# REVIEW: *Vinbrite Wine Filter Kit*



## dangerdave (Jan 14, 2013)

We began dismantling Christmas at our house this week. Tree comes down, lights off of the house. Tossed out the left-over cookies, and stowed the opened gifts into the places where they will make their homes. My thoughtful brother had given me a gift bag with some wine related stuff---an aerator, some bottle toppers, other accessories, and a basket with some munchies, all in a big bag. Embarrassingly, I had forgotten to dig to the bottom of the bag, where I found an untouched, wrapped package. Inside was a VINBRITE MARC iii with vent. Well, I'll be...

So, I took the small contraption to my Lab. As I decended the stairs to the basement, I vaguely remembered mentioning to my brother that I did not filter my wines, but planned to try it some day. To my utter surprise, he had taken it to heart.

I look over my wines in their respective carboys. My eyes fall on the Italian Pinot Grigio I had started in October. It had not cleared up as quickly as I had liked. Here it is, still slightly cloudy...







_Well_, I thought, _I'll just run this stuff through this device and see if it's any good_. The device, that is, as the wine smelled great.

The instructions were plain and comprehensive, and the set-up was easy. My brother, astonishingly, had included extra Vinbrite pads and a package of Vinpapers for extra clarity.

I set the thing up to run, and went to town to run some errands. Very convenient!







Several hours later, here is what I saw. I said, _Wow_! This thing is pretty cool! Compare this pic below to the before pic above. The wine is crystal clear!






For a small inexpensive filter kit, this things does the trick! I would recommend this to anyone, for an easy, cheap way to give your wine a polished finish.

Thanks to my allinonewinepump, I had 30 gorgeous bottles of wine a short time later.






Most definately two thumbs up!


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## Runningwolf (Jan 14, 2013)

Thats awesome!


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## Wade E (Jan 14, 2013)

Yeah, I used 1 for years and it does work, just takes a long time! Usually 45 minutes for 6 gallons.


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## mdtrey12 (Jan 15, 2013)

Dave,

I too got a Vinbrite for Christmas and as soon as I opened it I ran two batches, a 6 Gal Riesling and a strawberry. I was impressed how well it does. I do not really worry about how long it takes, as I just let it go and keep messing around the house and check on it every once in awhile. I am a little anxious about using on some of the big heavy reds that I am aging..I might not. I bet this thing will put quite a polish on the DB??


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 15, 2013)

Thanks Dave! 

Would anyone worry about leaving a batch of wine exposed to air while doing this?


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## dangerdave (Jan 15, 2013)

Boatboy24 said:


> Thanks Dave!
> 
> Would anyone worry about leaving a batch of wine exposed to air while doing this?


 
The instructions suggested dosing the wine with sulphite prior to filtering for just that reason. I added 1/4 tsp to my six gallons, then filtered. The time frame is really pretty short. Like Wades said, about an hour to filter six gallons. So, the exposure is not a big concern, I would think.

I _am_ anxious to try it on a batch of the DB. I've got one clearing now, so.....soon.


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## g8keeper (Jan 15, 2013)

i have been using a vin brite filter since i first starting making wine back in '05, and i have ALWAYS been pleased with the results...never had an ill effects on my wine, and it just gleams once it's been run through the filter...and no, i am not one of those that tries to use it as an alternative to actually letting my wines clear....i always start with wines that have either been allowed to sit and age, or have cleared through the use of clearing agents....the only problem i ever have is trying to get the one end of the tubing to fit onto the end of my racking cane....lol...takes a little time and effort, but eventually it goes on....lol...


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## shoebiedoo (Jan 15, 2013)

dangerdave said:


> The instructions suggested dosing the wine with sulphite prior to filtering for just that reason. I added 1/4 tsp to my six gallons, then filtered. The time frame is really pretty short. Like Wades said, about an hour to filter six gallons. So, the exposure is not a big concern, I would think.
> 
> I _am_ anxious to try it on a batch of the DB. I've got one clearing now, so.....soon.



I'm curious why your using that anstead of a Whole House set up with the Allinone?


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## dangerdave (Jan 15, 2013)

I just never got around to getting the whole house set-up for the Allinone. It's my procrastination gene. It's hereditary.


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## Wade E (Jan 15, 2013)

If your low on funds and want to filter this is a nice thing to get. your wine should be pretty clear before using this or will clog up and then you're in a world of trouble.


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## dangerdave (Jan 15, 2013)

g8keeper said:


> the only problem i ever have is trying to get the one end of the tubing to fit onto the end of my racking cane....lol...takes a little time and effort, but eventually it goes on....lol...


 
I just happened to have some larger tubing on hand. It was big enough to fit snuggly over the kit's tubing and the racking cane. I cut a piece about four inches long to fit between the two, and now I keep it with the kit for future use.

And I agree with Wade---_again_. I would not want to try to filter wine any cloudier than what I pictured above. Clogging the filter during the process would be...problematic.


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## btom2004 (Jan 16, 2013)

I saw this photo posted in another thread, where you informed a newbie about how to bump up and tweak a kit wine. You said you added white rasins. I thought to myself...hmmm? I wonder if Dave filters his wine, that sure is clear. I have this same filter, but I have never used it. I'll make sure to use it on my Peach/combo wine, that's just not clearing fast enough.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 16, 2013)

Can you hook one of these up to a vacuum pump and pull the wine through instead of letting gravity do the work?


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## btom2004 (Jan 17, 2013)

I'm guessing with how fragile they are with just gravity. There's no way you should add a vacumm to it. I don't think you could even blow on them, as the other post imply without ripping the filter. You should be looking for a whole house filter to use with a pump.


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## Boatboy24 (Jan 20, 2013)

Based on this thread, I picked one of these up, since I had a kit coming from FineVineWines and could add it without any additional shipping. I ran my peach wine through it a little while ago and can't believe the difference. It really made the wine shine. I took pics, but the combo of a camera phone and bad lighting don't do them justice. So you'll just have to take my word for it.


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## dangerdave (Jan 21, 2013)

It does work pretty good for a cheap, simple, filter solution. I'm interested in comparing this to the hole-house filter using the Allinonewinepump, as soon as I get all my stuff.


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## drainsurgeon (Jul 3, 2016)

I know this is an old thread but I have a question. I've looked at the Vinbrite filter on several sites (Ebay is lowest at about $38 with shipping) and they all show 3 different filters with the kit. Crystalbrite, Filtabrite and Primepad. Are all 3 used at each filtering together? Or is only 1 filter used with specific mission to each pad? They seem to run about $2.50-3.00 per pad for reorders. Can some one give me more details on the use of the different filters and if you have a site where the kit or filters can be purchased for less? (I know, I'm a cheap-skate)


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## cintipam (Jul 3, 2016)

Drainsurgeon, I am the biggest cheapskate I know, and I will say with no hesitation that getting an All in One plus the whole house filter is the best deal around. You use the AIO for lots of different functions while speeding up your racking to lightning speed. The filters do a wonderful job, and can be found sometimes on clearance at cheap cheap cheap prices in bulk on Amazon. Plus for a few more bucks Steve has a foolproof bottle filler. Even a new gizmo that fills headspace in carboys. And never having to lift full carboys again...... priceless!!!

Seriously the best purchase I ever made for winemaking.

Pam in cinti


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## cintipam (Jul 3, 2016)

Forgot to add that the last poster (Danger Dave) wound up getting the All In One also. He has sung praises of the contraption many many times too. 

Pam in cinti


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## vacuumpumpman (Jul 3, 2016)

Actually Pam 
He was the first to post about the review of the Allinonewinepump !

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15976

I wish Dave spent more time on this forum - but since he retired he has been more busy than working I guess -


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