Potassium Sorbate Newb Question

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digdan

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Better safe than sorry, so I'm going to ask :>

I'm backsweetening a wine and per the instructions on the Brewcraft Potassium Sorbate, it says I use 3/4 tsp per gallon.

so, per my calculations I added 1 table spoons, and 3/4 tsp. (3/4 * 5), or 3.75 tsp, which is 1tbl + 3/4tsp

I added this and a crushed campden tablet to a bowl of hot water (I would guestimate about 2 cups worth of water).

Is this safe? When can I add the sugar?
 
Better safe than sorry, so I'm going to ask :>

I'm backsweetening a wine and per the instructions on the Brewcraft Potassium Sorbate, it says I use 3/4 tsp per gallon.

so, per my calculations I added 1 table spoons, and 3/4 tsp. (3/4 * 5), or 3.75 tsp, which is 1tbl + 3/4tsp

I added this and a crushed campden tablet to a bowl of hot water (I would guestimate about 2 cups worth of water).

Is this safe? When can I add the sugar?

That seems like an awful lot of sorbate. I've never used more than 1/2 tsp per gallon. If it tastes ok, then you'll be fine. I don't like the taste of sorbate, and I like my wines dry anyway, so I rarely use it. It's possible that your dosage is different than mine, so I don't mean to make you worry. It just seems like a lot. I use one crushed campden tablet per gallon- so you seem a bit light on the sulfite and high on the sorbate.

If you want to sweeten this batch, and it's already been racked, you should be ok to sweeten it in a week or two. You probably could do it sooner, but you really want to ensure that the yeast are unable to reproduce so you want to give it some time.
 
Like Yoop, I use 1/4 teaspoon (roughly equal to 5 campden tabs) of k-meta per five gallons and 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of sorbate to stabilize a completed wine or mead prior to bottling and/or back sweetening. Sorbate has a sweetish flavor many people don't like so I take care to not use more than is necessary.

Here's a link to a post I made regarding preservatives, stabilizers, and sanitizers.

Give it a day or so and add the sugar.
 
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