Wine Chemicals

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

What about using a yeast with a low tolerance so it naturally stops early? Can you recommend any please? I wouldn’t want much over 12% really? I’m really liking the sound of the Lalvin V1 1116 with the supposed fruity esters, but with the 18% tolerance it just wouldn’t work. Ugh.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

You could always try pasteurising it, but it would probably affect the taste. Not tried it myself, but in principal, it should work...
I don't use any unnecessary chemicals if I can help it...

Does your wine keep well without the chemicals? I don’t plan on keeping mine forever, I’m making it to drink within a couple of months probably, but it’d be nice to get an idea of how long it would last without the metabisulphite etc.

 

[Tony Palmer]

Hi, I use Sucralose (the smallest tablet type) in the main because I do not like Sorbate. Sucralose (Splenda) is identical in taste to sugar though you can't add too much. Typically I use 2 tablets per bottle I would reckon 3 would be OK

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Hi, I use Sucralose (the smallest tablet type) in the main because I do not like Sorbate. Sucralose (Splenda) is identical in taste to sugar though you can't add too much. Typically I use 2 tablets per bottle I would reckon 3 would be OK

Thank you. I will give Canderel a try because we often buy that. I just don’t like the fizzing aspect of it. It doesn’t seem right somehow.

 

[Tanglefoot]

Does your wine keep well without the chemicals? I don’t plan on keeping mine forever, I’m making it to drink within a couple of months probably, but it’d be nice to get an idea of how long it would last without the metabisulphite etc.

I recently started making country fruit wines again. Years ago I only used campden powder in the initial
must in the fv before adding the yeast after 24hrs.
Then multiple rackings to clear and bottle when dry.
Now I've read a lot of people add metabisulphate at every racking and again before bottling, that can soon
add up.
My take is that if you're after matured wine which needs preserving then it makes sense but if you're going
to enjoy it while it's young within 6 months then I'd rather not bother and accept the very small
risk it will spoil ( not happened yet to any of my wine ).
This year I did as before but added 1 tsp per gallon before bottling.
I've got another gallon left which I'll probably bottle without to see if there's a discernible difference in taste
which is my worry with a delicate flavour such as apple and pear.

I like my wine dry though and it has been fermented out dry, though you could measure gravity then stop short
for a sparkling sweet wine.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

I recently started making country fruit wines again. Years ago I only used campden powder in the initial
must in the fv before adding the yeast after 24hrs.
Then multiple rackings to clear and bottle when dry.
Now I've read a lot of people add metabisulphate at every racking and again before bottling, that can soon
add up.
My take is that if you're after matured wine which needs preserving then it makes sense but if you're going
to enjoy it while it's young within 6 months then I'd rather not bother and accept the very small
risk it will spoil ( not happened yet to any of my wine ).
This year I did as before but added 1 tsp per gallon before bottling.
I've got another gallon left which I'll probably bottle without to see if there's a discernible difference in taste
which is my worry with a delicate flavour such as apple and pear.

I like my wine dry though and it has been fermented out dry, though you could measure gravity then stop short
for a sparkling sweet wine.

Thank you, that’s very helpful.

 

[Tony Palmer]

Dear Lisa,

Thank you for your response. I do not advise Canderel. There are several different types of Canderel but inferior for wine making purposes by far compared to Sucralose (small tablet type). Hermasetas would be second best and saccharin third best. Canderal not on my approved list. Sorry.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Dear Lisa,

Thank you for your response. I do not advise Canderel. There are several different types of Canderel but inferior for wine making purposes by far compared to Sucralose (small tablet type). Hermasetas would be second best and saccharin third best. Canderal not on my approved list. Sorry.

Right you are. I’ll stick to sugar then

 

[VW911]

Does your wine keep well without the chemicals? I don’t plan on keeping mine forever, I’m making it to drink within a couple of months probably, but it’d be nice to get an idea of how long it would last without the metabisulphite etc.

Keeps really well. I've got some bottles that are probably 10 years old.
With alcohol being the main preservative, the stronger it is, the better it will keep.
Most of my wines are 14% plus, so they keep quite well...

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have always racked onto a crushed campden tablet when racking to another DJ to degas and clear as that was what they all did back in the day when i started (2013) i have read that its not necessary if you are not going to age the wine for a very long period, as you say you drink it when its a couple of months old so i don't think its necessary.


Campden tablets have multiple uses in homebrewing and are a versatile tool in both winemaking and beer making. Campden tablets are one of 2 chemicals, either sodium or potassium metabisulfite which have unique attributes useful to the brewer.

Firstly they are used to sanitise wine musts and juices as well as equipment but can also be used during racking as both a measure to prevent bacteria from spoiling the wine and also as an antioxidant to keep air from staling the wine.

Campden Tablets: What Are They, Uses & How They Work (homebrewanswers.com)

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Keeps really well. I've got some bottles that are probably 10 years old.
With alcohol being the main preservative, the stronger it is, the better it will keep.
Most of my wines are 14% plus, so they keep quite well...

Great, thank you.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

I have always racked onto a crushed campden tablet when racking to another DJ to degas and clear as that was what they all did back in the day when i started (2013) i have read that its not necessary if you are not going to age the wine for a very long period, as you say you drink it when its a couple of months old so i don't think its necessary.


Campden tablets have multiple uses in homebrewing and are a versatile tool in both winemaking and beer making. Campden tablets are one of 2 chemicals, either sodium or potassium metabisulfite which have unique attributes useful to the brewer.

Firstly they are used to sanitise wine musts and juices as well as equipment but can also be used during racking as both a measure to prevent bacteria from spoiling the wine and also as an antioxidant to keep air from staling the wine.

Campden Tablets: What Are They, Uses & How They Work (homebrewanswers.com)

Thank you. To add to that, I have seen some people use boiling water to sanitise instead of campden tablets. Knowing what I know now, I think I prefer this method. I am going to try my next brew with no chemicals and see what happens.

 

[VW911]

Campden tablets (sodium metabisulphite tablets) have their place.
I think I've posted before about how dangerous they can be in excess.
When my little labrador was only a few months old, she "found" a pot of them on the worktop.
Although she only ate one or two of them, it did horrendous damage, stripping her throat and stomach lining. Thankfully, she was violently sick, and got rid of most of it before any permanent damage was done. My fault entirely for leaving them out, and I will be eternally sorry for it. (Thankfully, she's fine now.)
Won't have them in the house anymore!

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Campden tablets (sodium metabisulphite tablets) have their place.
I think I've posted before about how dangerous they can be in excess.
When my little labrador was only a few months old, she "found" a pot of them on the worktop.
Although she only ate one or two of them, it did horrendous damage, stripping her throat and stomach lining. Thankfully, she was violently sick, and got rid of most of it before any permanent damage was done. My fault entirely for leaving them out, and I will be eternally sorry for it. (Thankfully, she's fine now.)
Won't have them in the house anymore!

Oh no, you must have been terrified! I have a Labrador too, he’s 12 and a half now.

 

[VW911]

For sure. Scared the daylights out of me.
She's 8 now, but still acts like she's 8 months!
Got 2 labs, and the monster mastiff in my avatar...

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I have seen some people use boiling water to sanitise instead of campden tablets.

I know they can be used to sanitise but i don't know anyone who uses them regularly so maybe the usual ones Star san etc are better.

Bottles can be sanitised in the oven a method used by a few members.

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

I know they can be used to sanitise but i don't know anyone who uses them regularly so maybe the usual ones Star san etc are better.

Bottles can be sanitised in the oven a method used by a few members.

Not sure if we are at cross purposes, but I meant they use boiling water to sanitise the fruit in the must etc, not necessarily the actual equipment. I guess this draws out the flavour too. This is what I am going to do next time. This time I layered my frozen fruit in with the sugar and it worked really well, but I like to try different things and see which works best for me. All part of the fun!

 

[Tess Tickle's Brewery]

Anyway, Merry Christmas to everyone. And I hope you all make the best of tomorrow x

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Not sure if we are at cross purposes, but I meant they use boiling water to sanitise the fruit

Yep looks like we were

 

[Anglezarke]

You’re probably right, but experimenting is part of the fun for me! Also I don’t think it’s necessary to drink rocket fuel all the time. I’d prefer an extra glass of lower ABV than a really strong one.

Couldn't agree more. What's the point of making something so strong that you are tipsy after one glass?