Experienced winemakers stress the importance of sanitizing equipment and work areas. Perhaps so much that new winemakers might get a little nervous about whether they’ve done a good enough job before starting their winemaking activities. Keep in mind that we’re not looking for sterilization – where every micro-organism is killed and nothing can live on the surfaces of our equipment and work areas. Indeed, sterilization is probably impossible and undesirable when making wine.
Sanitization on the other hand is the process of making our equipment unfavorable to bacteria growth. Bacteria can be very harmful – acetic bacteria can turn wine into vinegar.
Tip #1 – Keep It Simple
Although there are a variety of products available to winemakers for sanitation purposes, I prefer to keep things simple and use only one product. In doing this, I don’t get mixed up about what products I’m using or use one when I meant to use another. Potassium metabisulfite is used to stabilize and protect wines as an additive. It can also be used to make a sanitizing solution with water. It works, so why purchase other ingredients to do exactly what sulfite will do?
Tip #2 – Make It Up Ahead Of Time
To make things easy and fast in my activities, I make up a solution in a one gallon jug that has a tight fitting screw top lid. The generally accepted ratio is 3 tablespoons of potassium metabisulfite to one gallon of water. I usually make mine a bit stronger, using 5 tablespoons because the solution can lose some of it’s strength over time especially when stored above 65F.
Tip #3 – Use A Spray Bottle
I also have a small spray bottle that I fill up with the solution of water and potassium metabisulfite. For sanitizing the surfaces of airlocks, bungs and my plastic spoon, I simply give those surfaces a thorough spraying with the solution using the spray bottle. A rinse with water, and it’s done. The spray bottle is also helpful in sanitizing work areas such as counter tops,
Using these three tips will help you sanitize your equipment and work area fast and efficiently.
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