WineXpert To sulphite or not to sulphite...

[AndyBoy]

I think that I already know the answer to this question but I wanted to get some verification. At issue is the fact that my local home-brew supplier states emphatically that I should not add ANY metabosulphite to my Cabernet kit since it is poison (his words, not mine). Whereas the instructions (WE Selection, Original, Cabernet Sauvignon) state that I MUST add metabosulphite if I am going to age for more than 6 months, which I am intending to do. When I pointed this out to him he said that the instructions merely suggest adding the sulphite but do not require it, I believe he is wrong. I would very much appreciate some real-world expert advice on this.

 

[grapeman]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with adding the sulfites to the wine. He apparently has somethin philosophically against sulfites. They exist as a biproduct of fermentation anyway, but you need additional sulfites to prevent spoilage , especially long-term storage. The addition of 1/4 teaspoon k-meta in a 6 gallon kit certainly isn't enough to *poison* just about anyone. I have a sister, and myself that can't take drugs with sulfur in them, but we both make and enjoy wine with the use of sulfites.

 

[masta]

I encourage you to follow the directions included in the kit including adding the extra K-meta in addition to the supplied packets for aging past 6 months. The final amount of SO2 in the finished wine will be at least 50% lower than almost all commercial bottles.


Your supplier obviously doesn't understand the reasons behind the use of K-meta. My opinion is that any retailer that would give this type of advice doesn't believe in the product, doesn't know the product, and shouldn't be selling the product! I am sure Winexpert would agree.

 

[AndyBoy]

Thanks to all for the rapid responses on my sulphite issue. I agree that my supplier ought not to be so adamantly in disagreement with the manufacturer and must therefore not be as informed as he needs to be. He is a bit of a hermit and I also feel that he is more of a beer guy than a vinoble. I will let him know of these responses on my next visit in hopes that he won't misdirect future buyers...though I'm not expecting an about-face on his part!

 

[masta]

Ah the "beer guy" explains it all!

 

[PeterZ]

Potassium metabisulfite (K-meta) is not classified as a poison by any governmental agency. If it were it would have to carry a red skull and crossbones symbol and be labelled as poison, like methanol.


Anything, in sufficient quantities, can be lethal. That includes wine, beer, water, and potassium metabisulfite. If you were to spill a 55 gallon drum of 50% potassium metabisulfite in a small closed-up room and stayed inside, the fumes would probably kill you. Adding 1/4 tsp of K-meta to 6 gallons of wine serves only to help prevent spoilage of the wine.

 

[smurfe]

Also want to add that by adding the extra sulifite's to you wine, the levels are still considerably lower than those found in any commercial wine you will buy.

 

[Motomike]

Can the K-meta be added at any time prior to bottling? I am racking my WE cab tonight and don't have any K-meta. It is my intention to bulk age at least 6 months before bottling so is it okay to wait a few weeks before adding?

 

[grapeman]

One of the packets added in the making of the kit is potassium metabisulfite, so unless the box was opened or you threw it away, you either have added it already or have it to add. The extra is up to you to purchase, but you can add it anytime before bottling.

 

[Jack on Rainy]

Andyboy,

The folks on this forum favor K=meta addition as you can see by the
posts. I've gotten so much good info from them I tend to follow their
advice but on this issue I think there is more to say.



I have a local friend who has been making kit wines for ten years and
I've tasted some of his two year old stuff and it is wonderful. He does
not add any k-meta other than that supplied in the kits. He claims an
allergy (see numerous other post on the "allergy to sulfites" issue) so
he wants to minimize them in his wines. He hasn't had any fail to date.
I also understand that his wines rarely get to be more than two years
old.



Here is what we are doing. Whites - no extra k-meta beyond that supplied in the kits. We're drinkin them all in 18 months or so!



Reds - additional 1/4 tsp per 6 gal carboy. We hope to let all of these
go two years. For those reds we hope to age longer, an additional 1/4
tsp/6gal.






Edited by: Jack on Rainy

 

[Wade E]

As long as your drinking the whites early thats fine, but would like to say to some newer people to wine making that a white wine will require the extra dose much more than the red would. The reason being is that the tannins in a red wine which are non-existent or to a very small degree protect wine very much and this is why you will see some very old red wines that stand up of time and not to manywhites

 

[Jack on Rainy]

As long as your drinking the whites early thats fine, but
would like to say to some newer people to wine making that a white wine
will require the extra dose much more than the red would. The reason
being is that the tannins in a red wine which are non-existent or to a
very small degree protect wine very much and this is why you will see
some very old red wines that stand up of time and not to manywhites

Good point Wade, I should have added it to my post. Thanks

 

[AndyBoy]

Jack on Rainy,


Thanks for taking the time to respond but it is precisely the k-meta included in the kit that my local supplier is saying that I should not, for any reason, add to the batch. I am not considering anything above and beyond this amount and my original post stemmed from the major discrepancy between the store owner saying none at all and the directions saying that I MUST add it. I have already begun the batch and when the time comes I will be adding the 1/4 t to ensure, to the best of my ability, a good first run...although I really won't know for another year!