Lum,
Last questions (I think), is Prise de Mousse equivilent to
EC-1118? I'm guessing it is or at least a close enough relative
to use here. Doing kits I have alot of 1118 packets around.

Is the idea with the starter to slowly introduce the yeast to
higher and higher quantities of SO2 and I take it if yes then
that is preferable to rehydrating the yeast and adding it the
entire 5 gals.

What can I make the starter out of - would sugar and water,
perhaps inverted sugar be OK?

Don


>
> In wine, free SO2 is in three forms: as a dissolved gas (SO2), as bisulfite
> (HSO3-) and as sulfite (SO3--). At wine pH, most of the free SO2 is in the
> bisulfite form. Splash racking removes SO2 from the wine several ways. (1)
> Some of the dissolved SO2 gas comes out of solution and drifts away in the
> air. (2) Oxygen is introduced into the wine, and some of the alcohol is
> oxidized into acetaldehyde. Bisulfite then reacts with the acetaldehyde and
> becomes bound SO2. (3) Some of the sulfite reacts with oxygen and produces
> sulfate (sulfuric acid).
>
> I would try (1) another dose of H2O2 plus lots of splashing. (2) Build a
> large starter using Prise de Mousse yeast. (3) Add very small quantities of
> wine to the starter (1/4 wine, 3/4 starter) until all of the wine is
> fermenting.
>
> The renewed fermentation will blow off more SO2 gas and will
> reduce much of the acetaldehyde back into alcohol. But, much of the sulfate
> will remain in the wine.
>
> Good luck,
> lum
> Del Mar, CA, USA