I just use 1/4 tsp of Potassium Metabisulfate per 5 gals of wine for
approx. 50ppm of SO2. Seems to work fine.


On Jan 12, 8:22*am, "Paul E. Lehmann" >
wrote:
> Wildbilly wrote:
> > In article >,
> > *"Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote:
>
> >> Wildbilly wrote:
>
> >> > In article >,
> >> > *"Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote:
>
> >> >> Wildbilly wrote:
>
> >> >> > In article >,
> >> >> > *"Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote:
>
> >> >> >> Wildbilly wrote:
>
> >> >> >> > In article >,
> >> >> >> > *"Paul E. Lehmann" > wrote:
>
> >> >> >> >> fishziblu wrote:
>
> >> >> >> >> > it is my second go at making wine,and i've noticed that after
> >> >> >> >> > the first fermentation,the ph increases. When i crushed the
> >> >> >> >> > grapes my reading was 3.4, however on my first racking the ph
> >> >> >> >> > has gone up to 3.9. Is there a reason for this? Should i check
> >> >> >> >> > the wine more often? i have added some tartaric now. During
> >> >> >> >> > the time it spent with a high ph could it spoil itself?
> >> >> >> >> It is common for the pH to rise during or after fermentation. If
> >> >> >> >> you did not add any Malo Lactic culture, your grapes probably
> >> >> >> >> underwent a ML fermention from the natural culture on the
> >> >> >> >> grapes. You did the right thing by adding
> >> >> >> >> tartaric. *You also need to protect your wine with SO2 and the
> >> >> >> >> amount you use depends on the new pH of your wine after you
> >> >> >> >> added the tartaric.
>
> >> >> >> > Good news is that the pH is just about right for Robert Parker;O)
>
> >> >> >> > You need some way of measuring the "free" SO2. The Ripper method
> >> >> >> > calls for a starch indicator, sulfuric acid, an Erlenmeyer flask,
> >> >> >> > and a burette. Otherwise you risk O.D.ing your wine on SO2.
> >> >> >> > Nothing like 100 parts per million (ppm) of SO2 in your wine to
> >> >> >> > give you a blinding headache.
>
> >> >> >> > For the addition, I use 1 lb potassium metabisulfite per 1 gallon
> >> >> >> > of water to make a 5% solution.
>
> >> >> >> WHOA, Wildbilly. *Are you sure of your units? *I believe that one
> >> >> >> POUND of
> >> >> >> Potassium metabisufite would give you a LOT more that a 5%
> >> >> >> solution.
> > I think we can agree that it is a 6.4% SO2 solution.
> >> >> >> Try
> >> >> >> 100 GRAMS in one LITER for a standardized solution. *This is a 10%
> >> >> >> solution.
> > You will see that it is a 5.76% SO2 solution. (see below)
> >> >> >> See
>
> >> >> >>http://www.brsquared.org/wine/Articles/SO2/SO2.htm
>
> >> >> >> section 19 on the details.
>
> >> >> >> Paul
>
> >> >> >> > Then the formula is ppm of SO2 that you
> >> >> >> > want to add, times the gallons added to, times the fudge factor
> >> >> >> > of .063 equals the number of milliliters of 5% SO2 solution to
> >> >> >> > add (#ppm X gallons X .063 = # mls). Initially the SO2 will bind
> >> >> >> > to aldehydes, sugars, proteins, etc. and you won't see the number
> >> >> >> > of ppm of SO2 expressed, but once these compounds become
> >> >> >> > saturated with SO2, you'll get more of a linear response. The
> >> >> >> > bound SO2 has little effect on micro-organisms, which is the job
> >> >> >> > of the "free" SO2. The effectiveness of the SO2 is dependent on
> >> >> >> > the pH of the wine. For a pH of 3 to 4, use 30 to 40 ppm SO2.
> >> >> >> > This is a rough rule of thumb but should serve you well.
>
> > The calculations are here Paul.
> >> >> > 19. Stock Solutions, third paragraph, fifth line, "Since potassium
> >> >> > metabisulphite is only 57.6% SO2," your 100 grams per liter is a
> >> >> > 5.76% solution.
> > (100g X .576)/1000g H2O = .0567 = 5.76%
> >> >> > My suggestion was 1 pound of metabisulfite/gallon H2O. A
> >> >> > gallon is eight pounds plus the pound of metabi = 9 lbs. 1/9 =
> >> >> > 0.11111111. Mutiply this by the efficency of 57.6%, (1/9) X .576 =
> >> >> > 6.4% SO2. This is wine making, not rocket science. If you are trying
> >> >> > for 32 ppm and get 30ppm or 34ppm, it's no big deal.
>
> >> >> > You'll also notice I was much more bref than
> >> >> >http://www.brsquared.org/wine/Articles/SO2/SO2.htm* ;O)
>
> >> >> The above link takes the 57.6%, you correctly reference, into
> >> >> consideration when he gives the formulae for additions using the
> >> >> "Stock Solution" he makes.
>
> >> > Uh, Paul, YOU said above, that 100 grams of metabi per 1 litre would
> >> > give a 5% solution of SO2.
>
> >> No, If you read the link
> > This is wearisome. You made a statement, **"AND"** you gave a link
> >> you would see that one puts 100 grams in a liter
> >> container and fills it up to the one liter mark. *In other words, it is
> >> 100
> >> grams IN a liter not 100 grams TO a liter. *Also it is not a 5% solution
> >> but a 10% solution.
>
> >> > My point is that 1 lb/1 gallon is easier to remember than 86.8
> >> > grams/100ml (which you didn't).
>
> >> I believe most amateur wine makers are more likely to have 100 grams on
> >> hand rather than one pound and the one liter solution will last a long
> >> time for
> >> most amateur winemakers. *One gallon is a LOT to make - unless you use it
> >> to bathe with also :-)
>
> >> > There is rarely a direct correspondence
> >> > between SO2 added and SO2 measured. If you add 15ppm SO2 to a new wine,
> >> > you may get a 5ppm or 10ppm of SO2 rise in the wine. If you want to
> >> > remember 86.8g/100ml, go for it.
>
> >> True, I never argued the bound issue.
> > ????? To paraphrase our murderous ex-vice president, "accuracy is a
> > virtue".
>
> > I think everyone else gets it.
>
> >> I think than anyone who wants to read and have a good knowledge will read
> >> the link I referred to. *I am not interested into getting into a ****ing
> >> contest with you
>
> > You are, and you have.
>
> >> but I would appreciate if you read the link instead of
> >> commenting off cuff. *I belive the author has a LOT of knowledge on the
> >> subject.
>
> > You don't think that someone might try a 1/4 lb in a quart? Don't even
> > need a balance.
>
> > I read the link Paul, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to quote
> > "19. Stock Solutions, third paragraph, fifth line, "Since potassium
> > metabisulphite is only 57.6% SO2," ".
>
> > Yes it is a good site to begin learning about the technical side of wine
> > making.
>
> > Don't think there is much more fun to be wrung out of this post. Bye.
>
> Not to or for Wildbilly, but for anyone else following this thread:
>
> To make a "Stock Solution" of potassium metabisulfite,
>
> 1) put 100 grams of potassium metabisulfite in a vessel that is graduated so
> that it indicates liters or parts thereof. *
>
> 2) fill the container with water to the one liter mark and dissolve the
> potassium metabisulfite. *You now have a 10% solution.
>
> 3) to calculate the amount of stock solution you need, use the following:
> so2 = ((ppm * liters) / 100) / .576
>
> where so2 is the amount of SO2 stock Solution in ml that you need to add.;
> ppm is your desired SO2 im ppm
>
> be careful of the placement of the paranthesis when you do the math or put
> this in a spreadsheet.
>
> example 1: you wish to add the necessary SO2 to give you 50ppm in one gallon
> if you plug in 3.785 liters in the above and do the math, the answer is 3..29
> ml. *
>
> example 2: you wish to increase the SO2 in 5 gallons of wine by 25 ppm
> if you plug in 18.92 for liters the answer is 8.21 ml
>
> remember that one gallon is 3.785 liters so make the necessary conversions
> Also note: that has been pointed out, that you do not need to make a liter,
> you can if you wish, for example, use 50 grams in 0.5 liters and still have
> the 10% solution.
>
> The above does not include bounding that will occur and will be greater at
> small amounts. *To see more of the details on this and pH considerations
> see the link at: *Also take into account the pH of your wine
>
> http://www.brsquared.org/wine/Articles/SO2/SO2.htm