Kmeta necessary if yeast is dead from high ABV?

[Trauts]

I'm making something somewhat similar to Skeeter Pee (which I expect people here are somewhat familiar with). I've pushed my ABV a bit higher, with the goal of the yeast dying from alcohol and not having to worry about a restarted fermentation or using nonfermentable sugars for backsweetining.

That's the backstory.

Given I'm sitting at about 14% ABV right now (plus residual sugars) and things have slowed to a crawl, do I really need kmeta & sorbate? Best I can tell kmeta is used to prevent infections and make sure the yeast become inactive. But with 14% ABV... do I really need to worry about infections?

Similar question with the sorbate. Necessary? (I imagine not, since the yeast will be dead before they could ferment dry)

It seems like most people don't try to kill their yeast with alcohol, so I haven't had much luck with google searches in this situation (only people asking when to add and how much, etc), and would value anyone's thoughts on the matter. I'd prefer using as few additives as possible, but not if I risk the batch spoiling a few months down the road.

 

[jlh42581]

I dont think 14% is quite at the top. I guess it would depend on the yeast strain.

Most people kill the yeast because most dont want to drink skeeter pee at 14% theyre trying to hit that magical area similar to a mikes hard lemonade minus the malt extract. Most guys also make this for the females in their lives who tend to not like rocket fuel.

If you keep feeding it sugar eventually it will top out but its gonna be WICKED. It probably will taste nothing like lemonade without adding some type of flavor again.

 

[WilliamSlayer]

Although 14% abv may SEEM like a large ammount, the Acedobacter bacteria (sp?) Feeds on the alcohol at those levels. You will need to reach a level of at least 18 to 20% to make your brew intollerable to almost a microbs. I would reccomend Kmeta if even in the smallest ammounts for stablization.

 

[DoctorCAD]

K meta is not for "killing" yeast, it is a preservative and an anti-oxident. It can stun yeast, but does not kill it. Heck, there will still be yeast around after the nuclear winter!

 

[Trauts]

I dont think 14% is quite at the top. I guess it would depend on the yeast strain.

Most people kill the yeast because most dont want to drink skeeter pee at 14% theyre trying to hit that magical area similar to a mikes hard lemonade minus the malt extract. Most guys also make this for the females in their lives who tend to not like rocket fuel.

If you keep feeding it sugar eventually it will top out but its gonna be WICKED. It probably will taste nothing like lemonade without adding some type of flavor again.

I'm using Lalvin ICV D-47, which supposedly bottoms out at 14%, though if could theoretically go a bit higher given the sugar it's sitting in. (I sweetened a bit more to make sure the yeast did as much as it could). I was originally going to use Montrachet, but was recommended the Lalvin.

If it ends up tasting at all like lemonade, I'll be concerned. This is somewhere between ginger wine and pineapple wine I just used Skeeter Pee as a guide for procedure, and it probably has similar acidity, although I haven't measured the pH.

Although 14% abv may SEEM like a large ammount, the Acedobacter bacteria (sp?) Feeds on the alcohol at those levels. You will need to reach a level of at least 18 to 20% to make your brew intollerable to almost a microbs. I would reccomend Kmeta if even in the smallest ammounts for stablization.

Guess I'll have to go pick up some kmeta then.

Thanks for chiming in, all!