Secondary wine fermenting question ?

[Kenpachi Z]

So i have made a gallon of apple wine its coming up on 3 weeks in primary ...this is my first fruit wine im planning on adding sulfites during secondary but what else do i need to add because i'm reading a bunch of different things so what's the real deal and what's not any advice is appreciated

 

[bernardsmith]

What is it that you are trying to do? You would add sulfites and K-meta in tandem if you want to stabilize the wine to back sweeten but you would stabilize the wine after several rackings and not simply in the "secondary" - there would likely be too many active yeast cells for the chemicals to neutralize the yeast after 3 weeks.

If you are simply planning on bottling then there is no need to stabilize the wine because you would have fermented the wine brut dry (that is there would be no fermentables left for the yeast to ferment).

If you are hoping to stop an active fermentation in mid-flight so that you can bottle the wine sweet, then you want to listen to someone other than me. In my opinion, trying to catch a bullet between your teeth is easier than stopping fermentation chemically at home. You COULD pasteurize (ie cook) the wine to kill the yeast but cooked apple wine is cooked apple wine.

 

[Kenpachi Z]

Ok how long should you ferment in primary then ? Because as i said based on what ive read its about 3 weeks for primary and how often should i stabilize then between rackings ? I also read that i should add something for clarification to ....what does k-meta do ?

 

[Kenpachi Z]

See i just read that k-meta and sulfites are the same thing ....this is why i ask questions lol

 

[bernardsmith]

See i just read that k-meta and sulfites are the same thing ....this is why i ask questions lol

In fact they are as different as chalk and cheese. In other words, quite different.
K-meta adds sulfites to a wine and sulfites, can a) inhibit oxidation; b) at higher concentrations , can be used as a sanitizer and c) at lower concentrations, can be used to kill small quantities of yeast and bacteria found on fruit and flowers.
K-sorbate, adds sorbate into a wine and the sorbate can prevent yeast from budding (reproducing). It does not kill yeast and it does not prevent oxidation and you cannot use sorbate to sanitize your equipment. To prevent any yeast lurking in your wine or mead after you have racked several times after active fermentation has ended from fermenting any fermentable sugar you want to add to back sweeten your wine you really need to add both chemicals.

And importantly, if you still have a large and a very viable colony of yeast in your wine the K-meta is unlikely to be very effective in killing that colony. Lab cultured yeasts tend to be able to resist the K-meta, but a few cells remaining after multiple rackings over months will not be as robust.