Potassium Sorbate

[wwright]

Can someone explain the basic functions of potassium Sorbate and when to use it? Does it stop fermentation entirely and kill yeast, or am I totally off?

 

[EpicCider]

Potassium Sorbate makes sorbic acid, which effectively acts as an acid that prohibits mold and yeast from growing.

But let me make this clear, it does so by stopping future yeast reproduction. Therefore the current yeast WILL CONTINUE it's CO2 production until it is done.

 

[BigFloyd]

It inhibits further yeast reproduction.

 

[HopSong]

EpicCider.. any idea how long a yeast cell lives? IOW, If you add sorbate, the current yeast will live some time and do some sugar conversion. I'm wondering if the beasties can live long enough to create bottle bombs. Some critters have short life spans.. Have no idea about a yeast cell.

 

[EpicCider]

EpicCider.. any idea how long a yeast cell lives? IOW, If you add sorbate, the current yeast will live some time and do some sugar conversion. I'm wondering if the beasties can live long enough to create bottle bombs. Some critters have short life spans.. Have no idea about a yeast cell.

It depends on the yeast strand and some other factors, but I would guess a long time. Heck I think there is a bar that revived a 25-million year old yeast strain that was in Amber.