# Cider - Potassium Sorbate? - Fermintation Stoppers



## duke55 (3/2/11)

I have a cider almost competed fermintation which will be a little dry and have an alc% of approx 7-8. Im considering watering down, back sweetening then kegging to make it a little sweeter but not quite so much kick (approx 5%) but wasnt real sure how to stop the fermintation of the residule yeast still hiding about the place as I dont want it to kick start again when adding any sweetners. 

Ive been reading that potassium sorbate is the way to nuitrillise the yeast, but really wanted some feedback from here....


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## Muggus (3/2/11)

Not really familiar with Potassium Sorbate in that regard.

With a background in winemaking, we generally stop ferments by racking the juice off yeast lees and hitting it with Sulfur Dioxide...depending on bound levels, etc etc...usually somewhere in the realm of 50mg/L will stop most yeasties, especially if the pH is nice and low, and you chill it down.


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## duke55 (7/2/11)

Muggus said:


> Not really familiar with Potassium Sorbate in that regard.
> 
> With a background in winemaking, we generally stop ferments by racking the juice off yeast lees and hitting it with Sulfur Dioxide...depending on bound levels, etc etc...usually somewhere in the realm of 50mg/L will stop most yeasties, especially if the pH is nice and low, and you chill it down.




When you say hitting it with Sulfur Dioxide, are you refering to something like a campden tablet?


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## Muggus (7/2/11)

duke55 said:


> When you say hitting it with Sulfur Dioxide, are you refering to something like a campden tablet?


Yeah, they're generally potassium or sodium metabisulfite, in tablet form. Or alternatively you can weigh out PMS/SMS for the same thing...not sure on the percentages of pure SO2 in the tablets or SMS though.


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## duke55 (7/2/11)

Muggus said:


> Yeah, they're generally potassium or sodium metabisulfite, in tablet form. Or alternatively you can weigh out PMS/SMS for the same thing...not sure on the percentages of pure SO2 in the tablets or SMS though.




Thanks Muggus for the info.......I was just reading a thread by Thirsty Boy, Cider tips from a pro cider maker. There seems to be a vast array of difference in brewers opinions. I'm just not to comfortable adding chemical to brews, I like things as natural as possible, one of the reasons I started brewing.

I bought a few different ciders over the weekend, and most had additions of sulphites....the wierdest...PIPSQEEKS with fish products??? :huh:


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## Ben Crossman (7/2/11)

Fish products are the finnings to clear it, issinglass.
Weird hey!!


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## manticle (7/2/11)

duke55 said:


> I have a cider almost competed fermintation which will be a little dry and have an alc% of approx 7-8. Im considering watering down, back sweetening then kegging to make it a little sweeter but not quite so much kick (approx 5%) but wasnt real sure how to stop the fermintation of the residule yeast still hiding about the place as I dont want it to kick start again when adding any sweetners.
> 
> Ive been reading that potassium sorbate is the way to nuitrillise the yeast, but really wanted some feedback from here....




Check the homebrewtalk forum's cider making section - there's a fair bit of info about various ways of stopping ferment that aren't as well known/well used here.


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## duke55 (8/2/11)

manticle said:


> Check the homebrewtalk forum's cider making section - there's a fair bit of info about various ways of stopping ferment that aren't as well known/well used here.




Thanks manticle, I'll check it out..... :beer:


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## duke55 (8/2/11)

Ben Crossman said:


> Fish products are the finnings to clear it, issinglass.
> Weird hey!!




Thanks Ben......I wonder who would have actually tried that first to see if it worked?? Its amazing the level of out of the square thinking that presents itself with this hobby (I use the term hobby VERY loosley) it more of a passion.


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