DCTWinemaker
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My first fermentation from grapes is undergoing MLF at this time. In a month or so, when I’m ready to determine if MLF is complete, do your recommend Malolactic Chromatography testing or use of a simple MLF test kit?
Test for Completion of Malolactic Fermentation
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For me, it comes down to how many separate containers of wine I have. If I have just one, I tend to use the malic acid test kit. If I have more than three, I tend to do chromatography. The malic kits are somewhat more expensive per test, but do give you a number, whereas chromatography is just qualitative and anything below 50 ppm shows up as none.
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The chromatography is easy and inexpensive. Verify it's done and then hit the wine with 50+ppm sulfites and age.
https://www.piwine.com/chromatography-test-kit-vertical-paper.html
https://www.piwine.com/chromatography-test-kit-vertical-paper.html
Why is it necessary to know when MLF is complete? Like AF, won't it be done when it's done? Since I plan on bulk aging for a year plus before it's bottled, do I really need to know?
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You will not be adding any metabisulphite until MLF is done. This causes some folks intense concern. For me it is mild worry after about 5 months and I've never had one take that long.
@cmason1957 Craig, I've never added metabisulphite to my wine. Is that a necessary step when adding MAB?
No, he means that k-meta kills malolactic bacteria. So if you are trying for MLF, you must not use k-meta.
But you don't use k-meta at all? Is that a considered decision?
At some point, you need to add Kmetabisulfite. That's your preservative and antioxidant that allows it to age gracefully for years. So the sooner you can add it the better, you just can't add it until the MLF is over, since the SO2 will kill or inhibit the MLB too.
That's the whole rationale for doing a co inoculated MLF. The MLF finishes sooner, thus, you can sulfite sooner and get the wine protected from spoilage.
That's the whole rationale for doing a co inoculated MLF. The MLF finishes sooner, thus, you can sulfite sooner and get the wine protected from spoilage.
I do use KMeta, both as a sanitizer and during storage. However, I have never used metabisulphite, which is what Craig referred to. Are they one in the same?
Yes! k-meta = potassium (chemical symbol K) + metabisulfite. K2S2O5.
K comes from the German Kallium, but we don't need to know that here, do we!?
I know I’ve seen many names used in winemaking related mediums to reference potassium Metabisulphite.
K-meta, So2, Sulphite, Sulfite, Sulfate, Sulphide, Sulfide, Sulfur etc etc.
I’m sure they all have their technical differences, or incorrect spellings, but for winemaking lingo they all seem to be used interchangeably.
K-meta, So2, Sulphite, Sulfite, Sulfate, Sulphide, Sulfide, Sulfur etc etc.
I’m sure they all have their technical differences, or incorrect spellings, but for winemaking lingo they all seem to be used interchangeably.
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Sorry for the confusion. Yes, I meant potassium metabisulphite. And yes, I see it all sorts of ways, but I should remember to keep it simple.
Ok, glad that is explained. Takes a village...
