we put potassium sorbate in our must. is this okay?

[flying_spoo420]

Apparently our recipe called for the potassium sorbate to be put in the must. But I read somewhere online that it stops yeast production.

first off, we haven't even added the yeast, but if we do, it should still work, right? It just won't grow alot? Or do we need to add more? or is it hopeless?

help!

 

[Luc]

Ok, I already mentioned this in another post.
Potassium Sorbate should not be put into the must. It is used in the end of the process to stabilise the wine.

So now there might be a chance that fermentation will not start.

Best way to go from here is to make a really strong yeast starter and try to get the must fermenting with that. Here is how you can do that:
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2007/08/gist-starter-yeast-starter.html

If you are making a gallon I would make half a liter of this starter.

The starter consume most of the Potassium Sorbate and will drop down as sediment.
Then rack the wine and add another yeast.

This trick was described by Jack Keller on his web-log somewhere in 2007 and might work.
He actually used bakers yeast as the first yeast.

Luc

 

[cpfan]

I suspect that the original recipe called for potassium metabisulphite to be added to the must NOT potassium sorbate. Depending how much sorbate was added the yeast MAY be OK. Luc's suggestion of the starter is the best way to go.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

The recipe probably called for both as some do but it should have ha that part seperated to be added at the end.