Midwest Supplies

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Beer and Wine Making Supplies since 1995
5825 Excelsior Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
952-925-9854 - 888-449-2739
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Question: How do you use Campden tablets?
   Answer: Initially, crush the Campden tablet with a glass mortar and pestle and stir the powder directly into the must. Before racking, crush the tablet and pour the powder into 1/3 cup of HOT water. Use a sanitized bamboo whip or a stainless steel fork to beat the powder into the water. It may take a few minutes, but it will all dissolve if you work at it. This cools down the water quite a bit. When dissolved, use a wine thief (or siphon tube) to draw off a cup or so of wine and mix this with the sulfited water. This sometimes causes small lumps to form, so whip the mixture a little more and then pour it into the receiving jug or carboy. Then rack the wine into the secondary....Click to Read full Answer


Question: My wine is too dry, the gravity is below 0.990, and tastes pretty lousy. How can I fix it?
   Answer: The first step is making sure the wine is stabilized and will not referment in the bottle. Midwest also suggests adding one crushed Campden tablet per gallon to the wine and let it sit 24 hours before sweetening or bottling--to keep the wine from absorbing oxygen during the process. Next is choosing the method. You can either (1) add sugar, (2) blend with a too-sweet wine, (3) use grape concentrate, or (4) blend with a sweeter juice. The choice is yours. If you add sugar (by far the easier method), boil a measured amount of water and slowly dissolve a double-measured amount of sugar into it. The 2 to 1 by volume ratio is still the best. Sweetening a too-dry wine does not give immediate feedback. It takes a couple of hours to a day for the wine to fully absorb the sugar and integrate it into its character....Click to Read full Answer


Question: What is the purpose of using Campden tablets?
   Answer: Initially, Campden tablets are used to kill off any potentially harmful bacteria that may may be present in the base ingredients used in winemaking, and to discourage any wild yeast from gaining a foothold. Campden will not kill yeast, but it creates an environment inhospitable to them. As sulfur dioxide (SO2) is released into the must and the atmosphere above the must dissipates, the environment inside the fermenter slowly changes and the yeast can grow, but by then our cultured wine yeasts, which are more tolerant of SO2, have gotten a good start and “crowd out” the wild yeasts, use up all the dissolved oxygen, and consume all the fermentable sugar and nutrients. In the end, there is nothing left for the wild yeasts and they die without propagating....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why does my wine have a brown tint to it?
   Answer: The reason your wine browns is because it is oxidizing. The biggest cause of early oxidation in homemade wines is the failure to use sulfites, or not using them properly. The second biggest cause of early oxidation is improper handling of the wine during fermentation, rackings, aging, bottling, and storage. All wines oxidize, but well-made, well-protected, and well-balanced wines resist oxidation for many, many years, and exceptional wines can last for 50-100 years without doing so....Click to Read full Answer


Question: Why are there different types of Campden Tablets - potassium metabisulfite and sodium metabisulfite? Which one should I use and when?
   Answer: The main difference between the sodium (SMS) and potassium (KMS) metabisulfites is the carrier element. Their affects are virtually the same, with sodium metabisulfite being slightly more potent when it comes to contributing SO2 gas. Most home winemakers will use sodium metabisulfite as an equipment sanitizer as it is cheaper. SMS sanitizing KMS actual treatment of the wine...Click to Read full Answer

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Midwest Homebrewing Supplies
5825 Excelsior Blvd.
Minneapolis, MN 55416
Phone: 1 (952) 925-9854
Toll Free: 1 (888) 449-BREW
Shipping Inquiries: 1 (888) 449-2739
Fax: 1 (952) 925-9867
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Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
Midwest Supplies Home Beer and Wine Making
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