# bentonite / montmorillonite / azomite ???



## Torch404 (Dec 22, 2009)

There are no brew shops in my area but two natural food stores in my area stock a limited selection of brew equipment and products however they are mostly focused on beer and not winemaking. Often they get stuff in, then it will sell out and they'll not order more. They sell no fining agent apart from Irish moss for beer. On a tip from someone here I looked in their health section and found pure Bentonite for facials 8-20$/lb. I'm cheap and it's only 2$ online so I kept looking. 

After some reading I find out that bentonite is the same as montmorillonite which, one of those stores sells for .65/lb bulk. So I get some and notice on the jar it says montmorillonite / azomite. I write that name down to look it up at home. Azomite is a fertilizer/livestock supplement that is only 10% montmorillonite. I'm going to try it as I want to clear up a carboy and do not want to wait. Does anyone have experience with using this stuff?

I'm not worried about the safety cause it's obvious people eat it and the assay results are not that bad so I'm just wondering if anyone else has used it? I will certainly report back what I find. unless someone can scare me off from using it.


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## Torch404 (Feb 25, 2010)

Thought I'd follow up on this just in case some else runs into this Azomite stuff. 

I now have bentonite to compare it to and Azomite is nothing like it. The Azomite when made into a slurry did not thicken up like bentonite. While I do believe it did assist slightly with clarification it was so minor that I can not say for sure if it really did anything. 

I'd recommend passing on this stuff.


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## TheTooth (Feb 25, 2010)

I'm not sure how it works with wine, but I know you can clear beers with gelatin. All you need is a cheap box of knox flavorless gelatin. You mix it in warm water, pitch it into a carboy and bring it down to refrigeration temps. Then you can rack off the gelatin that settles to the bottom of the carboy.


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## arcticsid (Feb 25, 2010)

Torch, why don't you look around for supplies on line. They're are some good reputable suppliers out there?


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## Torch404 (Feb 25, 2010)

I was really just answering my own question here. In case anyone else runs into this azomite stuff and is curious. They can hopefully find this thread and not bother buying it. When I was looking around for info on it I could find none.

I have bentonite now and can find enough stuff locally to get by. Once I know what I'm doing more and all the little 2oz packet of chemicals I have run out I'm going to just order everything at once in bulk online. Thanks for the tip


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