I'm a homebrewer trying my hand at wine making. I'm making Selection's Cab/Merlot, and first off I noticed that the instructions say to sanitize with metabisulfate. Any reason I can't use starsan here? I've got a bottle of campden tablets, but would rather use my starsan for sanitizing the fermenter/equipment.
Also, the kit instructions say that if I want to age longer than 6 months, that I need to add more metabisulfate to prevent oxidation. When they say "age longer than 6 months" are they referring to aging in the fermenter, or in the bottle? Is there any advantage to aging in the fermenter for longer than the instructions say?
Finally-I got a good deal on a ton of #9 corks, will the colonna corker handle #9's ok? My beer bottle capper is on it's last leg, and I hear the colonna will do both beer and wine, so I'd like to go that route...
Thanks for the help!
Also, the kit instructions say that if I want to age longer than 6 months, that I need to add more metabisulfate to prevent oxidation. When they say "age longer than 6 months" are they referring to aging in the fermenter, or in the bottle? Is there any advantage to aging in the fermenter for longer than the instructions say?
Finally-I got a good deal on a ton of #9 corks, will the colonna corker handle #9's ok? My beer bottle capper is on it's last leg, and I hear the colonna will do both beer and wine, so I'd like to go that route...
Thanks for the help!