication and division work when determining values for barrel sizes not represented in the table.

The 2g tablet provides ~38 ppm for a 54 liter barrel. To get the figure for a different sized barrel, take the ppm for 1 gallon and divide by the number of gallons in the barrel.

 

[crushday]

I've got a 54 liter barrel and am getting a second one, a size which isn't addressed in the table @Johnd provided. However, I checked the figures and the progression is linear, e.g., simple multiplication and division work when determining values for barrel sizes not represented in the table.

The 2g tablet provides ~38 ppm for a 54 liter barrel. To get the figure for a different sized barrel, take the ppm for 1 gallon and divide by the number of gallons in the barrel.

Strong work, Bryan. My tablets will be delivered on Monday. I’ll set up my lab on Sunday and begin measuring the SO2 on all my barrels.

 

[Ajmassa]

I've got a 54 liter barrel and am getting a second one, a size which isn't addressed in the table @Johnd provided. However, I checked the figures and the progression is linear, e.g., simple multiplication and division work when determining values for barrel sizes not represented in the table.

The 2g tablet provides ~38 ppm for a 54 liter barrel. To get the figure for a different sized barrel, take the ppm for 1 gallon and divide by the number of gallons in the barrel.

I have a similar sized barrel as you which is basically a 1/4 barrel. (Allegedly 50L but took a full 54L demijohn plus another gallon to fill)
Started using the 2g packet of granules- not the tablets (bought by mistake). Says they add 9ppm so2 to 60gal. For easy to remember dosing I just break it down in terms of barrel size.
x1 2g packet gives 9ppm to 60gal aka about a full barrel. 18ppm to a 1/2 barrel. ~36ppm to our 1/4 barrels.

Getting the granules by mistake turned into a happy accident. Very simple to measure out and use only a portion.

 

[winemaker81]

I looked up prices, which are stiff. the S&H on several sites was beyond ridiculous.