How to use campden tablets?

[hoplobster]

Sorry if this has been discussed somewhere else, but I didn't find this topic anywhere...

How far in advance should I use campden tablets in my apfelwein? I may bottle Saturday or Sunday.

Thanks!

 

[david_42]

24 hours is enough.

 

[rdwj]

Just curious, why are you using campden tablets in apfelwein?

 

[hoplobster]

Just curious, why are you using campden tablets in apfelwein?

Because I am going to add concentrate or a real sugar (not Splenda) for flavour and sweetness and I don't want to carbonate this batch and run the risk of having bottle bombs or gushers.

 

[Smurfe]

Campden tablets alone will not stop refermentation. You need to add sorbate as well if you are going to back sweeten.

 

[Yooper]

Yeah, what he said. Ale and wine yeasts are not inhibited by campden (unless it's a huge dose that you can actually taste), so if you bottle without sorbate, too, you'll have some bottle bombs. You should use 1 campden tablet per gallon, 2/3 tsp of potassium sorbate per 5 gallons (I think- check the dosage) and wait a few days to be sure the fermentation is truly stopped.