• Sulfites are a recognized food additive. The federal government controls their use.
• All commercially available wines contain sulfites, even those labeled ‘Kosher ‘or ‘Organic’. The legally allowable amount in British Columbia, where Brew King kits are made is 70 PPM.
• Nearly all dried fruits and meats contain sulfites. Raisins, for instance, have up to 2~0 PPM. Frozen orange juice, bacon, dried noodles, all contain sulfite.
• The amount of sulfite provided in Brew King kits will result in a level of between 15 and 30 PPM in a finished wine.
• All grape-based wines produce sulfites naturally during fermentation, up to a level of about 10-PPM. Even with no addition of sulfites, wines will still contain them.

"Traditional Corks" are traditional in that the cork is harvested from the cork tree. This harvest does not harm the tree and is also done at prescribed intervals to keep the tree healthy and productive. The variations seen in the corks are natural and should be expected in a natural product. They may be inserted using a single lever metal corker or a floor corker.

"Premium Corks" are hand selected high quality corks and may or may not have an imprint on them (depending upon the supplier). They may also be a composite of natural cork with a synthetic top and bottom attached or a piece of natural cork cut against the grain attached to each end to provide a better seal.

All corks containing natural material need to be soaked in water before using. This softens them, making them flexible and easier to insert. One recommended method for preparation is:

1. Boil a quantity of water, and allow to cool. Put corks into a container, pour the water on top of them, and let it sit for 24-48 hours. Be sure the corks are completely submerged. Tupperware works good.
2. 30 minutes prior to bottling, drain off the water, and add a sterilent such as a potassium metabisulfite or crushed campden tablet solution. Again, make sure the corks are submerged. Let set for 15 minutes. They do not need to be drained or dried before inserting into the bottle.
3. After bottling, keep the bottles upright for 24 hours, to let any trapped air escape, then put on their sides for storage.

There is no gluten content in any of our products. This apparently is of great concern to wine ... (and ale) yeast users, and I am told, following a consult with my superiors, that this question pops up about once a month amongst ... yeast users. .... If there is anything else I can help you with, please don't hesitate to ask! Cheers! Rob Moline, Lallemand.

• 1 Gallon (4.5 litres) cold water
• 2 lb. (1 Kg.) of white table sugar
• 2 teaspoons (10 g.) tartaric acid
• 2 teaspoons (10 g.) yeast energizer

The second and perhaps simplest way to make a second run is to purchase bulk grape juice from your supplier and use that in place of the sugar water mixture. Usually the best choice will be the cheapest red, bourgeron or a blend. This is more expensive than the first choice but the wine will be considerably better and will show more ageing potential.

The third and undoubtedly the best way to make a second run is to make it at the same time as the first. To do this you will need to determine how much first run juice you are getting: this will amount to about two gallons (eight litres) of wine per case of grapes. You should then purchase bulk grape juice to make up exactly half of that amount and mix it straight into your crush. You don't have to press twice this way and all of your wine will be of first run quality. Grape juice of the same type as the grapes you chose will give you the best quality, but burgundy juice will also work very well. Although this is again not as cheap as the sugar water method, prices on varietal grape juices tend to run about half of the price per litre of wines made from fresh grapes. You stretch your budget and increase the quality of your second run at the same time.

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