Clarifiers/Fining agents

[deboard]

Anyone know of a good guide to the many clarifying and fining agents out there? I know there a quite a few (bentonite, gelatin, isinglass, sparkelloid, etc). But as a newbie, I don't know when to use which, and often the best way to use them! Sometimes I see hazes, sometimes I see large particles, don't know which to use. I know I've seen a few explanations of specific ones, but bringing it all together would be nice.

 

[vvolf34]

For me after doing a few kits, every kit so far has had me add bentonite in the begining, then isinglass or etc. I just purchased 1 lb of bentonite and 10 packets of isinglass. Thats just me though.

 

[Wade E]

They all pretty much do the same thing but some are a little more harsh then others and harder to use. Some are negatively charged, some are positively charged and some are both. None of thedse will usually remove a protein or pectin haze though. Only pectic enzyme will remove a pectin haze and only. Polyclar will rid your wine of a protein haze.
http://www.leeners.com/chemical-finings.html

 

[Luc]

The best clarifyer is TIME.
Just be patience and most wines will clear all by their selves.

I never use any clearing or fining agents.

Luc

 

[bruno]

I just treated a 5 gal batch of cayuga white and a 3 gallons of apple wine that were started last fall. Both had remained somewhat hazy, especially the apple. I treated them with hot mix sparkaloid yesterday, and this morning, they are crystal clear. The sparkaloid formed some clumps in the wine which take a couple of days to fall, but this stuff seems to work great for me.

 

[deboard]

I agree Luc, so far mine have all cleared with time, and that's what I intend to do unless a problem comes up. But I'd like to understand the ones that are out there just in case!

 

[Omerta]

Anybody use Super-Kleer?

 

[Lurker]

What Omerta said. Super Kleer & enzymes in every wine, it works wonders. Sometimes time takes too long.

 

[Racer]

I've had a few wines that got stubborn on me too.Pear wine seems to give me problems everytime I make it.Super-kleer has never failed me yet when I've used it.

 

[Wade E]

I used to use fining agents all the time when I started. Now I only use it when I need it like peach wine or apple that just will not clear on its own. I typically only give my wine a 6 month time period to clear on its own and if its not clearing by then it gets SuperKleer KC and I must say this stuff works better then anything out there IMO!

 

[bdcl1977]

I am a newbie also and I am not sure if I can jump in here with almost the same question or start another thread but here it is. I have started my first batch of wine, it is a kit California Connoisseur Johannisberg Riesling by Vineco. I have planned to age the wine 45 to 60 days longer than the instruction in a carboy before I bottle. on day 22 the instructions (if on schedule) say stabilize and clarify. Should I wait on the clarification and let it do it on it's own.
If protocol should have been open a new thread please let me know. Sorry if I offended.

 

[Wade E]

I dont think that time span wil allow enough time to clear properly, it may clear some but without a fining agent it would still drop sediment in the bottles so either let it age about 4-6 months minimum after stabilizing or use the fining agent right when stabilizing.

 

[fizzerzz]

sparkalloid problem

Hi- I hope this the right thread. I recently used Sparkalloid to clear a slightly hazy gooseberry wine. The haze is now much worse! Do you think I should now use a negatively charged fining agent to clear my wine- If so what would you suggest?

 

[SBWs]

I just post this to my BLOG the other day: Do you know the difference between a new wine maker and a old-timer.

The new wine maker does everything he can to clear his wine so he has some wine to drink.

The old-timer sits back and drinks wine while watching his wine clear.

Now for the clearing agents here is a link that explains what most of them do: http://www.brsquared.org/wine/Articles/fining.htm