Sulphites and Wine Making

Winemakers use many techniques and products to keep wine from spoiling because of bacteria. For centuries, one of the most popular additives to deter the growth of bacteria is sulphites. Sulphites occur naturally in many foods such as grapes and garlic, but winemakers add extra sulphites to their product to prevent harmful bacteria from growing.

Home wine makers will also want to add sulphites to their wine. It will help your homemade wine last longer, and prevent bacteria from contaminating your product. Your local brew store should have sulphites for purchase, and they can also be found on the Internet.

Most home wine makers prefer to add sulphites before they use yeast. This is done to sterilize everything before fermentation begins. How much sulphite to add to your wine will be determined by your recipe, and by trial and error. You do not want to add so much that your wine has a sulphurous taste, but you do need enough to kill bacteria. The sulphites for sterilizing wine come in tablets, and it is recommended to never use less than ½ of a tablet.

If you have added too much sulphite to your recipe, don’t throw out the brew. By letting the wine become exposed to a small amount of oxygen, the sulphites will slowly evaporate. Pour the wine into another container and allow the liquid to roll around. This will expose the wine to oxygen and help the excess sulphites evaporate.

As sulphites naturally appear in many of the foods we eat, they are a safe way to prevent your wine from becoming contaminated.