Mead racking question

[bernardsmith]

Couple of points: most LHBS (local home brew stores) in the US sell potassium metbisulfite. Sodium Metabisulfite is essentially the same but I suppose for people who are on low sodium diets (high BP) then the K-meta is a better option BUT the active part is the META and not the K or the Na. The META is a sulfur product and it is the sulfur that is what we are looking for. A) the sulfur can kill less vigorous yeast cells and B) sulfur (at about 50 parts per million - or the equivalent of 1 campden tab per gallon is what inhibits oxidation.

Stabilization (using BOTH K- (or Na- ) Meta and sorbate is what you might add IF - IF you are back sweetening your wine or mead. Now, grape wines even when brut dry offer up a perception of sweetness but most country wines and mead may not AND if you are looking for a wine where the flavor of the fruit is right there (fruit forward as they say) then you may need to sweeten the wine after it has fully fermented. That might be 2 oz of sugar per gallon or 4 or even more depending on how sweet you want/need the wine to be. More: some fruit is very acidic and one way to balance the acidity is to add sweetness.
If you simply add sugar to the wine the yeast will treat that sugar in exactly the same way they treated the sugar on day -one. In other words, those yeast cells will work to ferment that sugar and your wine won't be a hair sweeter after you added the sugar though it will be more alcoholic. Stabilization prevents yeast from fermenting added sugar. BUT - and here's the thing: if you are not adding sugar there is no need to STABILIZE the wine. There is no reason to stabilize it... BUT that does not mean that you don't need to add K-meta (or Na- Meta). You add that to inhibit oxidation.

 

[Kenpachi Z]

How much would i use for a gallon ?

 

[Kenpachi Z]

That's fine. It works exactly the same, but adds a smidgeon of sodium to the mead.

How much sulfite would i use for a gallon ?

 

[Kyzaboy89]

Quick check says ¼ teaspoon or 1.42 grams per 5 gallons, 0.284 grams per 1 gallon. Did the sodium sulfate come with manufacturer recommendations or no?

 

[Maylar]

Dissolve 1/4 TSP in 1-1/4 cups of water. Then you can use 1/4 cup per gallon. Or if you have them, 1 crushed Campden tablet per gallon.

 

[Kenpachi Z]

No i got the potasium campden tablets ...but ive racked from primary to secondary should i add it now or wait and add it after i rack it again ?

 

[Kenpachi Z]

Has anybody ever used those betterbottles carboys before ?

 

[Dan O]

No. I have a couple of 3 gallon FERMONSTERS , same thing really. I love them. I've had no issues with either of them. I use them for primary & racked till clear, then I bulk age in glass with airlocks.

 

[Kyzaboy89]

You can crush and add the tablets now or at next racking if you like.

 

[HVCBrewing]

I have several Better Bottles and think they work very well. Making additions during aging (Oak, fruit, spice...) it's very easy with Better Bottles. The risk of breaking is greatly reduced.

Wine is very receptive to oxidation. A half empty bottle of wine will pick up vinegar notes in a relatively short period of time (days / week). Sulfite will bind with (or consume) O2 and slow this process. Mead, is much less receptive to oxidation. A half empty bottle of mead can hang out for weeks / months without showing the effects of oxidation. That's one of the reasons Meads can age for a very long period of time and don't need much sulfite (compared to wine). The issues of adding sulfite, topping up are less of a risk with Meads.

If you aren't got to sweeten or age the mead, I wouldn't worry to much about sulfites.

 

[Kenpachi Z]

Thanks everybody all the advise has really helped