Removing H2S from Skeeter Pee-splash racking and copper

[SenorPepe]

I made a Skeeter Pee from an apfelwein slurry. I should have known better because it produced some H2S in the apfelwein but I figured that with proper pitch rates, aeration and nutrient schedule, that it would not continue to produce H2S in the Skeeter Pee. I was wrong and it has a noticeable smell that ruins the taste. So after letting it clear a bit, hitting it with Sparkalloid and cold crashing for a few days (but minimal degassing), I splash racked into a Better Bottle with the appropriate amount of sorbate and campden for stabilizing. It dropped from pretty high and created a ton of foam. It helped some but not enough.

Now the question is: should I splash rack it again and, if so, should I rack onto some campden to help mitigate oxidation problems? Should I splash rack over the bit of copper wire I bought today? Or rack into a bucket gently and try stirring with the copper wire? In that case I'd probably have to rack back into the Better Bottle for backsweetening.

I'd appreciate any advice or experience. H2S sucks!

 

[damdaman]

Hmm, sorry I don't have any answers to your questions but I just pitched a yeast slurry from apfelwein into my skeeter pee on sunday. It's down to 1.050 and I just added the final lemon juice, yeast nutrient and o2.

I hope mine will be ok!

 

[SenorPepe]

You'll probably be fine. I'm convinced that the problem originated in the first batch. I've made 5 batches of apfelwein with Montrachet before with no sulfur problems but I didn't manage the yeast as well as I should have on the last one.

 

[Yooper]

I've never had bad H2S, so I've never had to resort to the copper fix, but you could try splash racking one more time.

 

[SenorPepe]

:

I've never had bad H2S, so I've never had to resort to the copper fix, but you could try splash racking one more time.

I'm glad you responded . I particularly wanted to ask you about dosing with campden. As mentioned, I used one campden tab/gallon when splash racking the first time. That was the only campden added. Should I rack onto any when I try splash racking again or should I forget it since it's so close to bottling and I don't plan on aging any? I usually make dry wines so I'm kind of unfamiliar with it.

Edit: My only concern is off flavors/smells or anything like that, no sulfite sensitivity or anything.

 

[Yooper]

:

I'm glad you responded . I particularly wanted to ask you about dosing with campden. As mentioned, I used one campden tab/gallon when splash racking the first time. That was the only campden added. Should I rack onto any when I try splash racking again or should I forget it since it's so close to bottling and I don't plan on aging any? I usually make dry wines so I'm kind of unfamiliar with it.

Edit: My only concern is off flavors/smells or anything like that, no sulfite sensitivity or anything.

I'd go ahead and use 1 campden per gallon so that the sulfite can bind with the wine instead of oxygen, particularly if the sulfite level is currently very low.

 

[SenorPepe]

I'd go ahead and use 1 campden per gallon so that the sulfite can bind with the wine instead of oxygen, particularly if the sulfite level is currently very low.

OK. Thanks for the advice. Fingers crossed.