Yummyrum wrote:First off I'm not in the wine industry but I have made lots of fruit wines over the years .
Here is a Quote from Gloria Oxfords book "Make your own wine" which has been one of my bibles .
"METABISULPHITE
Very often abbreviated to sulphite or bisulphite.It is sold in powder form as sodium metabisulphite or potassium metabisuphite .In compressed form it is known as Campden tablets .It is the winemakers principal protection against bacterial infection and has a number of other beneficial qualities, mentioned thoughout the book."
So I get mine from a Home brew shop .You can buy a bag of around 100 for about $5 or a whole kilo of metabisulphite powder (sterilizing solution)for about $10
Cool storage is definitely going to reduce infection taking off.
Dosage 1 Campden tablet per 5 liters 1.5 Tablets per 5liters if temps over about 25-30c
On a side note, aren't sulphites in wine a large part of the especially bad hangover we get from getting drunk on wine?
It could be a necessary evil in this case, but personally I take great pride in the fact that my homemade liquor gives hardly any hangover. Adding sulphites may remove that particular quality of the finished spirit.