Can I sorbate, sweeten and immediately bottle?

[SwampassJ]

I made Apfelvein a few months back, transfered it to a secondary 6gallon carboy for a month and then into a 5 gallon/1gallon jug to free up my primary carboy. It has no sediment at all at this point, it is clear and of course stable gravity wise for several months.

Can I rack it onto some sugar/syrup and sorbate/metabisulfate in the bottling bucket? I topped up the carboy so much that I might be able to sorbate it in the carboy but can not sweeten it in the carboy.

 

[ACbrewer]

short answer, Yes I've done similar.

Long answer - I was only doing a gallon and had no space issues with my cranberry, but I dumped sorbate in for stablizing. - can't remmber about the metabisulfate or not - then I sweetened slowly (plain old experiment each bit of extra sugar and tested flavor - did I mention only 1 gallon ) . The wine is nice and tart, mildly semisweet, not to dry.

Best guess in your case - put enough of the sorbate in one of the 2 (either 5 gall or 1 gal) for all 6 gallons, then siphon that first on your sugar solution and then put the other on your sugar and gently stir - to mix but not aerate.

 

[Zwetschgen]

Can you? Yes, but I will not. Too often I have had bad experiences with either fermentation not being complete or bad sorbate, because my fermenation has been known to restart once I've sweetened. Just sweeten and wait a few days to see if it will start up again.

 

[SwampassJ]

Can you? Yes, but I will not. Too often I have had bad experiences with either fermentation not being complete or bad sorbate, because my fermenation has been known to restart once I've sweetened. Just sweeten and wait a few days to see if it will start up again.

I need to draw off a few cups worth to fit the sugar syrup in then. I'll hit it tonight with the sorbate.

 

[Zwetschgen]

If I don't have room for the sweetener, I'll usually pull out enough to bottle a 'dry' version (either 12 oz bottle or a 375ml) then sweeten the rest like you plan to do. Just remember to label the one that was not sweetened.