Halting Fermentation

[Bush_84]

I prefer a sweet drink. I think that getting a brew to halt fermentation sooner is a better option that back sweetening. Now during the winter I have access to cold crashing aka my garage. In the summer I do not. I am currently making an apple wine and wish it to not to go completely dry. Would there be any issue with racking at about the gravity I wish and adding campden and sorbate? I have plenty of time to watch it. I understand that these chemicals aren't meant to stop fermentation. I fully plan on letting this one bulk age for months. So with that, will this slow it down enough to leave residual sweetness?

Edit-Link to brew details-https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f25/apple-wine-v2-0-a-188304/#post2184838

 

[Bush_84]

Anybody? I was hoping to do this tonight as I won't have much time off for another week, and by that time it will be completely dry!!

 

[Yooper]

Sorry! I've never had luck permanently stopping a fermentation. It's like stopping a freight train. If you manage to stop it via cold crashing and multiple rackings (ckillekevin has some experience doing this with ciders), there's no guarantee it won't start up again a year from now in the bottle.

I always let it ferment out, then stabilize and sweeten if desired. I don't know why it'd would be better to stop the fermentation early than waiting, unless it's because it'd be a much lower ABV % if halted prematurely.