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Potasium Sorbate...

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GntlKnght

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 9, 2004
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Here's another question for all of you. It is born out of my ingnorance or impatience or a combination of the two!!!

I added Potassium Sorbate to two batches a day and a half ago. The Cyser was in a one gallon carboy. The traditional mead was in a 5 gallon. I added 1/4 tsp per gallon as per the package instructions.

Both are still bubbling away thru the airlocks at the rate of about 1 per minute. So, my question(s) is(are)...
Will the "birth control", Potassium Sorbate, completely stop the firmatation?
Do I need to add more?
Do I need to add something different? (alcohol is already at 15% and I don't want it higher!)
Do I just need to take another swig and chill out?!
Anything you can say to help with the paranoia will be appreciated! ;D
 

ThistyViking

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 15, 2003
529
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Birth control, is just that... Birth control not poison.

Let the young yeast turn into old geezers and die. Try cold stabalizing and Racking.

Add a metabisulfite to prevent bacteria that eat sorbate.
 

JoeM

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 9, 2004
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sorbate will not stop an active fermentation, only prevent REfermentation. In otherwords, if a batch has completed fermentaiton and you want to sweeten it, you can add sorbate first so that the sugar added will not ferment.
 

ThistyViking

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 15, 2003
529
0
0
Cold Stabilization. Take the Carboy and place it in a 30 - 40 degree area for 3-4 days (being a bachelor i can put in refrigerator). A considerable amount of yeast and sediment will percipitate out. Rack off lees, this will leave most of the yeast behind. The few yeast remeaining in suspension will not reproduce in the presence of sorbate. They will ferment slowly (because they are few in number) for a little while and Die off.
 
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