Have you ever failed with stabilization?

[Johnny2]

I failed stabilizing my lemon wine (skeeter). I had split it into my main carboy and a smaller jug, I bottled a few which didn't fit into the carboy. I opened one last friday after a month and it had a decent carbonation, if I wanted a low carbonated sparkling wine. I've always racked before I stabilized with n/k-meta and sorbate, but didn't this time. Based on my notes I even back sweetened without racking... Oops.

 

[HBT_Admin]

Do you think you'll do the low carbonated wine with a different fruit? Turn an Oops into a Plus?

 

[Johnny2]

Any kind of hydromel mead would be nice like that

 

[Johnny2]

Actually my sorbate is bad, even though it's best before date is in December. I had another brew which continued fermenting in the bottle.

 

[Agent]

Unless it's obviously changed, I'd be skeptical that sorbate has gone bad.

Numerous things affect the ability of stabilizers to do their job. For example, K-Meta is really pH dependant.

So there may just be a good chance that your wine needs a slightly higher dose for the effect you are looking for.

 

[Johnny2]

It might have been that it never worked. As the only one it has "worked" was my redcurrant mead, but I also filtered it through a 1-2micron gravity filter.

My skeeter pee and still ginger beer became bubbly in the bottle. I'm not risking any more brews with that. Before this I used a powder which had sulfite, sorbate and gelatin pre-mixed.

I'd also point out that I didn't buy it from a HBS. Their sorbate might be old stock with a made up expiration date.