TOP 10 REASONS

FOR FERMENTATION FAILURE

Reason #4
Closing Up The Fermenter After Adding Sulfites:

Most wine making recipes instruct the winemaker to add sulfites
such as Sodium Bisulfite or Campden Tablets to a starting must.
These sulfites are added to the juice 24 hours before adding the
yeast as a sterilizing process. The sulfites are released into the
juice destroying any molds or other contaminants that may be
present, wild yeast included. This allows the winemaker to start
his fermentation off with a clean slate, so to speak.

Once the sulfur has been added to the juice, it slowly starts to
dissipate into the air in the form of a gas and eventually all
goes away. This process usually takes between 18 and 24 hours.
After the 24 hour waiting period, the winemaker can then safely
add fresh, domesticated wine yeast without fear of it being
destroyed by the sulfites.

It is important during this 24 hour waiting period that the
juice is allowed to breath. That is, to allow the sulfites to
escape. The container should not be sealed up or even fitted with
an air-lock, but rather, it should be covered only with a very
thin towel, at best. This is simply to keep foreign matter from
getting into the juice.

If the sulfites are not allowed to dissipate into the air during
the 24 hour waiting period, then it is highly likely that most
of the yeast will be destroyed when it is later added to the juice.
The result is a fermentation that is very sluggish or one that
will not start at all.

To see the wine making sulfites we offer, go to the following

link on our web site:

Wine Making Sulfites

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