I've made about ten batches of wine over the last year, and all have
turned out good, except a watermelon, which I think just needs some
aging. Anyhow, I started a four gallon batch of peach wine recently -
one of Vintner's Kits. At the time I was adding the ingredients, I was
somewhat distracted. I wanted to add about 1/2 teaspoon of potassium
metabisulphite, but I may have added 3.25 tsp due. I'm just not sure
based on what I'd written down on paper compared to my ingredient
calculations.

The stuff has been in the primary for 8 days now, 7 days with yeast. My
starting SG was 1.098. yesterday it was 1.042, and today it is 1.032.
It does have a much stronger rotten egg smell than some other wines
I've made, which makes me think I added to much potmeta. On the other
hand, the SG seems to be going down, but slower than my other wines.
Back in the summer, my SG would be around 1.0 or less after 7 days
(elderberry, muscadine, banana, but no peach). Maybe cooler temps play
a factor, or maybe it's just the nature of peach wine.

I airated the peach very well this evening and the smell subsided
somewhat. I always try to stir at least twice a day. Any suggestions?
Any simple home test that can be done to detect a high presence of
potmeta? TIA

Yes, there is such a test. You can get a SO2 test kit. If you really did
do it, right now is the best time to aerate heavily and try to get rid of
some of it.

Ray

"gwtx2" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> I've made about ten batches of wine over the last year, and all have
> turned out good, except a watermelon, which I think just needs some
> aging. Anyhow, I started a four gallon batch of peach wine recently -
> one of Vintner's Kits. At the time I was adding the ingredients, I was
> somewhat distracted. I wanted to add about 1/2 teaspoon of potassium
> metabisulphite, but I may have added 3.25 tsp due. I'm just not sure
> based on what I'd written down on paper compared to my ingredient
> calculations.
>
> The stuff has been in the primary for 8 days now, 7 days with yeast. My
> starting SG was 1.098. yesterday it was 1.042, and today it is 1.032.
> It does have a much stronger rotten egg smell than some other wines
> I've made, which makes me think I added to much potmeta. On the other
> hand, the SG seems to be going down, but slower than my other wines.
> Back in the summer, my SG would be around 1.0 or less after 7 days
> (elderberry, muscadine, banana, but no peach). Maybe cooler temps play
> a factor, or maybe it's just the nature of peach wine.
>
> I airated the peach very well this evening and the smell subsided
> somewhat. I always try to stir at least twice a day. Any suggestions?
> Any simple home test that can be done to detect a high presence of
> potmeta? TIA
>

Rotten eggs is usually a sign of hydrogen sulfide, poor nutrient is
usually the cause. You may have put in a ton of sufite if you added
3.25 teaspoons, that's several hundred parts per million free. I am
supprised it continued to ferment if that happened. Aerating usually
help H2S issues, that was the right thing to do. Keppp the ferment
warm if possible too, don't let it stick too early.

It would not hurt to add nutrient if you have it. DAP, Yeastex and
fermaid would all help. Make sure you have decent headspace if you do
add nutrient, it can foam up violently.

Joe

gwtx2 wrote:
> I've made about ten batches of wine over the last year, and all have
> turned out good, except a watermelon, which I think just needs some
> aging. Anyhow, I started a four gallon batch of peach wine recently -
> one of Vintner's Kits. At the time I was adding the ingredients, I
was
> somewhat distracted. I wanted to add about 1/2 teaspoon of potassium
> metabisulphite, but I may have added 3.25 tsp due. I'm just not sure
> based on what I'd written down on paper compared to my ingredient
> calculations.
>
> The stuff has been in the primary for 8 days now, 7 days with yeast.
My
> starting SG was 1.098. yesterday it was 1.042, and today it is 1.032.
> It does have a much stronger rotten egg smell than some other wines
> I've made, which makes me think I added to much potmeta. On the other
> hand, the SG seems to be going down, but slower than my other wines.
> Back in the summer, my SG would be around 1.0 or less after 7 days
> (elderberry, muscadine, banana, but no peach). Maybe cooler temps
play
> a factor, or maybe it's just the nature of peach wine.
>
> I airated the peach very well this evening and the smell subsided
> somewhat. I always try to stir at least twice a day. Any suggestions?
> Any simple home test that can be done to detect a high presence of
> potmeta? TIA

I aerated last night by pouring the must into another bucket and back
again a couple of time. I also added some more nutrient. One thing I
had not done with this batch (because the kit instructions said not to)
was stir the bottom of the bucket. With my last batches, I always
stirred the bottom. I'm not sure if that aided in the increase odor, or
not.

Anyhow, this morning the smell was much better. I don't have a sulfide
test kit, and won't be able to get one for a few days. I read in some
other messages that too much potmeta would prevent fermentation. It
looks like mine is doing something, but slowly. I'm sure I added 3.25
tsp OR <~1/2 tsp - either or, but nothing different.


Joe Sallustio wrote:
> Rotten eggs is usually a sign of hydrogen sulfide, poor nutrient is
> usually the cause. You may have put in a ton of sufite if you added
> 3.25 teaspoons, that's several hundred parts per million free. I am
> supprised it continued to ferment if that happened. Aerating usually
> help H2S issues, that was the right thing to do. Keppp the ferment
> warm if possible too, don't let it stick too early.
>
> It would not hurt to add nutrient if you have it. DAP, Yeastex and
> fermaid would all help. Make sure you have decent headspace if you
do
> add nutrient, it can foam up violently.
>
> Joe
>
> gwtx2 wrote:
> > I've made about ten batches of wine over the last year, and all
have
> > turned out good, except a watermelon, which I think just needs some
> > aging. Anyhow, I started a four gallon batch of peach wine recently
-
> > one of Vintner's Kits. At the time I was adding the ingredients, I
> was
> > somewhat distracted. I wanted to add about 1/2 teaspoon of
potassium
> > metabisulphite, but I may have added 3.25 tsp due. I'm just not
sure
> > based on what I'd written down on paper compared to my ingredient
> > calculations.
> >
> > The stuff has been in the primary for 8 days now, 7 days with
yeast.
> My
> > starting SG was 1.098. yesterday it was 1.042, and today it is
1.032.
> > It does have a much stronger rotten egg smell than some other wines
> > I've made, which makes me think I added to much potmeta. On the
other
> > hand, the SG seems to be going down, but slower than my other
wines.
> > Back in the summer, my SG would be around 1.0 or less after 7 days
> > (elderberry, muscadine, banana, but no peach). Maybe cooler temps
> play
> > a factor, or maybe it's just the nature of peach wine.
> >
> > I airated the peach very well this evening and the smell subsided
> > somewhat. I always try to stir at least twice a day. Any
suggestions?
> > Any simple home test that can be done to detect a high presence of
> > potmeta? TIA

gwtx2 wrote:
> I aerated last night by pouring the must into another bucket and back
> again a couple of time. I also added some more nutrient. One thing I
> had not done with this batch (because the kit instructions said not
to)
> was stir the bottom of the bucket. With my last batches, I always
> stirred the bottom. I'm not sure if that aided in the increase odor,
or
> not.
>
> Anyhow, this morning the smell was much better. I don't have a
sulfide
> test kit, and won't be able to get one for a few days. I read in some
> other messages that too much potmeta would prevent fermentation. It
> looks like mine is doing something, but slowly. I'm sure I added 3.25
> tsp OR <~1/2 tsp - either or, but nothing different.
>

There is no point measuring SO2 during fermentation - whatever you've
put in in the beginning will be bound or driven off at this stage. Just
take care of the H2S problem and things should be fine. I would also
agree with Joe that that much sulfite would likely prevent the wine
from fermenting at all, so chances are you didn't mess up with meta (or
at least not as much as you think).

Pp

Pp