D-Kieselsol / Clarifier with wine kit

[purpletongue]

I skipped adding the D-Kieselsol during my second racking yesterday, as my kit suggests. I could add it today, but I originally kept it out because I thought it's not really neccessary and has shellfish ingredients that can pose an allergy risk. Further, I plan on skipping the final clarifier on the final racking for the same reasons. Any suggestions whether it was the right call? Interested how many people include it or skip it.

 

[salcoco]

normally they must be added within one hour of each other. the shell fish allergy is not an issue with this clarifier something to do as to how it is processed. contact the kit manufacturer and they should set you straight. Other wise you can leave out both elements of clarifier and the wine will clear on it own, might take a few months.

 

[purpletongue]

normally they must be added within one hour of each other. the shell fish allergy is not an issue with this clarifier something to do as to how it is processed. contact the kit manufacturer and they should set you straight. Other wise you can leave out both elements of clarifier and the wine will clear on it own, might take a few months.

I see thanks for the insight.

 

[crushday]

If you can wait it out, the wine will clear on its own without the use of clarifiers. All you need is time. I haven’t used any clarifires for a LONG time...

 

[purpletongue]

If you can wait it out, the wine will clear on its own without the use of clarifiers. All you need is time. I haven’t used any clarifires for a LONG time...

It'd be nice to enjoy some while letting some age longer. Does bottling when it's not entirely clear ok? I imagine it would settle and clear a bit in the bottle?

 

[crushday]

It'd be nice to enjoy some while letting some age longer. Does bottling when it's not entirely clear ok? I imagine it would settle and clear a bit in the bottle?

This is a good question. Is it ok? You will get sediment (fall out) in the bottle. If that’s ok to you, then yes. But if you share your work with others, most are turned off by sediment.

Proceed judicially...

 

[purpletongue]

This is a good question. Is it ok? You will get sediment (fall out) in the bottle. If that’s ok to you, then yes. But if you share your work with others, most are turned off by sediment.

Proceed judicially...

Well said. I'm noticing b/c I left my 1st rack from ferm on the lee's so long (about 4 weeks I think - I added malolactic), that the wine now coming off from the 2nd rack is actually remarkably clear already. *Note: I'm newbie, this is my first batch

 

[cmason1957]

Well said. I'm noticing b/c I left my 1st rack from ferm on the lee's so long (about 4 weeks I think - I added malolactic), that the wine now coming off from the 2nd rack is actually remarkably clear already. *Note: I'm newbie, this is my first batch

Afm I understanding that this is a wine kit and you added malolactic bacteria? If so, be certain not to add potassium sorbate. Or will leave your wine with a taste of geraniums, which cannot be fixed. Generally malolactic isn't done in nnn a wine kit, due to how wine kits are balanced.

 

[purpletongue]

Afm I understanding that this is a wine kit and you added malolactic bacteria? If so, be certain not to add potassium sorbate. Or will leave your wine with a taste of geraniums, which cannot be fixed. Generally malolactic isn't done in nnn a wine kit, due to how wine kits are balanced.

Yep, I've been made aware of this and didn't add it. Thx!

 

[GR!]

Out of curiosity, what kit are you making?

 

[purpletongue]

Out of curiosity, what kit are you making?

Cabernet Sauvignon Fontana

 

[winemaker81]

normally they must be added within one hour of each other.

Some kits say to wait 24 hours. I have not researched why the wait, as most kits say to wait 5 minutes.

@purpletongue -- you're making a dry wine, so there is no need to add sorbate. Kits that have residual sugar need sorbate to prevent a renewed fermenation, dry wines don't. The kit vendors add sorbate to all kits to avoid in-bottle fermentation -- people that don't follow the directions and bottle a supposedly dry wine that has sugar will blow corks and make a mess (plus lose wine!).

There is a lot of disagreement on usage of fining agents and filtering. Each has pros and cons, so it's a personal decision.

My main reason for using fining agents is the wine comes out crystal clear and I get no sediment in the bottle, even after years of storage. Prior to using fining agents, my results were mixed -- some dropped sediment in the bottle while others didn't. And some wines (mostly non-grape) just don't want to clear on their own.

I also like that the wine drops the sediment much quicker (days instead of weeks or months). Once the sediment is gone, the only need is to add sulfite every 3 months in bulk storage (and there is controversy if THAT is actually needed ....).