must sulfiting rates for cysers and melomels

[zipmont]

I am considering increasing my rate of sulfite from 50 ppm to 75 (or even 100?) to attain more consistency between batches of certain meads that I make. I only use only 50ppm for my cyser, but that has no pulp in the primary, only fresh pressed juice. It creates very clean, consistent results. But my crab cyser and blackberry melomel both involve fermenting the actual fruit - and are where my variations are occurring.

All our fruit, whether berries of apples/crabapples is very clean handpicked - no windfalls - and well handled. I'm confident in our fermentors being very clean as well, as we clean and sanitize thoroughly with a no-rinse sanitizer (either star san or iodophor). Am I on the right track here suspecting sulfite rates, or is there something else that's likely to be causing that "Bretty" sort of taste, which I can always detect within the first 5 days or so in primary? If I do increase to 75-100 ppm, should I wait longer to pitch? (at 50 ppm, I only wait 24 hrs)

Thanks much -

 

[fatbloke]

Well I have no idea what you're alluding to with the comment "bretty taste" but sulphites are sulphites. They pass out of the liquid and dissipate.

The differences will be to do with the fruit/fruit pulp.

If its an off flavour I don't know what you'd do other than try all the usuals like pectic enzyme etc......

 

[zipmont]

I'm not exactly sure myself. I just figure it's probably some organism like brettanomyces that lives on the outside of fruits/berries. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brettanomyces

I just checked Ken Schramm's book (The Compleat Meadmaker) and he said he not only doesn't boil his musts, but doesn't use any sulfite either. He wasn't clear whether this included mead variants that involve fruit (especially whole fruit) or just standard meads. Seems a bit risky to go that route when fermenting whole fruit.

I don't boil either, but I sulfite. The question for me is how much? I could see not sulfiting a plain mead if honey was verifiably clean and fresh. But I'm leaning towards 50 ppm for my cyser (no pomace in the primary - just juice) and even more (perhaps up to 100 ppm?) for anything that did ferment whole fruit, like blackberry melomel or cyser that used pomace in the primary along with the juice.

 

[fatbloke]

Over use of sulphites can lead to a slight metallic taste, especially if its sodium meta thats used, it seems that K meta is generally used in the US (and commercially here, but its not so easy to locate and more expensive).

Many sulphite if fruit/pulp/fresh juice are used but to standard levels i.e. 50ppm or thereabouts to stun any wild yeast. Just that you have leave the must 24 to 48 hours before pitching, and even then you may have an extended lag phase.

Honey certainly doesn't need sulphiting period! It's pretty much natures most anti-bacterial, anti-fungal substance......

Hence sulphite any fruit or juice etc but I'd say about keeping it to normal levels. It could affect the fruit element otherwise. If you use sulphites at sanitising levels you see some bleaching effect.......

 

[zipmont]

Thanks. That's exactly what I've been thinking too.