Killing Yeast

[Aleman]

There have been several threads in the various fora which state that 'adding Campden Tablets to a brew will kill the yeast' this is just not true! While Sodium Metabisulphite (Or more properly pyrosulphite) acts as an antifermentative and stops wild yeast from taking hold in the initial stages of fermentation to ward the end of a fermentation it is the alcohol that is acting as a metabolic poison, the Campden tablets 'stun' the remaining yeast but certainly do not kill it with any degree of success. . . . If you desire to stop a fermentation with any degree of insurance what you need to add is potassium sorbate which will do a proper job with no chance of fermentation restating.

Sorbate should be available from the winemakers section of the LHBS . . . . Or On line of course

 

[BrewStew]

better tell that to young's! as it says to the contrary on the pot i've got!

methinks i'll be gettin myself some of this potassium sorbate as my R & R is refusing to stop, confirming your comment about campden.

cheers for the heads up :thumb:

 

[Aleman]

I'm not going to say that it won't kill yeast . . . .Oh Yeah, I just said that . . . you just need an awful lot of it to do the job properly

 

[Wez]

Very useful info Aleman - I think i'll add that to the Brew FAQ's :thumb: