| Experienced winemakers stress the importance | | | | water. It works, so why purchase other |
| of sanitizing equipment and work areas. Perhaps | | | | ingredients to do exactly what sulfite will do? |
| so much that new winemakers might get a little | | | | Tip #2 - Make It Up Ahead Of Time |
| nervous about whether they've done a good | | | | To make things easy and fast in my home |
| enough job before starting their winemaking | | | | winemaking activities, I make up a solution in a |
| activities. Keep in mind that we're not looking for | | | | one gallon jug that has a tight fitting screw top lid. |
| sterilization - where every micro-organism is killed | | | | The generally accepted ratio is 3 tablespoons of |
| and nothing can live on the surfaces of our | | | | potassium metabisulfite to one gallon of water. I |
| equipment and work areas. Indeed, sterilization is | | | | usually make mine a bit stronger, using 5 |
| probably impossible and undesirable when making | | | | tablespoons because the solution can lose some |
| wine. | | | | of it's strength over time especially when stored |
| Sanitization on the other hand is the process of | | | | above 65F. |
| making our equipment unfavorable to bacteria | | | | Tip #3 - Use A Spray Bottle |
| growth. Bacteria can be very harmful - acetic | | | | I also have a small spray bottle that I fill up with |
| bacteria can turn wine into vinegar. | | | | the solution of water and potassium metabisulfite. |
| Tip #1 - Keep It Simple | | | | For sanitizing the surfaces of airlocks, bungs and |
| Although there are a variety of products available | | | | my plastic spoon, I simply give those surfaces a |
| to winemakers for sanitation purposes, I prefer | | | | thorough spraying with the solution using the |
| to keep things simple and use only one product. In | | | | spray bottle. A rinse with water, and it's done. |
| doing this, I don't get mixed up about what | | | | The spray bottle is also helpful in sanitizing work |
| products I'm using or use one when I meant to | | | | areas such as counter tops, |
| use another. Potassium metabisulfite is used to | | | | Using these three tips will help you sanitize your |
| stabilize and protect wines as an additive. It can | | | | equipment and work area fast and efficiently. |
| also be used to make a sanitizing solution with | | | | |