Clearing crab apple

[Elmer]

I have a gallon of crab apple/apple (1/2 gall crab apple, 1/2 gallon apple)
I hit it with sparkalloid last week and as of today nothing has cleared.
I know I had used sparkalloid with a batch of apple awhile back it worked well.
However this time it seems to be the crab apple haze which just keeps it cloudy.
I do have 3 pouches of superkleer but I really don't want to use it.
I think cold storage would take way too long.
Does gas prevent sparkalloid from clearing? I did degass.
Is there something else that clears haze?

 

[roger80465]

' Clearing crap apple'

I might change the name of the wine. Just a suggestion.

 

[Arne]

Try hitting it with some pectic enzime. Sounds like maybe a pectic haze. And crap apple is right when things are not going right. LOL, Arne.

 

[Elmer]

' Clearing crap apple'

I might change the name of the wine. Just a suggestion.

Meant to type "Crab" !!
That is what I get for trying to post at the end of a long snow filled day.
Damn Iphone keys and meaty thumbs!

I will give the peptic a try.
I am so over this batch. I am making it for a friend at her request (her crab apple juice).
I gave a smell and taste and it is not for me!
I want it cleared, bottled and gone!

 

[Turock]

Sparkaloid has a positive charge---as does protein. So if you have a protein haze, adding more of an agent with the same charge won't induce clearing. Hit it with a small dose of bentonite now, which has a negative charge. Then it should clear.

 

[Elmer]

I spent a good 20 minutes and degassed the heck out of it.
Now just added 2 tbs of bentonite (per direction ).
This is my first time ever using bentonite that did not come with a kit.

I was astonished at the prep work involved in bentonite. Boiling, letting it sitt all night, smoothing out.

Just hope it work, otherwise I may be ready to flush this batch

 

[Turock]

Don't get too frustrated, Elmer. We have used bentonote a number of times on cloudy wine in the secondary, and it always worked well.

Now, we use bentonite in the primary for all the wines we make that we know will have clearing issues. It really works great in the primary.

Be sure that this wine is on the warm side---move it to a warm area if you can because bentonite works better in the secondary if the wine is warm.

 

[Elmer]

I added a dose of sparkalloid, result =nothing

I added a dose of speedy bentonite, result =nothing

I added 3/4 tbs peptic enzyme
Result = clear.

Now to sweeten, age, bottle!

 

[jamesngalveston]

elmer..did you use a powder pectin enzyme are the liquid pectin enzyme...just curious....looks to have a nice color...if your freind likes
crap, (crab apple) she should like the wine.

 

[Elmer]

elmer..did you use a powder pectin enzyme are the liquid pectin enzyme...just curious....looks to have a nice color...if your freind likes
crap, (crab apple) she should like the wine.

Powder,
The same stuff I usually toss in to DB, I just happened to have a packet sitting around

And I have no idea why the pictures posted twice.
I tried to edit, but it only shows 1 sent of pictures

 

[AcreageWine]

I have a batch of crab apple wine that has been ranked twice, started in Sep27. It’s is very slowly clearing. Should I give it more time or try pectin?

 

[cmason1957]

I have a batch of crab apple wine that has been ranked twice, started in Sep27. It’s is very slowly clearing. Should I give it more time or try pectin?

I am a firm believer that trying pectic Enzyme in an apple or pear that won't clear is never a bad idea. Use more than is normally called for (I usually triple the amount called for) since the alcohol cuts down on the effectiveness of the pectic enzyme. I had a pear that I had to add pectic enzyme to twice after fermentation to fully clear.

 

[AcreageWine]

So how would you suggest adding it? Thief some wine and mix in and pour back or rank and add to carboy first?

 

[cmason1957]

So how would you suggest adding it? Thief some wine and mix in and pour back or rank and add to carboy first?

Either way is probably fine. Looking at your carboy, it doesn't look like you have a large layer of lees on the bottom of the carboy, so I would probably thief out about 4 or 5 times as much (or more) wine as pectic enzyme and mix it in really well, then add back into the carboy. If you go the rack route, I would rack and when the pectic enzyme is thoroughly covered give the whole thing a good mix by picking up the carboy and shaking. As I recall, it wasn't a quick clear, I don't have my notes in front of me (disadvantage of not keeping them electronic), but I seem to remember keeping it warmer than normal, like at room temp in the house and waiting 2-4 weeks for something to happen, then racking and repeating.

 

[AcreageWine]

Complete. I used pectin about 3-4 weeks ago and bottles last week. It needs to age and mellow even more but I am very impressed with what has turned out to be a soft rose. Another 3-6 months and it will be fantastic. Definitely doing another batch with coming year.

 

[AcreageWine]

Here is some of the batch

 

[winemaker81]

@AcreageWine, that's a pretty color!

I'm with @cmason1957, pectic enzyme fixes a lot of problems in fruit wines. I add it before fermentation for all non-grape wines.

 

[mikewatkins727]

@AcreageWine, that's a pretty color!

I'm with @cmason1957, pectic enzyme fixes a lot of problems in fruit wines. I add it before fermentation for all non-grape wines.

Same here plus a large dose of patience, if I can.