Potassium metabisulphite

[400d]

Hi there,

I just wanted to ask is potassium metabisulphite usable in brewing beer? If answer is yes, than I would like to know when to use it, what effects does it have on beer, and how to use it in brewing?

I know that wine makers are using it for every batch, but I'm not sure what does it do....

thanks!

 

[devilishprune]

I think that wine makers use this in conjunction with potassium sulfate in order to sterilize the must before fermentation, or to stabilize after fermentation. This isn't really needed with brewing because we boil the wort before fermentation, wine makers do not.

Some people like to use it on things like apfelwein to stop any fermentation from happening after backsweetening.

 

[cheezydemon3]

I believe it helps avoid oxidation....but only because of a similar thread in BREWING SCIENCE


Check it out. Sorry, too lazy to link it for you.

 

[400d]

I think that wine makers use this in conjunction with potassium sulfate in order to sterilize the must before fermentation, or to stabilize after fermentation. This isn't really needed with brewing because we boil the wort before fermentation, wine makers do not.

Some people like to use it on things like apfelwein to stop any fermentation from happening after backsweetening.

I have a batch of beer that got infected. Or at least I think so. It smells really vinegary and really sour. I tried a bit and it's really not drinkable. I might use it as a salad dressing though....

I read that pottasium metabisulphite can "heal" infected beer or wine... Do you think it's worth trying?

 

[devilishprune]

I have some, but I've yet to use it.

I'm going to say no. Sounds like you've got some acetobacter going on, which metabolizes ethanol to acetic acid. Once the damage is done, its done. You might be able to stop it from going further, but you aren't going to be able to revert the changes.

 

[400d]

I have some, but I've yet to use it.

I'm going to say no. Sounds like you've got some acetobacter going on, which metabolizes ethanol to acetic acid. Once the damage is done, its done. You might be able to stop it from going further, but you aren't going to be able to revert the changes.

so dumping it would be the best thing....

 

[rod251]

I use it to remove chlorine/chloramine from my tap water before the mash and boil. As far as fixing a bad batch, IDK.

 

[devilishprune]

I mean, I usually don't advocate dumping. Is it still in the primary?

 

[400d]

I mean, I usually don't advocate dumping. Is it still in the primary?

no, this is secondary. it got spoiled after I racked and dry hopped. the taste is not as horrible as the smell that comes from the carboy.

 

[specialkaye]

It's used to sanitize. And I hope to hell it's okay to use because I used it on the batch of beer we're drinking right now. And, I plan to use it tomorrow for an all grain batch. And, I'll keep using it, until I run out.

I might get flamed for this but I'm using it because I had it on hand and because I didn't feel like shelling out more money for Star-San or anything else when I have a pound of MB sitting in the brew cabinet.

So far, I have not had any problems or off tastes except the one time when I uncapped a bottle to drink RIGHT after I capped it because I didn't notice my cup was running low. I drank right from the bottle and the rim was still wet with MB from the cap that I had just fished out of a bucket of MB. A slight extra bitterness but nothing to bad. And only on the first swallow. And yup, I finished that beer too. For some reason, when I bottle, I never quite get as many finished bottles into the closet as the recipe says I should.