How much campden to rack?

I'll Rack some white wine out with my new filter/pump, and
am curious how many tablets are ness. for having 5.5 gal---I'll
leave the last 1/2gal with clearing agents behind. It's 4 months
old, and I really should get it in bottles soon, so I figured to
clear it with the pump ....let it sit two days, and bottle sunday.
Any thoughts on the tablets?

I know Yooper recommends 1 crushed tablet per gal on each racking, and I trust nearly every word she says.

Really? I didn't know I had to add some tablets at each racking (I'm on my first batch).

2 questions then...

a) Campden tablets are just compressed sodium metabisulphite, right? I think I recall seeing the instructions to add sod. metabis. if I wanted to bulk age the wine.

b) If I do need to add tablets at each racking, when do I add them? Once I have racked over to the new carboy, and then stir?

Cheers!

You don't have to add campden tablets every time you rack. If you sanitize your new vessel it's not necessary. A lot of winemakers do it that way because that's how they were taught how to sanitize, and 'just in case' of any possible oxidation issues. The tablets always have to be crushed to a powder before adding them. If you use a lees stirrer to degas you have to use campden tablets to get rid of the oxygenation.

I add campden tablets at every OTHER racking, since I don't have an so2 meter and the desired sulfite amount is 50 ppms, that gets me pretty close.

SO2 disappates over time, so if you add some at the beginning, within a racking or two, it's gone and no longer protecting your wine. That's why I add it on that schedule.

ETJ is on to something- if you are degassing (not necessary in a wine that is aged long enough, though) or racking often due to lees, it's much more critical to use the campden. Now, it is the same as potassium metabisulfite which also comes in a powder. You can use either- the k-meta is cheaper in the long run. I wouldn't use sodium metabisulfite- that add sodium to your wine, and I swear I can taste it.

I crush the tablets and add them to 1/4 cup water and pop in the microwave for about 30 seconds. DONT sniff or stir near your face!!!!! Pour into the clean sanitized carboy, and rack the wine into it without splashing.

Here's an awesome site for the "how tos" on wine: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/basics.asp

Ahh my bad, every other racking, was hoping you'd jump in here Yooper

Thanks EvilTOJ and Yooper!

YooperBrew said:

I wouldn't use sodium metabisulfite- that add sodium to your wine, and I swear I can taste it.

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I agree with this. I used sodium metabisulfite in my last batch of wine and it definately changed the taste.

I'll look for some k-meta next time i'm at the LHBS.