Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Sulphites can cause other problems as well.  I for one have to steer clear of as much as possible because they trigger Migraines.  Is there anything else that can be used instead in winemaking? I started brewing beer and winmaking from home grown grapes (under glass) a couple of years ago. I found that certain batches of my home brews/vints would give me a head cold! It took me a long time to figure out the troublesome "ingredient" was Sodium Metabisulphite which I WAS using to sterilise vessels and also a small pinch to stop further/unwanted fermentations. I got to wondering, how many other people are affeceted in this way? — Hi from the MoM in Stoney Creek, Ontario! —

This is not an uncommon reaction.

Response:

Sulphites can cause other problems as well.  I for one have to steer clear of as much as possible because they trigger Migraines.  Is there anything else that can be used instead in winemaking? I started brewing beer and winmaking from home grown grapes (under glass) a couple of years ago. I found that certain batches of my home brews/vints would give me a head cold! It took me a long time to figure out the troublesome "ingredient" was Sodium Metabisulphite which I WAS using to sterilise vessels and also a small pinch to stop further/unwanted fermentations. I got to wondering, how many other people are affeceted in this way?

– Hi from the MoM in Stoney Creek, Ontario! —

Response:

Sulphites can cause other problems as well.  I for one have to steer clear of as much as possible because they trigger Migraines.  Is there anything else that can be used instead in winemaking?

I know of two solutions to your problem.   1. Boil everything (actually, you only have to "pasteurize" it, 160 deg. F for a minimum of 10 minutes.)  This kills all bacteria and yeasts and makes it unneccessary to use sulphite to do this.  Then, quickly cool the must to 90 deg F or less and pitch your yeast starter.  Maintain extreme sanitation through the whole process.  Top up secondaries with boiled water or wine to keep oxidation to a minimum.  This can impart a "cooked" flavor to your wine, however.  It DOES eliminate the need for sulphite, if you make your wine from scratch. 2. Use sulphite only at the beginning, at the minimum recommended amounts.  By the time you rack a couple of times to clear the wine and then bottle, the sulphite will have escaped as hydrogen sulfide gas through the airlock.  Levels will be extremely low, perhaps undetectable.  Maintain extreme sanitation through the whole process.  Top up secondaries with boiled water or wine to keep oxidation to a minimum. I have asthma that is bothered by some wines, and my wife gets migraines from the same.  My wine does not do this.  I use method #2, above, and have not had any problems healthwise, nor with wine gone sour or bad.  I do not bottle it for long-term storage, so I can’t tell you what chances you would take if you bottled and stored it for longer than a few months. Each of the two methods requires time to let the wine clear instead of "rushing" it by filtering.  It might be that all or most of the sulphite is gone by the end of primary fermentation, and that you can still get away with filtering after a month or so.  You will have to see for yourself, but I suspect that you’d be safe at that point.  I have chosen not to filter up to this point mostly for economic reasons. Donald Hellen Made of only the finest electrons and the purest ascii text to bring you the utmost email pleasure.

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