Stabiliser Problems

[boswellh]

Hi, I' have a young's elderflower definitive wine kit. Unfortunately I added the stabilser instead of the yeast. Is there any way I can rescue this batch by neutralising the stabiliser and adding yeast to begin fermentation?

Regards - Howard

[mcblades]

Depends what the stabiliser was.

If you added sorbate then I think you may have problems starting a ferment. You may be able to "consume" the sorbate using a sacrificial starter. Classically, sorbates were thought to act as weak acids. They pass freely through the plasma membrane but when dissociated and acidified are locked within the cytoplasm where they depress pH and inhibit glycolytic enzymes thus inhibiting growth.

Depression of yeast cell growth is shown by many six carbon sorbic acid analogues arguing against a role for sorbate as a classical enzyme inhibitor. But Sorbate also acts in pH ranges where weak acid preservatives would fail. So, the likely mode of action is by disrupting active transport of ions across plasma membranes.

Hence you my be able to consume the sorbate by feeding it a sacrificial yeast. then after the sacrificial yeast has been inhibited, pitch your wine yeast and hopefully it will take off.

good luck

Mark

ps. if you added sulphite instead then a bloody good thrashing repeatd several times may get the sulphite out of the must and allow a ferment to start.

[rjb222]

Get a nice large yeast starter going and inoculate your must. Sorbate will not allow the unhatched yeaties to contact the sugar but if the yeast is live and active sorbate will do nothing. What you will not want is a mlf to start after regular ferment is finished that will leave a geranium flavor. So keep your sulfite's up at the correct levels and you will be good to go. If it is sulfite your yeast will still take as long as you stir the must real strong for a while that will drive off the excess sulfite. Either way you really do not have a problem.

[Cellar_Rat]

I would try getting a K1v 1116 starter going well in some sugar water. And then add the must to it bit at a time. Reverse feeding.

[NorthernWiner]

I'm probably the only one here that thinks you have a lost cause on your hands. I truly hope you are able to get it going, but I wouldn't bet the bank on it.

[Cellar_Rat]

Not strictly the only one - but this was THE ONLY possible way I could think of getting over it.

[boswellh]

Stabilser problems

All fixed thanks!! I did give the mix a good old thrashing and checked it a day later. It was fizzing away like a good 'un!! Just checked with a hydrometer, it has fully fermented. I'll let it settle and get it bottled.

Cheers gents - Howard

[Cellar_Rat]

Well done you. And thanksfor the update.

Did you use k1v-1116 in the end?