I'm in the middle of making my first two batches of wine using a couple of
Ken Ridge kits - Piesporter & Australian Shiraz. The instructions call for
adding Potassium Metabisulphite to remove residual carbon dioxide gas. It
also mentions "shaking & stirring the carboy". My question: is the Potassium
Metabisulphite really necessary or could the carbon dioxide be removed by
vigorous stirring and shaking?

TIA

John

From my experience, kits were meant to be followed. Pot Meta does not
flavor the wine, and is necessary. Also, when it says stirring - it
means like a full 2 minutes of aggressive stirring. I use a power stir
on a power drill to ensure it stirs enough. Got to get that CD out of
the wine, or it will fizz and not be able to be bottled.

I like Shiraz. If you taste before bottling, you'll know if it is good.
If weak (ignore the alcohol and off taste), I blend with 10-20% Cab
saug, but most wine kids from Ken Ridge are good as is.

DAve

JB wrote:
> I'm in the middle of making my first two batches of wine using a couple of
> Ken Ridge kits - Piesporter & Australian Shiraz. The instructions call for
> adding Potassium Metabisulphite to remove residual carbon dioxide gas. It
> also mentions "shaking & stirring the carboy". My question: is the Potassium
> Metabisulphite really necessary or could the carbon dioxide be removed by
> vigorous stirring and shaking?
>
> TIA
>
> John
>
>
>

Actually, at this stage, the K-meta is primarilarly present as an
anti-oxidant. It helps to give your finished wine some shelf life.

Steve

Disclaimer - I have never made a kit wine, and don't know their
nuances. But for my red wines, I don't stir / degas. I let time do
it's work. I bulk age for a fairly long time - reds are almost never
bottled before 20 months from crush - many longer. But my whites
always need degassing. Even if I think the wine is completely stable
and I bottle without degassing, I'll get a slight spritz in the wine.
Not good.



In article
k.net>"JB"
> wrote:
> I'm in the middle of making my first two batches of wine using a
> couple of Ken Ridge kits - Piesporter & Australian Shiraz. The
> instructions call for adding Potassium Metabisulphite to remove
> residual carbon dioxide gas. It also mentions "shaking & stirring the
> carboy". My question: is the Potassium Metabisulphite really
> necessary or could the carbon dioxide be removed byvigorous stirring
> and shaking?

> TIA

> John




--
I'm using an evaluation license of nemo since 66 days.
You should really try it!
http://www.malcom-mac.com/nemo

My 2 cents on that: Since I've done many kits (16), I tried following
that advice on a Shiraz once - bulk aged it for 6 months - and it
oxidized within 2 months of bottling. I might have done something wrong,
but when it comes to 30 bottles - I've decided to follow the directions
on kits. When I contacted the manufacture, they said they don't
recommend bulk aging their kits. (even though some list it as an option)

I've bulk aged recipes (non-kits)and it worked. All I can say - this was
my experience. But your mileage may vary - since I am not an expert wine
maker. smile.

DAve
p.s. what I learned on this thread - Pot.Meta is used to stabilize the
wine not remove CO2 - guess I am smarter than before. :*) Makes perfect
sense, I just never thought out what was happening. Glad I have my
powerdrill and stir-thingie adapter.

AxisOfBeagles wrote:
> Disclaimer - I have never made a kit wine, and don't know their
> nuances. But for my red wines, I don't stir / degas. I let time do
> it's work. I bulk age for a fairly long time - reds are almost never
> bottled before 20 months from crush - many longer. But my whites
> always need degassing. Even if I think the wine is completely stable
> and I bottle without degassing, I'll get a slight spritz in the wine.
> Not good.
>
>
>
> In article
> k.net>"JB"
> > wrote:
>> I'm in the middle of making my first two batches of wine using a
>> couple of Ken Ridge kits - Piesporter & Australian Shiraz. The
>> instructions call for adding Potassium Metabisulphite to remove
>> residual carbon dioxide gas. It also mentions "shaking & stirring the
>> carboy". My question: is the Potassium Metabisulphite really
>> necessary or could the carbon dioxide be removed byvigorous stirring
>> and shaking?
>
>> TIA
>
>> John
>
>
>
>
>

> p.s. what I learned on this thread - Pot.Meta is used to stabilize the
> wine not remove CO2...

It's actually a stretch using the term 'stabilize' for sulfite; that
term is usually used when you are talking about keeping a wine from re-
fermenting, especially a sweet wine. Sorbate is usually used in
conjunction with sulfite to stabilize a non dry wine although there
are better ways to do that if you have the money... Many things can
cause instability. Sulfite alone, (at least in normal concentrations)
won't keep a wine from fermenting.

Sulfites are used to prevent premature oxidation and MLF; if the free
SO2 is high enough neither of those will happen until a lot of time
passes and by the time the SO2 is consumed (likely several years)
whatever might have caused instability may have given up the ghost.

Anyway to get back to the thread, the best way to do this would be to
degas by vigorous stirring (after removing some volume; maybe 1.5
liters in a 5 gallon carboy). Then add the sulfite once the stirring
does not bring up more CO2. If you put it in first the stirring will
consume the free SO2 which is actually what protects the wine. The
SO2 will become bound and basically is of no use to you.

Joe

Thanks to all for the info!

"Joe Sallustio" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>> p.s. what I learned on this thread - Pot.Meta is used to stabilize the
>> wine not remove CO2...
>
> It's actually a stretch using the term 'stabilize' for sulfite; that
> term is usually used when you are talking about keeping a wine from re-
> fermenting, especially a sweet wine. Sorbate is usually used in
> conjunction with sulfite to stabilize a non dry wine although there
> are better ways to do that if you have the money... Many things can
> cause instability. Sulfite alone, (at least in normal concentrations)
> won't keep a wine from fermenting.
>
> Sulfites are used to prevent premature oxidation and MLF; if the free
> SO2 is high enough neither of those will happen until a lot of time
> passes and by the time the SO2 is consumed (likely several years)
> whatever might have caused instability may have given up the ghost.
>
> Anyway to get back to the thread, the best way to do this would be to
> degas by vigorous stirring (after removing some volume; maybe 1.5
> liters in a 5 gallon carboy). Then add the sulfite once the stirring
> does not bring up more CO2. If you put it in first the stirring will
> consume the free SO2 which is actually what protects the wine. The
> SO2 will become bound and basically is of no use to you.
>
> Joe
>