# Sterile filtering to remove cream of tartar?



## FTC Wines (Jul 18, 2015)

We are sterile filtering ( .45 micron) & bottling 10 gals of 2014 Peach wine today. Will also use the $14 filter to filter Mango & cranberry. The cranberry's ph was 3.05, so I hit it with 1/4 tsp of acid reducing crystals, pot bi carb. Directions say to cold stabilize for 30 days to remove cream of tartar crystals. Will the .45 micron filter remove the cream of tartar? THe pot bi carb has only been in the wine for 2 days, probably not long enough. Or should I try & cold stabilize too. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Roy


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## GreginND (Jul 18, 2015)

The main acid in cranberries is citric acid. They also contain malic acid. There isn't any tartaric acid so you won't have any potassium bitartrate produced. Cold stabilization won't help out here as the potassium citrates and malates are soluble.


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## stickman (Jul 18, 2015)

It is best to cold stabilize to ensure crystallization of the tartrate and to allow settling. If you filter now, some dissolved tartrate will pass the filter and crystals will form in the wine later in bottle. You also risk plugging the filter element if you attempt filtration now without settling.


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## vacuumpumpman (Jul 18, 2015)

@ FTCWines 

Where and what type of filter are you using at .45 micron ?


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## FTC Wines (Jul 18, 2015)

Greg, the acid reducing crystals I used said cream of Tatar will form & I should cold stabilize for 30 days to remove the crystals. 
Steve, I got the filters from McMaster-Carr. But they are .35 micron, not .45. Think I'll sterile bottle - rack all but the cranberry, which I'll cold stabilize. 
Thanks for the quick responses. Roy. Ps type of filter is high capacity 10" .35 mic # 45235K94, $13.45 ea.


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## stickman (Jul 18, 2015)

My mistake, Greg is correct, if there is no tartaric acid in the wine, then tartrates will not form.


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## FTC Wines (Jul 18, 2015)

Ok, think I have a plan now. I'll filter, bottle everything, then lastly I'll filter, rack the cranberry & let it sit for another 3 ish months. I'll check ph in another week & see if my adjustment did any good. Thanks. Roy


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## vacuumpumpman (Jul 18, 2015)

FTC Wines said:


> Greg, the acid reducing crystals I used said cream of Tatar will form & I should cold stabilize for 30 days to remove the crystals.
> Steve, I got the filters from McMaster-Carr. But they are .35 micron, not .45. Think I'll sterile bottle - rack all but the cranberry, which I'll cold stabilize.
> Thanks for the quick responses. Roy. Ps type of filter is high capacity 10" .35 mic # 45235K94, $13.45 ea.



Thanks for your response - 

Those are the ones that I suggest as well - they are very reasonable for the price.


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## FTC Wines (Jul 18, 2015)

Just finished bottling the first carboy. The .35 filter worked perfectly, first time I ever used this fine of a filter. Trust my Peach wine will be crystal in years to come. It was that way before bottling! Roy


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## GreginND (Jul 18, 2015)

FTC Wines said:


> Greg, the acid reducing crystals I used said cream of Tatar will form & I should cold stabilize for 30 days to remove the crystals.



Yes, these instructions are correct for GRAPE wines. Cranberries don't have tartaric acid, so no tartrates will be produced.


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## FTC Wines (Jul 18, 2015)

Greg, thanks again, after reading ur previous post a third time I realized what U were saying. I will check PH in a few days & see if the acid reducing crystals did anything to raise my cranberry's PH. Roy


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## ffemt128 (Jul 20, 2015)

The question still remains, will sterile filtering .45 or lower remover suspended tartrate crystals?


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## FTC Wines (Jul 20, 2015)

Doug, I have been asking myself that also. I filtered my Cranberry with a .35 micron filter, see no diff in taste, color etc. Looks a tad clearer, but it was very clear before. After 3 days from putting in the acid reducing crystals the PH only went up .002. Was expecting a bigger increase. Will check again in 2 weeks. If no increase will try again, or something else.Roy


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## cmason1957 (Jul 20, 2015)

Not really sure why you expected more of a drop than that. Like Greg said, there isn't much tartaric acid in cranberries. What isn't there can't drop out. Can't change the pH very much.


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## FTC Wines (Jul 20, 2015)

OK, C mason & others, what can I do to raise the PH of my Cranberry Wine? Don't want to dilute it. Just wnt to lower the PH So it's not do tart. We are OK with the taste as it is, BUT, think it would be much better if it wasn't soooo acidic. Roy


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## Runningwolf (Jul 20, 2015)

FTC you can blend it with another wine with less acid. If it was mine I would just add additional sugar to balance out the tartness. It will come across as being more balanced rather than too sweet due to the sugar increase.


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## cmason1957 (Jul 20, 2015)

What Dan said. Sweeten it up and the pH will be okay. I have a cranberry myself that is fairly tart and plan to do the same.


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## FTC Wines (Jul 21, 2015)

Thanks, we will do some bench tests & try back sweeting. We have been trying to make all our wines drier, but maybe Cranberry should be an exception. It's mostly for Thankgiving anyway, where many like a little sweeter wine than we do. Roy


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