Campden Tablets are pre-measured sodium metabisulphite tablets for sanitising fruit must and preserving finished wine and cider. This tub holds around 100 tablets.
What they do
- Protect wine and cider from oxidation and spoilage
- Inhibit wild yeasts and bacteria in fresh fruit must
- Remove chlorine from tap water before brewing beer
- Can be used to sterilise equipment
Dosage guide
- Wine and cider: 1 tablet per gallon (4.5 litres)
- Removing chlorine: half a tablet per 23 litres of water
- Crush and dissolve in a little water before adding
How to use
Add at the start to sanitise the must, and again before bottling to stabilise - see the How to Use box.
Who it's for
Winemakers, cider makers and beer brewers using chlorinated tap water. For loose powder, choose Sodium Metabisulphite. Clearing a hazy wine? Add Bentonite. For stopping fermentation before back-sweetening, pair with Fermentation Stopper.
Campden Tablets
How to Use
Dose
1 tablet per gallon
(4.5 litres)
Pack treats
100 gallons
100 tablets
Wait
24 hours
before adding yeast
Used for: Sterilises fruit must, protects wine and cider from oxidation and bacteria, and removes chlorine from tap water.
When: Must: 24 hours before the yeast. Wine/cider: at racking and just before bottling.
Step by step
1Crush the tablet(s) to a powder and dissolve in a little warm water, must or wine.
2Must: 1 tablet per gallon (4.5 litres), cover loosely and wait 24 hours before adding yeast.
3Finished wine or cider: 1 tablet per gallon at racking or bottling.
4Chlorine in tap water: half a tablet per 23 litres, left 24 hours.
Good to know: Adding yeast before the 24 hours are up badly slows fermentation. Contains sulphites - avoid breathing the fumes. No more than about 3 tablets per gallon over the wine's whole life.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Campden tablets?
Campden tablets are a convenient, pre-measured form of sodium metabisulphite — the winemaker's standard tool for protecting wine, cider and mead against oxidation and spoilage organisms. Each tablet releases a measured dose of sulphite (SO2) when crushed and dissolved.
How many Campden tablets per gallon?
One crushed tablet per 4.5 litres (1 gallon) is the standard dose — used at the start to sanitise fruit must, and again at the end of fermentation before bottling. Wait 24 hours after adding Campden before pitching yeast, or the sulphite will inhibit it.
Can Campden tablets stop fermentation?
Not on their own at normal doses — to fully stabilise a wine before back-sweetening, use a Campden tablet together with potassium sorbate. The Campden protects against oxidation and bacteria while the sorbate prevents yeast reproducing.
Do Campden tablets remove chlorine from tap water?
Yes — half a crushed tablet treats up to 23 litres, instantly neutralising both chlorine and chloramine. This prevents the medicinal, TCP-like off-flavours (chlorophenols) they can otherwise cause in beer.
Should I use Campden tablets or sodium metabisulphite powder?
They're the same chemical — sodium metabisulphite — in two different formats. Campden tablets are pre-measured, so they're more convenient for dosing individual gallons without weighing anything out. Sodium metabisulphite powder works out more economical if you're sanitising equipment in bulk or brewing larger batches, where you can measure it by weight instead.
