potassium metabisulfite

I'm making my first batch of wine (from a kit) and had a question. The instructions that I have say to use potassium metabisulfite as a sanitizing solution. I have been brewing beer for a long time and have quite a bit of StarSan and Iodophor available, I'm wondering why I need to use the potassium metabisulfite when making wine? Will I ruin the wine or change it's final flavor by not using the potassium metabisulfite?

You need something to kill off wild yeasts, molds, and bacteria.... If you don't - you may end up with a nice batch of vinegar or moldy flavored wine....

With beer - you boil it for a while and then carefully transfer the beer into scrupulously sanitary bottles....

With Wine and ciders - most of us don't really like the "Cooked" flavor... It tends to ruin all the wonderful fruity aromas and interesting natural flavors.... Think of the difference between fresh squeezed juice in your kitchen compared to the flavor of jelly....

Sulphite has been used since before the beginning of the Roman empire to do just this - kill off all the wild beasties so that you can add your own special brewing beasties. As a result of using sulphites for a few thousand years - proper wine and brewing yeasts are pretty resistant to sulphites where the wild yeast and bacteria and mold on the fruit just isn't.... The end result is that you have a better chance to end up with the wine you planned on getting....

Thanks

The answer is that you don't have to use the sulfite as a sanitizer. Since you homebrew, and you've got other sanitizers, you can use those just as well, especially for the kits. As truckjohn says, the sulfites will kill off wild yeasts on the skins of fruit, if you're making wine directly from the fruit instead of a kit.

Makes sense,
one more question, my LHBS only had Sodium Metabisulphite, I assume this will work just as well as the potassium version, as it's the sulphite we're after?

Yes, works just as well. Some winemakers prefer PMS because they have fruit high in sodium, not normally a problem.

Yes it is the sulphite you are after, not the Potasium or Sodium for the sanatizing.IF they have camphor tablets, those usually are potasium metabisulfate.

ACbrewer said:

Yes it is the sulphite you are after, not the Potasium or Sodium for the sanatizing.IF they have camphor tablets, those usually are potasium metabisulfate.

Click to expand...

i think you mean campden tablets

He He.. I'm lucky I can almost type it... spelinj it is oout of the qestion yah campden tablets..

Don't forget... You can also remove chlorine with kmbs. It has many wonderful uses.