Unwanted metabisulfite in beer

[trentar]

Hello everyone,

on Saturday I started to make my first batch of Czech Pilsner made from the extract from the Master Pint company. Unfortunately I have mistakenly added half litter (0.13 gallon) with suspended 10 g (0.35 oz.) of pottassium metabisulfite (which i have prepared for the airlock) to the wort of 21 l (5.5 gallon) before adding yeast. Before adding yeast I have spotted some surface clouds/spots of white particles which I have collected and removed from the wort, and then added yeast. It started fermenting alright and it's still going on.

I need an advice. Should I toss it or would the sulfure somehow escape during 10 day fermentation? Is it possible to determine the level of sulfur after first or second fermentation?

Best regards,

Trentar

 

[VikeMan]

Is it possible to determine the level of sulfur after first or second fermentation?

If it's going to be an issue, you'll be able to smell it.

 

[JimRausch]

The SO2 that is produced will degas during fermentation. You're fine.

 

[trentar]

The SO2 that is produced will degas during fermentation. You're fine.

Even at these high quantities? 0.5 g/l (0.018 oz./0.26 gallon)

 

[JimRausch]

Even at these high quantities? 0.5 g/l (0.018 oz./0.26 gallon)

If it's fermenting, then you didn't kill the yeast, or scavenge all the O2. So, yes, it'll blow off.

 

[VikeMan]

If it's fermenting, then you didn't kill the yeast, or scavenge all the O2. So, yes, it'll blow off.

Fermentation doesn't necessarily mean that all the O2 was not scavenged, though a lack of O2 would reduce budding, reducing cell growth. Also, if this was dry yeast, I wouldn't expect a lack of O2 to affect the fermentation very much at all.

 

[JimRausch]

Very true VikeMan!

 

[trentar]

Fermentation doesn't necessarily mean that all the O2 was not scavenged, though a lack of O2 would reduce budding, reducing cell growth. Also, if this was dry yeast, I wouldn't expect a lack of O2 to affect the fermentation very much at all.

It was the dry yeast.

 

[VikeMan]

It was the dry yeast.

So, you're a couple days into fermentation. Do you smell anything unusual coming from the airlock/blowoff?

 

[trentar]

So, you're a couple days into fermentation. Do you smell anything unusual coming from the airlock/blowoff?

Currently there is no smell coming out of the airlock. The fermenting has slowed down substantially - three bubles per minute.

 

[VikeMan]

Currently there is no smell coming out of the airlock. The fermenting has slowed down substantially - three bubles per minute.

I'd say chances are that you're ok, and won't need to worry about an extended cleanup time or taking more drastic measures (like CO2 scrubbing or copper).

 

[trentar]

I'd say chances are that you're ok, and won't need to worry about an extended cleanup time or taking more drastic measures (like CO2 scrubbing or copper).

Thank you for your advice. Someone adviced to me on Facebook group to do rack it to secondary fermenter. Do you think this would help? I don't have a secondary, I would buy it, because I would probably need it in the future of making beers.

 

[bleme]

Thank you for your advice. Someone adviced to me on Facebook group to do rack it to secondary fermenter. Do you think this would help? I don't have a secondary, I would buy it, because I would probably need it in the future of making beers.

Racking it would be the exact opposite of help. Just leave it be.

 

[VikeMan]

Thank you for your advice. Someone adviced to me on Facebook group to do rack it to secondary fermenter. Do you think this would help?

I doubt it would help much. The agitation from racking might help a little sulfur to off gas, but I don't think it would be very much. And in your case, it sounds like a solution looking for a problem.