# Gunk floating in coffee wine.



## jojabri (May 6, 2014)

I used Jack Keller's Coffee wine (1) recipe foud here: http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/request110.asp

Started 2.3.14 @ sg 1.100
Secondary 2.7.14 @sg 1.012
stabilized 3.3.14 @ sg UNDER .990 - yes it was below the marker on the hydrometer
back-sweetened with a mix of caramel simple syrup and a tiny bit of chocolate syrup on 4.11.14
Super-Kleered on 4.12.14 ( followed the directions to the "tee")

Immediately after Super Kleering, sediment was dropping fiercely. After a few days, This gunk started floating on the top. I figured I'd wait it out.

Today I checked it, and no, time didn't help there is still floating gunk.

Any idea what this is, how it happened, or how to fix it?


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## dangerdave (May 6, 2014)

What in the world is that? No ideas, here. Good luck, Gina.

edit: I wonder if the syrups you used to back sweeten had any kind of oils in them. Maybe run it through a coffee filter (how appropriate!) and see if you can catch it. If it's just on top, you should be able to rack the wine out from under it.


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## calvin (May 6, 2014)

I am in the process of making an orange chocolate wine. I sweetened it with Hershey's chocolate syrup. After that I had the same type of gunk floating on top. Eventually it fell to the bottom. I would kinda agitate the carboy every so often. I didn't have nearly that much tho


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## Julie (May 6, 2014)

I agree with Dave, it looks like some type of oil, did you smell it to see if there are any off smells!


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## jojabri (May 6, 2014)

Okay, so I agitated it a bit, the bigger chunks seem to have broken up and are slowly making their way down. There are still some bits that appear stuck to the inside walls of the carboy.

When shaking, bubbles popped up, CO2 which is more than likely a factor, right?

Smell is HEAVENLY!!! Oh-Mah-Geezy! My favorite coffee with caramel and a hint of chocolate. Nothing at all off there.

Taste is still a bit wild. It's definitely got a hella kick to it and is still a bit wild. That being said, it's still only 3 months old so is expected. Taste is dead on what I expected at this point.

This batch was intended to be a novelty dessert wine, and it has the full capability of being just that. Although I think I may take some and attempt to make ice cream out of it instructions http://www.ehow.com/how_2087265_make-dessert-wine-ice-cream.html). Can you imagine Caramel Chocolate Coffee Wine ice cream with chocolate chunks????? HOLY CRAP!! Delishy PLUS you get a buzz!


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## Julie (May 6, 2014)

I think you will be find, give it some time and it should sink


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## Jericurl (May 6, 2014)

If I had to guess, I would say oils from the coffee beans.

I had something that looks similar happen when I added water to my everclear/vanilla beans mixture.
The oil from the beans had completely dissolved in the alcohol, but adding water caused it to separate. I shook it like crazy daily but it always went back to the weird clumpy looking stuff floating at the top.
I added a wee bit more everclear to each container and shook it up every day for a few days. It finally disappeared to my satisfaction after I boosted the alcohol to a sufficient level.

Can you somehow modify this into a faux port by adding some everclear (after determining it isn't something else first, of course)?


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## LoneStarLori (May 6, 2014)

jojabri said:


> Okay, so I agitated it a bit, the bigger chunks seem to have broken up and are slowly making their way down. There are still some bits that appear stuck to the inside walls of the carboy.
> 
> When shaking, bubbles popped up, CO2 which is more than likely a factor, right?
> 
> Smell is HEAVENLY!!! Oh-Mah-Geezy! My favorite coffee with caramel and a* hint of chocolate.* Nothing at all off there.



Gina, I didn't see chocolate in the Jack Keller recipes. Did you add chocolate? Commercial chocolate contains oil and usually paraffin if it's a candy bar.


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## jojabri (May 7, 2014)

LoneStarLori said:


> Gina, I didn't see chocolate in the Jack Keller recipes. Did you add chocolate? Commercial chocolate contains oil and usually paraffin if it's a candy bar.



Yeah, that bit was a bit of exploration on my part when back sweetening. I should have stated I followed it to the back sweetening bit.

I didn't think about the additives in the chocolate syrup. I'll check the next time I go to the store.


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## calvin (May 7, 2014)

My orange chocolate is crystal clear now. I'm still not sure if its going to taste any good. It was over 18% abv before I topped up and sweetened with Hershey's chocolate


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## wineforfun (May 7, 2014)

Lori beat me too it but I would think it is something in that chocolate syrup that did it.


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## mkjennison (Jun 23, 2014)

Hey hey! Glad to see someone else is doing this... See my thread here:
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43917

I had gunk until the second racking after fermentation. Now its completely gone so I'm not going to worry about it. I think its oils from the beans, or some of the vanilla flavoring from the coffee...

Good luck!


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