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I have been making blackcurrant melomel, using blackcurrant syrup and clover honey.

Used a starter bottle, bit sweet to start - around 19% alcohol if fully fermented i think (still learning the hydrometer)

But i want to stop it soon - anyone give the low down on potassium sorbate? is it realy safe? do i need it?

It has fallen brilliantly clear (has been sulphited twice and racked once already) (but still slowly bubbling) and i racked it again today to take it off the yeast.

Quite pleasant but will benefit from some time to mature i think.

Advice? comments?

Think i might try one using a lime syrup concentrate next.

It's a personal thing. Potassium sorbate is considered safe by anyone who really does consider such things - but some people just don't like adding anything in the nature of chemicals. I use it (if I'm in a hurry or want to stop a fermentation at a particular stage) and I still have only one head.

However, it often gets used wrongly. By itself, it will not immediately stop a fermentation. It has to be used in conjunction with sodium or potassium metabisulphite (Campden tablets). The metabisulphite stuns the yeast and stops it working - for a while - and the sorbate stops the stunned yeast from reproducing. The yeast cells die in fairly short order (as they do naturally) but there are no remaining little yeast children to carry on the job.

If you're going to bottle something, and ESPECIALLY in weather like this, I would say that sorbate/metabisulphite is an absolute no-brainer if you want to keep your bottles in one piece. Just my opinion, of course

Mike

Unless your making a champagne style drink you will either have to stabilise the brew or leave it to mature out for several months before racking and bottling.

I'm currently trying to remove the need for any chemicals in my wine so I'd choose the latter option myself but a Campden Tablet is more then enough to stop the yeast dead, especially if you filter the wine while racking it.

be patient and let it ferment out? I have just bottled my elderflower wine from 2007 - its fanatastic IMHO, but ack.. the wait...

Tom: [Tom has just tasted his home-brewed pea pod burgundy and is shocked at its potency] It's hurting the back of my eyes!

god i love mead, as soon as i get some space im getting bees!