Question About Stabilizing

[mattm10]

I'm getting ready to stabilize and backsweeten my mead. I'm using a Camden tablet and K-sorbate to stabilize.

My question is, do I have to wait 24 hours between adding the Camden tablet and the K-sorbate?

Most people online say to wait, but some say the 24-hour period between the two chemicals isn't necessary. Just wondering what your experience has been.

 

[Maylar]

I do them together, always.

 

[keystonehb]

From my experience most people add them at the same time at or before the time of sweetening. Usually people backsweeten closer to bottling time so there my be campden addition before adding the sorbates but they can be done together.

 

[MightyMosin]

Wait at least 24 hours after the sorbate before back sweetening

 

[Maylar]

Wait at least 24 hours after the sorbate before back sweetening

Nope. I never have.

 

[MightyMosin]

Nope. I never have.

My comment was mostly correcting where the OP asked about 24 hours between the K-Meta and K-Sorbate. Probably 24 hour before back sweetening.

I've always taken the 24 recommendation, especially when I was an impatient maker who was ready to jump on to the next step and yeast hasn't even dropped out of suspension.

I have once had it where a mead just didn't want to stop fermenting. It was certainly in my neophyte days and was likely Sorbate that was too old, but after that I would wait the 24 hours.

As things sit now, I rarely get to stabilizing right after fermentation has finished... and yeah, I will drop both and get to back sweetening as I have already racked off of the fine lees.