# Wine started to clear then became cloudy again??



## dtrues878 (Dec 21, 2010)

Hello this is my first batch or homemade wine that I have tried. It has been a little under a month and my airlock slowed down pretty much all the way to a stop but can still see little tiny bubbles sometimes. 

Anyways I racked my wine last night like I said it has been going for about a month. After I put the airlocks back on it started to clear up at the top and looked beautiful!!! But when I checked it again this morning it looked cloudy again. Not sure if I was supposed to taste the wine last night but I did bc I was currious and it taste good! 

One question I have is should I stop fermitation if the taste was satisfactory? Because I'm trying to get this wine out as Christmas presents... Also if I stop fermentation will it clear up faster? 

Thanks!
David


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## Runningwolf (Dec 21, 2010)

Dave first of all welcome to the forum. To help you out we need to know what kind of wine you are making and what was you starting sg and what was it when you racked it. It sounds like to me you still have some fermentation going on or gas. Is this a kit? Did you degas? Until your wine if fully degased it will not clear perfectly. I think to do this right you better give the recipients an IOU on the wine and let it finish correctly.
If you give them wine that is not finished yet, that is what they are going to remember about your wine. Give it some time.


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## dtrues878 (Dec 21, 2010)

Dan

Thanks for getting back to me. I used one packet of grape concentrate, 4 cups of sugar a third a packet of wine yeast, yeast nutrient, pectic enzyme, and filled the rest with spring water. I did not do sg readings or anything on my first batch just kinda winged it haha. But so far I am pretty satisfied.

I mean it taste great and strong even all cloudy when I sampled it last night then started to clear.


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## winemaker_3352 (Dec 21, 2010)

Welcome aboard!!

How much pectic did you add? How big a batch are you making?

You can try adding more pectic in - it could be pectin haze.

It could be protein haze as well - you could add bentonite to help drop that out.

Could just be sediment not falling out - you can add super kleer to drop that out.

If all else fails - filtration will do the trick.


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## xoltri (Dec 21, 2010)

My recommendation is to go purchase a hydrometer. You can't effectively make wine without one, and they are not expensive. Using it you can tell if the wine is finished fermenting. If it is then you can proceed to degassing, stabilizing and clearing.


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## dtrues878 (Dec 21, 2010)

Very true! I will be getting a hydrometer for my next batch. I don't think fermentation is fully complete but on the flip side I don't think I would want to drink anything any stronger than what it is right now...


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## Julie (Dec 21, 2010)

xoltri is right you need to get a hydrometer and you need to now. Do not try to stop a fermentation the chances of you doing that effectively is very slim and without the hydrometer you do not know if your wine is done fermenting.


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## dtrues878 (Dec 21, 2010)

Julie

I was checking out the batches you have done. Did you Welch's white grape rasberry turn out ok? I was told that anything with potasium metadisulfite wouldn't work? Did he just not know what he was talking about? Because I have 4 cans in the freezer that I didnt think I could use. If so i'm excited!


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## sly22guy (Dec 21, 2010)

Do your self a favor and buy 2 hydrometers! That way when you break your first one you will still have a spare!! 

You can't rush wine your wine is no where near ready, even kit wines require 3 months. the little bubbles are more than likely gas. you should degas it and let it sit! Give them out for Valentines day instead or on there birthdays. 
If you give them crappy wine once that is all they will remember. 

There are some great Tutorials on here def check them out, they will help you a ton! & get a hydrometer! Welcome to the club, this is were a hobby turns into an addiction!


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## Julie (Dec 21, 2010)

dtrues878 said:


> Julie
> 
> I was checking out the batches you have done. Did you Welch's white grape rasberry turn out ok? I was told that anything with potasium metadisulfite wouldn't work? Did he just not know what he was talking about? Because I have 4 cans in the freezer that I didnt think I could use. If so i'm excited!



It turned out great, actually I will be making a bigger batch once I have a free carboy. Sulfites are not the problem it is sorbate. If it has sorbate in it the chances of you getting fermentation to start are slim to none.


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## JordanPond (Dec 21, 2010)

sly22guy said:


> Do your self a favor and buy 2 hydrometers! That way when you break your first one you will still have a spare!!
> 
> se



 Reading thru the forums I thought it would never happen to me. (Must be the indestructible nubie syndrom) And then it happend... I was cleaning my hydromenter and I squeezed too hard and it shattered in my hand. Fortunately no blood. I headed off the the local supply shop and bought TWO.


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## Runningwolf (Dec 21, 2010)

Thanks for sharing that, I broke mine when it rolled off the table.


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## sly22guy (Dec 22, 2010)

lol yeah my wine making area is not to forgiving, Tile floors, tile counter tops, & the back wall by the sink is fake stone!


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## grapeman (Dec 22, 2010)

I know others have said it already, but let this one sit out this Christmas. To give for Christmas gifts, a wine should be started a minimum 3-6 months ahead of time and preferably a year. Give it awy next Christmas. There is no way in heck even if it was stopped from fermenting that you could get it clear and stabilized in 3-4 days. You would just end up giving away fizzy wine and possibly bottle bombs!


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## Tom (Dec 22, 2010)

This is where The "3 P's" come in...


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## frohe (Dec 22, 2010)

Runningwolf said:


> Thanks for sharing that, I broke mine when it rolled off the table.



I've broken 2 now. Yeah I know; some folks just learn slowly. 

I keep a washcloth on the counter when I'm working on my wines to lay my hydrometer on so it don't roll off like the first one and hit the floor.


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## JohnT (Dec 22, 2010)

I made this right after I broke my last one. Holds Thermometers and hydrometers, and test tubes, and syringes, Made out of solid oak, I finished it off with food grade polyurethane. It is heavy and solid and I no longer need to lay my hydrometers down.....


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## BobF (Dec 22, 2010)

As others have said, there isn't a lot to go on without SG readings, so here is my best guess:

When you racked there was still residual sugar and the exposure to o2 while racking kicked the yeast into another round of fermentation.


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## JohnT (Dec 22, 2010)

BobF said:


> As others have said, there isn't a lot to go on without SG readings, so here is my best guess:
> 
> When you racked there was still residual sugar and the exposure to o2 while racking kicked the yeast into another round of fermentation.



Or it could have simply been caused by a temperature drop.


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## sly22guy (Dec 22, 2010)

Nice Rack John! lol that def came out wrong! My luck i would knock the whole rack over and break everything in one clip.


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## JohnT (Dec 22, 2010)

sly22guy said:


> Nice Rack John! lol that def came out wrong! My luck i would knock the whole rack over and break everything in one clip.



Nice to see that you are secure in you masculinity!! 


The base of the stand is very heavy. Rather hard to tip it over.


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## Brian (Dec 22, 2010)

JohnT said:


> I made this right after I broke my last one. Holds Thermometers and hydrometers, and test tubes, and syringes, Made out of solid oak, I finished it off with food grade polyurethane. It is heavy and solid and I no longer need to lay my hydrometers down.....



Great Idea John! I think I will make one of these tonight! I will use some scrap PVC boards I have laying around just waiting for me.. Mine will not look as good as yours though..


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## JohnT (Dec 22, 2010)

Brian said:


> Great Idea John! I think I will make one of these tonight! I will use some scrap PVC boards I have laying around just waiting for me.. Mine will not look as good as yours though..



Yup, the thing looks good, but that was not my goal. 

I don't care if the thing looks like Bea Aurther (if it helps to keep my hydrometers safe).


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## Brian (Dec 22, 2010)

You got that right.. in 8-9 months I have broken two.. so this will pay for itself!


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## JohnT (Dec 22, 2010)

Brian said:


> You got that right.. in 8-9 months I have broken two.. so this will pay for itself!



I also break thermometers and test tubes (for acid testing). This sucka will hold them all.


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## sly22guy (Dec 22, 2010)

Lol yeah, i think i better build one of these too, ill probly attach mine to my bar. I have cats that like to tip things over.


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## Runningwolf (Dec 22, 2010)

John I like the way the rack came out. Nice idea. I have one high range hydrometer that I keep protected in a 1" PVC tube and I glued one cap on and the other end has a screw cap on it. This is not as accessible as yours but I'll probably only use it once a year.


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## JohnT (Dec 22, 2010)

Runningwolf said:


> John I like the way the rack came out. Nice idea. I have one high range hydrometer that I keep protected in a 1" PVC tube and I glued one cap on and the other end has a screw cap on it. This is not as accessible as yours but I'll probably only use it once a year.



Wolf, 

This makes sense (and I should make one up too) for the long periods of time that I do not need a hydrometer. Can you provide pictures? Also include a tape measure in the photo so I can judge size?


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## Runningwolf (Dec 22, 2010)

John here is a picture I already had loaded. I cut the pipe to the length of the hydrometer. With the end caps added this left plenty of space for some foam on the top and bottom for cushion. I had some thin foam I was able to wrap around the hydrometer before inserting it in the pipe. I am not confident on a 6' drop but it'll take plenty of banging around in a cupboard or drawer. I could guess and tell you it's 8" but I am always off and it ends up being much larger.


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## JohnT (Dec 23, 2010)

Thanks, 

Is this a 3/4" pipe?


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## Runningwolf (Dec 23, 2010)

Sorry Jon, I lied. It is 3/4".


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## JohnT (Dec 23, 2010)

When will they ever make one out of polycarbonate?


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