Cambden tab amounts

[Gardenfish]

When using campden tabs on 20# of blueberries in 2gals of water (3+ gals total) that will be added to honey and water to a final volume of 5.5 gals. Would I use a tablet per gallon for the blueberry mix volume (3+ tabs), or( 5.5 tabs) for 5.5 gals which will be the final volume. Also I have the same question for the pectinaze.


ThanksGardenfish

 

[wayneb]

If you're going to leave the berries by themselves for a while (24 hrs or longer) before adding the additional must and pitching yeast, then you use the amount applicable only to the volume of fruit. If you're mixing in the honey and water with the fruit and then plan on leaving it for 24 hrs or so before you pitch yeast, then you use the larger amount applicable to the total volume.

What you are trying to do is to raise the molecular sulfite and free SO2 to a level that will kill off wild yeasts and spoilage organisms, and to then allow it to naturally dissipate down to a level that won't interfere with your pitched yeast.

 

[wayneb]

Hmmm... the edit button doesn't seem to be working for me tonight.

Regarding the addition of pectinase, the amount needed for the total volume (berries plus honey plus water) is what I'd do. The idea here is that you want to add as much as practical to get quick conversion of pectins to simpler saccharides before the production of ethanol slows the conversion. But you don't want to add so much that you will taste the pectinase in the final mead. Pectinase doses that manufacturers recommend for use in a certain volume of must are far below the amounts that will contribute off flavors, so using the larger amount applicable to your total volume is OK in this case.