Clarifying Banana Wine with pectic enzyme

[Ericphotoart]

I am trying to clarify my banana wine with pectic enzyme. I backsweeten the wine March 17 and and April 8 I added 1/4 tsp per gallon of pectic enzyme. The wine cleared slightly but I can still see some haze. I use a strong flashlight and backlight the carboy. This is my method but I can clearly see if the wine is crystal clear or not. I heard that higher alcohol and cooler temperature doesn't help pectic enzyme to clear the wine. This is my first time using pectic enzyme for this purpose so I'm not sure if this is true or not. My banana wine is quite strong 15.5-16% and the carboy is in about 55F. How long it usually take to clear the wine with pectic enzyme?

 

[BigDaveK]

I've read many threads about using pectic enzyme for clearing. Haven't tried it myself yet but everyone swears it works.

My banana wine has been in secondary for about 5 days and I can see through about the top third of the carboy. Some serious lees going on. I used sliced banana disks in a brew bag. Did your recipe call for pectic enzyme?

 

[winemaker81]

I added 1/4 tsp per gallon of pectic enzyme.

Pectic enzyme is most effective before and during fermentation, so post-fermentation needs a double or triple dose. Also, your dosage seems low. Read your package and add double the recommended dosage.

 

[Ericphotoart]

Those are 2 pics taken now. I put some music notes in one pic for better contrast. You can see the wine is clear but when I look at it very close it still has suspended microscopic particles. Maybe I want to achieve something that can't be achieved. I added 1/4 tsp for 6 gallon fermenter at the very beginning of the fermentation per the recipe.

 

[winemaker81]

I added 1/4 tsp for 6 gallon fermenter at the very beginning of the fermentation per the recipe.

1/4 tsp for 6 gallons? If that isn't a typo, that's a miniscule amount.

Wine doesn't clear quickly on its own, it can take months. Adding more pectic enzyme will not hurt, then give it another month. Time is your friend!

 

[Jovimaple]

When I use pectic enzyme after fermentation, I double the dose shown on the package, as @winemaker81 suggests.

 

[Ericphotoart]

I will check the recipe but I’m pretty sure it was 1/4 tsp. The recipe was for 5 gallon . I think I will need to wait. I don’t want to disturb the wine now by stiring additional dosage

 

[winemaker81]

I will check the recipe but I’m pretty sure it was 1/4 tsp. The recipe was for 5 gallon . I think I will need to wait. I don’t want to disturb the wine now by stiring additional dosage

If the problem is pectic enzyme pectin haze, go ahead and add the enzyme. What settled before will settle again, and it will save a racking.

 

[Raptor99]

As @winemaker81 said, pectic enzyme works best if added before fermentation, but you can add it later if necessary. I added some at the beginning to my banana wine and it cleared nicely. I think that the dosage on my package is 1/2 tsp. per gallon, so 1/4 tsp in 5 gallons is not nearly enough.

I have discovered that pectic enzyme seems to work better at higher temperatures. I had a batch of hard cider last year that refused to clear over several months. Once the weather warmed up and my kitchen was around 74 degrees it cleared quickly. I didn't add anything else. The only difference was that the temperature went up.

That is backed up by this study: The Effects of Temperature on Pectic Enzyme Activity They found that the optimal temperature for pectic enzyme is 45 degrees C (= 113 degrees F). My kitchen isn't that hot, but 75 degrees F is better than 65 degrees F.

 

[winemaker81]

That is backed up by this study:

This is among the many things I love about this forum -- if one person doesn't know something, someone else does and/or has researched it.

 

[Ericphotoart]

Thnks. so it looks like nothing works in me benefit. The temperature is 55F, alcohol level high and amount of pectic enzyme was small at the start and too low now for the clearing purpose.