# Clearing wine



## petey (Aug 8, 2013)

Sparkaloid or bentonite. Witch do you prefer ?
I've always used sparkaloid for my DB but my lhbs had a pound of bentonite for $4


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## Elmer (Aug 8, 2013)

I always use Sparkalloid, but it makes the goop fluffy at the bottom.

I only bentonite when it comes with a kits. And the directions usually have me add it at the beginning of the process.

I wanted to try superkleer but my LHBS does not carry it!


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## JohnT (Aug 8, 2013)

I use neither. 

I age for 2 years and cold stabilize/rack in between.


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## carlb (Aug 8, 2013)

I have been using bentonite in the beginning when i add the rest of my ingredients then I use sparkollid after the second or third racking after primary fermentation and most of the wines i have made clear within a week of adding the sparkollid, some actually clear in a few days.

I have used super-kleer that came with some of my kits which come with bentonite as well and it really does a great job of clearing my kit wines.


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## jamesngalveston (Aug 8, 2013)

neither for me, i am a super-kleer fan.


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## robie (Aug 8, 2013)

They are two very different clarifiers, each used in a different situation. It is sort of like comparing apples to oranges; both fruit, but very different.


Here is a document on fining agents that might be a good read.
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/em016/em016.pdf


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## petey (Aug 8, 2013)

robie said:


> They are two very different clarifiers, each used in a different situation. It is sort of like comparing apples to oranges; both fruit, but very different.
> 
> Here is a document on fining agents that might be a good read.
> http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/em016/em016.pdf



Thanks robie, that's a good read with lots of info I was looking for


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## Arne (Aug 9, 2013)

Robie,
Can you make a sticky out of that. Think lots of us would like to have it as a reference. Thanks, Arne.


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## satyadev (Aug 16, 2013)

Both are good but i prefer sparkaloid..........


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## wineforfun (Aug 16, 2013)

JohnT said:


> I use neither.
> 
> I age for 2 years and cold stabilize/rack in between.



John,
Can you give me a brief rundown on how you are cold stabilizing/racking exactly? or shoot me in the direction of where I can read about it. I get the racking every 2-3 months, but not understanding exactly how to mix in cold stabilizing, when to do it, when not, etc.
Thanks.


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## RhynoMakingWineO (Aug 25, 2013)

I was off doing some other searching and I found this after reading your last post.

It is a copy and paste from here

http://www.homebrewit.com/winebook.pdf

Page 17

*•	Cold stabilizing Cold stabilizing causes tartaric acid to precipitate as potassium bitartrate crystals when the wine is being chilled. Because the procedure works on tartaric acid, it will only work effectively on grape wines. The wine must be fermented out. You can cold stabilize the wine by placing it in a cold spot (between -4 and 5 deg C) for a week or two. The wine will get cloudy and crystals will form on the bottom of the carboy. Wait untill the sediment has settled and rack when the wine is still cold. For best effect you can add a small amount of potassium bitartrate first, so that the crystals will form more easily.*

I haven't needed to do it, so I don't know anything......


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## closetwine (Aug 31, 2013)

Unless it's a pectin haze it'll all fall out in the end.... Can't rush a good thing young Jedi...


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## TicinoVintner (Nov 10, 2013)

The easiest and best way to clear wine is to just let it sit for a few months. It will be crystal clear on its own without having to add any ingredients which can change the flavor profile. 
Some of the best winemakers in the world live by the motto that the wine makes itself.


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## MichaelJ (Dec 14, 2013)

Clearing questions…
28 Day Kit
Vino Del Vida Wine Kit
Bourdailles – White

Day 1: 23 Nov 2013, Saturday
Add Yeast to must
SG @ 1.081
Temp @ 32 c / 89 f
Colour of must is brownish.
Day 8: 30 Nov 2013, Saturday
SG @ 1.012
Temp @ 23 c / 73 f
Racked the must / wine
Day 19: 11 Dec 2013, Wednesday
SG @ .999 (for 3 days)
Temp @ 22 c / 71 f
Racked the wine to Primary
Degassed
Add Sulphite
Add Sorbate
Add Sweetener
Add Bentonite
Rack the wine to Secondary
Add Gelatin
Add Kieselsol
Top-up Carboy
Day 22: 14 Dec 2013, Saturday
I do observe the accumulated slush at the bottom of the carboy however the wine colour is still quite brownish.
Questions:
1. The (white) Wine is still brown and I would like to ensure I have done everything to clarify. I was using Gelatin as I have a friend’s relative who died from a fish allergy traced to the Chitosan within the homemade wine. Is the clarifying a case of further patience, I am not seeing any signs of the wine clearing.
2. Within a previous post a reference material noted the use of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (pvpp), is there a name better known by retails outlets? Can it be bought at a local wine supply store?
3. I also see a thread posted which recommends Super-Kleer? Is it a fish based product?
Many Thanks to all who offer assistance.


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## vgent (Apr 9, 2014)

I add bentonite to the primary works great


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## acrylic-wine-dispaly (Apr 10, 2014)

yes, i like Sparkaloid. thanks


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## calvin (Apr 20, 2014)

I used superkleer for the first time on some skeeter pee. It was crystal clear in 24 hours


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## heatherd (Apr 29, 2014)

Note that superkleer kc is a two part solution that includes chitosan. If you are trying to avoid fish-based items, that is not the one to use.
Heather


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## garymc (May 4, 2014)

I have a couple of these products, but have never used them. I like aging for clearing. If I just have to bottle something that I'm in a hurry to drink, then I guess it won't be in the bottle long enough to produce much sediment.


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## GaDawg (May 9, 2014)

I add bentonite to the primary, but you really have to mix it well. I use a hand blinder and it works great.


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## peaches9324 (May 9, 2014)

GaDawg said:


> I add bentonite to the primary, but you really have to mix it well. I use a hand blinder and it works great.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Wine Making


 I always put it in a pint jar with 1/2c of water and give it a good shake every once in a while, while I'm getting all the other ing. in


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## NoobVinter (May 13, 2014)

Just used Super Kleer on my first batch of wine ever. I'm making a white. It started to clump right in front of my eyes in about a minute after adding part two. I put a flashlight behind the carboy and pulled up a chair. I watched the swirling particles slowly fall to the bottom for about 10 minutes. I was so excited and amazed at how well things were working. I was really worried that I didn't degas well enough. Guess I did. The only bad thing is that I can't give it to people wish a dish allergy. I can't wait to see what it's gonna look like. We are so lucky that people thought of this stuff. I really take all of this for granted. I used bentonite during primary, and Super Kleer for final. I will finish with 5, and 1 micron house filter using the AIO then bottle. If this works, I'm just gonna stick with Super Kleer. 


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## NoobVinter (May 13, 2014)

This is one after adding part two of Super Kleer. Can't wait to see the end result! 


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## NoobVinter (May 13, 2014)

*one hour 


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## NoobVinter (May 13, 2014)

Noob's....gotta love us. Lol


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## GaDawg (May 14, 2014)

NoobVinter said:


> The only bad thing is that I can't give it to people wish a dish allergy.



If you have a dish allergy, just drink from the bottle


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## NoobVinter (May 14, 2014)

Haha, love it 


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## AnneBonney (May 23, 2014)

I just used something called Isenglass(sp?) not even an hour ago in my 6 gal of Dragons blood. Looked up from the dinner table while eating and did a triple take!!!! The entire batch is crystal clear!!! WOW! I'm still amazed.... Ready to bottle I guess 


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## cpfan (May 23, 2014)

Just wondering why this a Sticky topic. After a quick read thru most of the thread, it was never a reasonable tutorial on clearing or clearing agents.

Steve


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## cartet (Jul 24, 2014)

I need some advice. Our first batch of banana wine is sitting at .0998, I know we are supposed to wait 2-3 days to make sure it stays there. If it does, should I go ahead and add the meta? It's not even close to being clear, so at this point should we add the clearing agent? It's the 2-part kind and from what I've read on here it's made of fish or something? We just don't know in what order to add everything. We haven't back sweetened it yet either and we need to do that as well. So should we clear it first, backsweeten, add sorbate or should we just let it sit in the carboy for a few months to see if it clears on it's own? We have read that banana sometimes is very difficult to clear as well. What would we add if this doesn't work?

Thanks in advance!


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## mikewatkins727 (Jul 25, 2014)

My banana wine that I started march 2014 is setting in bulk age. It is not crystal clear and I believe it will not fall crystal clear. The is clear, but just looks semi-opaque?


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## NoobVinter (Aug 4, 2014)

That looks great!


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## Jaywald (Aug 15, 2014)

I always just let it sit 2 months then put it into another carboy with a clear hose. Just not let it touch the bottom


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## Jaywald (Aug 15, 2014)

My pineapple wine! 



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## flatfoot (Feb 10, 2015)

*Not sure if I'm going to go with sparkalloid or superkleer*

I made this Viogner and followed the instructions but realized that they were generalized instructions in the kit and didn't apply to the premium 6 week kit....not amused with All-Juice Master's Edition right now for that and other reasons. So I rushed the wine and now it won't clear....or it only clears to a certain point and then STOPPED. I don't want to wait a month so I'm leaning towards using superkleer. I'm not sure what's in those All-Juice kits...they just had something marked siligel and liquigel.

If anyone knows what siligel and liquigel is please let me know!!!

(As you can see in the picture, I can read a newspaper through the top 25% of the carboy and that's where the clearing seems to have stalled....it hasn't cleared more than that in about two weeks now.


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## Buehler91 (Feb 18, 2015)

if you have patience and give it time, it will clear.


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## sampvt (Mar 30, 2015)

I have a beaverdale sav blanc kit that tastes good but has been clearing for 6 days now to no avail. It s still very cloudy and looks to be stuck there. What can I do as it has now begun to aquire a slight smell of pineapples mixed with sulphur.


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## sour_grapes (Mar 30, 2015)

It's only been 6 days -- I wouldn't panic about the clearing yet. 

Which kind of sulfur smell -- like rotten eggs or like burnt match?


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## sampvt (Mar 30, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> It's only been 6 days -- I wouldn't panic about the clearing yet.
> 
> Which kind of sulfur smell -- like rotten eggs or like burnt match?



If truth be known, its more on the eggy side than anything, but its very faint. I took my neighbours advice and set about whizzing it again with my whizzer stick and I got a fair amount of froth. Its a creamy froth as opposed to big bubbles which is one inch thick on the top of the mix in the carboy and it takes 15 mins to go away. I have whisked it 7 times today and there are still loads of creamy bubbles.

I got this when I degassed it before and by my reckoning I whizzed it every 30 mins for 3 days so it got a hell of a good rattling. I began to think I was simply reintroducing air into the mix so that's why I pushed ahead with clearing it.

How the hell could this kit wine get so carbonated, I have never seen this before. It started at 1082 and finished at 992 after a racking at 1010. The temp was in the 20 to 23 degrees range and it has quite a good nose, or did have, and its dry-ish.

Its been stabalised and I put 5 crushed campden tablets in it after re racking it last week. Could this be where the smell comes from, I wonder. Im heating it back up to 26 degrees in order to get more gas out but I don't want to oxidise it ifg I can help it. Its the wine on my window ledge in my other post entitles after 8 weeks........ Its still the same look as in the picture.


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## richmke (Mar 30, 2015)

flatfoot said:


> If anyone knows what siligel and liquigel is please let me know!!!



Fining agents, like what you get in Super Kleer.


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## sampvt (Apr 2, 2015)

Yesterday my local home brew shop suggested this new finnings agent and it cleared overnight. The only problem is that the dead yeasters are clinging to the side of the carboy on the little ledges. I gently swirled the mix and they fell off only to be collected again. Why would these particles cling to the side of the carboy. Ive never seen this before.


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## richmke (Apr 2, 2015)

Glass can develop static electricity, which may be attracting the particles.


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