pcw > wrote:
> Please note: .. SO2 "WILL NOT" arrest a primary fermentation!!!
> Cold temp will slow it down .... VERY cold temp will bring it to a
> virtual stop! But, you need to "separate" the yeast from the wine to
> yield a sweet product, or else "off it goes" after the temp comes back
> up. Nearly all wine yeast species are SO2 "tolerant" to a great
> degree! Sorbate is a "brute force" method of stabilization. Sorbate
> prevents yeast reproduction. You must use an external method
> (chilling) to separate the wine from the yeast, in order for sorbate to
> be very effective, and even if it does stabilize the wine's sweetness,
> it contributes an undesireable flavor.
>

Does thirty days in a sub-freezing garage count?

>
> Long story short - making sweet wine is a bitch! It's been said many
> times here .. for small batches, make it dry - add the sugar before
> serving!! Otherwise ... get a REAL sterile filter ($$$) and learn to
> use it!!!
>

<prolonged sigh>


> As for SO2 amt ... 20 ppm free would give you 0.8ppm molecular at pH
> 3.2. At pH 3.6 you need 50ppm free to get the desired 0.8ppm
> molecular . However, even the low level of SO2 you have would arrest
> ML according to my experiece.
>

Yeah, I added some potassium metabisulfite.

>
> Charlie
>

Charlie, thanks for the info. At this point, I'm not sure what I'm
going to do. Will .2 micron filtration do the trick?

--Lee