# Pectic Enzyme When?



## CoachPieps

I have been reviewing many Fruit Wine recipes; they all use Pectic Enzyme, but add it at different times. Some say mix all the ingredients and wait 24 hours and then pitch the yeast. Some say mix all the ingredients and wait 12 hours then add the Pectic Enzyme, wait 24 hours and pitch the Yeast. What are the opinions, add the Pectic Enzyme at the beginning or wait 12 hours?


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## surlees

As the recipes call for, you should add the pectic enzyme in advance to give it some time to begin breaking down the cell walls and releasing the juice. The more dense the fruit, the longer this takes. Unless your fruit is already mushy, I'd opt to allow 24 hours. In either case, it's probably not critical to the success of your fermentation, just the amount of juice you end up with.

Fred


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## djrockinsteve

I was taught to add the ingredients (enzyme, nutrient) at the beginning and at the same time. My yeast is added 15 minutes later. It makes sense to give it time to begin working but is that relevant when fermentation takes 6~7 days?

I have never had any problems.


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## St Allie

Pectic enzyme will NOT work effectively in the presence of an active yeast fermentation.

Follow the instructions, whether 12 or 24 hours before pitching yeast.. some fruits are tougher.. freezing fruit ahead of time, before making the wine, will always give you a head start.


should you find yourself stuck with a pectin haze after fermentation is complete.. you can add pectic enzyme then . It'll work fine .


Allie


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## BobF

CoachPieps said:


> I have been reviewing many Fruit Wine recipes; they all use Pectic Enzyme, but add it at different times. Some say mix all the ingredients and wait 24 hours and then pitch the yeast. Some say mix all the ingredients and wait 12 hours then add the Pectic Enzyme, wait 24 hours and pitch the Yeast. What are the opinions, add the Pectic Enzyme at the beginning or wait 12 hours?


 
PE use suggestions are most often either, a) add PE when you're adding k-meta, nutrients, etc., then wait 24 hours for yeast and b) wait 12 hours after adding k-meta for the PE, wait 12 hours, then add yeast.

Luc posted a link (that I can't find) to some testing he has done with PE. IIRC, he saw no problem adding PE at the same time as k-meta (normal doses of k-meta), but did see a problem with PE in the presence of alcohol. 

This suggests that PE should be added a minimum of 12 hours ahead of yeast, and can possibly be added as much as 24 hours in advance while adding the other ingredients.

I've done it both ways and haven't noticed any difference.

Maybe Luc will pop in with a link to his article.

Here's a link to Luc's article. Scroll down for english. I had the alcohol part 
wrong 

http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2008/01/avonturen-op-het-pecto-pad-deel-2.html


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## deboard

This is interesting, I've heard all of these different times, my jar of PE says to wait at least 12 hours I believe. I have read that it does not get along with K-meta as well, but I really have had no problems.


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## BobF

Here's a link to luc's article
http://wijnmaker.blogspot.com/2008/01/avonturen-op-het-pecto-pad-deel-2.html


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## Wade E

You should wait 12 hours so that the presence od sulfite has dropped down some and then add it then wait another 12 hours before adding your yeast. Also, pectic enzyme doesnt like high temps so dont go adding it after pouring boiling water over you fruit.


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## Leanne

I make many fruit wines and I always add the PE half way through the 24 waiting period. I have never had a problem with this method.


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## phaz3

I Added PE after Fermentation; I was going to ask this same question about 2 weeks ago


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## surlees

> I Added PE after Fermentation; I was going to ask this same question about 2 weeks ago



I think that the PE should always to added pre-fermentation. It helps breakdown cell walls and release juice making it available to be fermented. Also, it was mentioned above that PE in the presence of alcohol may be problematic. I'm not sure why because I know PE is used to remedy pectin haze after fermentation in the presence of alcohol. 

Fred


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## St Allie

as I mentioned earlier..


If you try adding pectic enzyme and the yeast in the same timeframe .. the huge initial yeast action counteracts the enzyme, it's not the alcohol, it's the yeast.

It simply prevents the enzyme from being effective.

That's basically the reason for the recipe methodology.

Allie


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## arcticsid

One time I mixed up my must and then realized I didn't have the Pectin E on hand I thought. I went ahead and pitched the yeast and when I tranfered it to the secondary, I went ahead and added the requested amount of PE, it seemed to do its thing. I figure this is NOT the correct time to add it, but it seemed to work. I agree with all of the above posts. I usually add it right away and let it sit for 12 hours, than add the Kmeta, and other things, let it sit 12 more hours, than pitch the yeast.

Seems like 24 hours for the PE is probably better however.

And welcome coach, former Milwaukee son here. Glad to see a neighbor here.


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## djrockinsteve

St Allie said:


> Pectic enzyme will NOT work effectively in the presence of an active yeast fermentation.
> 
> Follow the instructions, whether 12 or 24 hours before pitching yeast.. some fruits are tougher.. freezing fruit ahead of time, before making the wine, will always give you a head start.
> 
> 
> should you find yourself stuck with a pectin haze after fermentation is complete.. you can add pectic enzyme then . It'll work fine .
> 
> 
> Allie



This is interesting since I have never had a problem, not saying that I won't in the future. If P.E. won't work in the presence of an active yeast fermentation, ponder this.

If P.E. is added at the same time, (at least 24 hours after the addition of K-Meta), the yeast would not have become in full swing fermentation allowing the P.E. to work if not all then somewhat for at least the first 12 hours or so.

I can see seperating the two for fermenting fruit in a bag, but would the same apply for juice from Calif. or elsewhere?


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## TheWineBrewer

Hey I got a great video talking about pectin and pectic enzymes here:
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sH4qyDHfSc[/ame]


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## ibglowin

You realize this thread has been dead for almost 2 years?


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## Masbustelo

I believe in the resurection of the dead.


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## Julie

Most people do not see the dates of the last post and gets upset because they made a comment or gave advice and the originally poster is not responding. So normally we let the new poster know that this is an old thread.

Also, it is usually spammers who pull up old posts.


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## pkirtani

When making most fruit wines, I have always added all ingredients including Potassium metabisulphite and waited 24hrs to add yeast... has worked for me so far


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## bkisel

pkirtani said:


> When making most fruit wines, I have always added all ingredients including Potassium metabisulphite and waited 24hrs to add yeast... has worked for me so far



Same for me but often hit it again during bulk aging to help eliminate the haze that I'll sometimes get with my fruit wines.


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