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7/4/2010 -- I live in SC and have been experimenting with scuppernong & muscadine grapes, and blending these with other fruits. I've always been told to use Montrachet yeast, but since I want sweet wines, it seems like Cote des Blancs might be better. I can't find any references to scuppernong wine on your site, so do you have any experience of how this . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Cote de Blancs would be a good choice for leaving some residual sweetness. There has to BE some sugar in the juice in the first place, however, and muscadine-like grapes are quite sour. I would add sufficient sugar to get a potential alcohol level of about 16% before fermentation. The Cote de Blanc should turn off before that. If not, try . . .
5/17/2010 -- what is your phone number?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: We can be reached at (425) 355-8865
Our toll free order is (800) 850-2739
11/28/2008 -- I have been making wine and beer for a couple of years now. "Love the process" and the results! My brother has many bee hives and I can get all the honey I want. Do you have a kit that has the necessary ingredients less the honey? Mead is the next quest on my list :-))
Thanks in advance
Alan Monie
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Lucky you! Mead is a wonderful drink. I would be all over your brother's honey!
We don't have a "kit" per se, but you've come across the key ingredient, our Mead Blend. Use that in a 5 gallon batch, and a quality yeast (like Wyeast Sweet Mead Yeast) and you basically have it. Stabilize at the end of the process using potassium sorbate and . . .
1/26/2008 -- I live about an hour (if traffic is good) from the address on your website. Do you have an actual store or is everything here based solely online?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, we have an actual brick-and-mortar store in Everett, WA. People actually walk in and buy stuff!
Our address is:
Homebrew Heaven
9109 Evergreen Way
Everett, WA 98204
Here is a video of our shop:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1a5fKvv8XI
Heck, you can actually call us on the phone, too! It's 425-355-8865. A person will . . .
11/30/2007 -- I have unpasteurized cider with no preservatives that I intend to ferment. Would it be a good idea to use this potassium bisulfite?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: I would use it prior to fermentation to stun off any wild yeasts/bacteria. Add the bisulfite, allow your cider to sit open to the air for 24 hours, then add the yeast to ferment.
9/8/2007 -- I've been brewing beer for a while now with my homebrew kit from your shop with rave reviews -- tasty stuff my friends!
I wanted to try my hand at a refreshing cider, and was thrown a little by the fact that I don't boil it. From reading through some of the Q&A it sounds like if I just add some of this stuff to some juice, pitch in the . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Glad to hear you are enjoying your brews!
You are correct, cider is not boiled. Neither is wine. There is no need to do so, and if you do, if will "set" the fruit pectins and it will likely never clear.
Yes, you can use potassium bisulfite to "sterilize" the cider before fermentation, if you like. Actually, if the juice is really fresh . . .
5/29/2007 -- are potassium bisulfate and potassium metabisulfate the same ,and used in same amounts? same for sodium bisulfate ?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: We need to be careful here. You question refers to potassium bisulfATE and metabisulfATE. Those are not the same as potassium bisulfITE and potassium metabisulfITE.
For winemaking, you need to use either potassium bisulfite or potassium metabisulfite. Those two things are basically the same and used at the same rate. You can also use . . .
5/4/2007 -- After mixing Potassium Bisulphite with water to sterilize equipment, How long is the solution good?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: If the container is kept sealed and refrigerated, it will last a very long time. Hard to say exactly...months, anyway.
2/15/2007 -- I have a friend who is allergic to sulphites. How would it affect the wine if I leave out the sulphites that come with my kit?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: It will come out just fine. I routinely do it myself. Your shelp life will not be as long, but if you drink your wine in a reasonable time, this is not an issue. You should be aware too, that you cannot do this with sweet wines, or they will continue to ferment in the bottle.
For what it is worth, even if you DO add the sulfites, your wine . . .
10/5/2006 -- I have fermented my 6 gallions of white zin to a gravity of 0.990 should i add just potassiun metabisulfite and super kleer now and add wine cond when clear or should i add potassium sorbate and metabisulfite and super kleer and when clear add wine cond I know wine cond has potassiun sorbate but did not no if i still should add it when stabalizing. . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Add the sulfite first, then about 3/4 tsp sorbate and then wine conditioner. Afterwards, use the super lkeer.
8/25/2006 -- I'm making mead at home and don't want to bother with the boil pasturizing method mess. Can I use Potassium Metabisulphite as a method to pasturize the must? (24 hours prior to pitching the yeast) Does it have to be used in conjuction with any other chemicals to achieve this? I work at a fruit winery and that is all they do as far as pasturization . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, that will work, just like with wine. Nothing else is needed.
11/10/2005 -- What is the correct ratio of potassiun metabisulfite and potassium sorbate that should be used for adequate protection of wine?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: For wine: 1/8 teaspoon (1 gram) of powder per gallon of wine provides 150 ppm free SO2. A little bit goes a long way, so be careful! Generally speaking, the target free SO2 for red wines is 20-30 ppm and 25-40 ppm for white wines. It is best to mix the powder in some water, and then add the appropriate amount of this solution to the wine. . . .
10/25/2005 -- I added sodium metabisulfite to my apple cider after pressing, and before pitching. I have fermented to dryness, and will then resweeten. In planning to to stabalize for bottling with sulfite and sorbate, do I need to add sulfite again? or is the sulfite that I added after pressing sufficient (with the added sorbate) to prevent fermentation . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, you will need to re-sulfite it to prevent refermentation. The first addition has now dissipated.
10/25/2005 -- to whom it may concern,
I put 1 and 1/4 teaspoon of potassium metabisulfite in 25 gallons of crushed red grapes.Was that wrong? And if yes what is going to happen?
Thank you, Pio
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Depends what you are trying to achieve.
It will inhibit fermentation for at least 24 hours.
9/16/2005 -- do i need to add potassium metabisulfite to my apple cider if it is pasteurized to start off with if so how much powder do i add to a gallon. also if i am making raspberry wine and i am using frozen fruit do i need to and potassium metabisulfite.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Probably not (before fermentation), if it is pasteurized or frozen. Again, we don't have any specific information on products that we don't sell, so this is just a guess. Your juices may be different.
Beware of juices that contain preservatives. They WILL inhibit fermentation.
9/9/2005 -- I was going to order the potassium metabisulfite to sanitize my wine barrels and equipment. I would add it to water in a bucket, I assume and then what should I use to apply it? I.e., a sponge, a rag, a scrub brush...
Also, when the wine is finished, I will be storing it in barrels. Do I need to clean the outside of the barrels too . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, you can use any of those methods to apply it. A handy way is to make up a solution and put it into a spray bottle. Just wet the surfaces down with a fine spray. For barrels, of course, you will have to pour some in and shake it around to wet (sanitize) all of the surfaces.
There is a difference between cleaning and sanitizing. The . . .
5/5/2005 -- If I use Potassium Bisulphite to rinse the new bottles will it leave a residue in the bottle or could I just scald the new bottles in the dishwasher?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: If you use sulfites to sanitize, just rinse with water afterward and they will be fine. I wouldn't use the dishwasher. Dishwashers often leave trace amounts of soap and/or wetting agents that are harmful to wine and beer.
2/9/2005 -- Can Potassium Bisulphite be used to preserve food items such as tomato souce, pickles, slaws. If so, for how long?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, it is commonly used for those food items. Proper preparation, I'm told, is the key...correct pH etc. Sorry, I don't have any more info than that. There is LOTS out on the web however.
11/3/2004 -- I mistakenly added too much potassium Sulphite to my apple juice and consiquently my yeast isn't starting the fermentation. Is there anything I can do to start fementation? It has been 14 days since I pitched it initially. Have tried leaving it uncovered for 24 hours and then I pitched it again, to no avail.
Response From Homebrew Heaven: I would try it again. Stir it well really well, leave uncovered again and repitch.
10/22/2004 -- Can the Potassium Bisulphite be used instead of Potassium Sorbate to prevent re-fermentation at bottling time?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Not really. They have different functions.
Potassium bisulfite (and sodium bisulfite) act to "stun" the yeast and bacteria that may still be present in the wine. Potassium sorbate acts to keep them from reproducing. When used together, they are very effective at stabilizing wine, but only using potassium bisulfite can lead to problems later . . .
9/28/2004 -- I have a few of my one gallon jugs of wine that have been bulk aging for 7 months. They have developed a light film on the surface of the wine. It appears white gray in color and is growing in size. This has also appeared on some pear wine that approx. 3 months old.
Question- What is it and can I use potassium bisulphite to cure my problem.
Thanks . . .
Response From Homebrew Heaven: I'm not sure, but it could be a bacterial infection. I am assuming there is an airlock on the jugs. My advice is to siphon away the good stuff into a clean jug, and stablilize it with potassium or sodium metabisulfite (campden tablets). Allow it to settle and bottle within a week or so.
7/19/2004 -- What is the chemical formula and molecular weight of sodium bisulphite?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: I was able to find the formula for potassium metabisulfite...it is:
K2 O5 S2
I assume that the sodium version is Na2 O5 S2, but I am no chemist, and don't even play one on TV.
3/22/2004 -- should campden tablets or potassium bisulphite be added after each racking or will this build to much in the wine? How should this be done?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: It can be used in this way, but in even smaller amounts than shown below. Shoot for about 1/3 as much if you are doing it after each racking. The amounts shown below are for stabilizing your wine before bottling.
Use: For wine: 1/8 teaspoon (1 gram) of powder per gallon of wine provides 150 ppm free SO2. A little bit goes a long way, so . . .
3/22/2004 -- Can potassium bisulphite be used after racking to control oxyidation, and can it be used as a stabilizer in place of campden tablets for this purpose?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Yes, potassium bisulfite can be used in place of campden tablets (direct replacement). It does exactly the same thing.
10/27/2003 -- How much do you use per gallon of wine, with this potassium Bisulphite? Is this what you use just before you bottle your wine to kill bacteria? Will it work in about the same way?
Response From Homebrew Heaven: Potassium metabisulfite is added to wine to inhibit bacteria and yeast growth, as well as slow down oxidation.
Use: For wine: 1/8 teaspoon (1 gram) of powder per gallon of wine provides 150 ppm free SO2. A little bit goes a long way, so be careful! Generally speaking, the target free SO2 for red wines is 20-30 ppm and 25-40 ppm for white . . .
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