Finer Wine Kit Finer Wine Kits (FWK) Not Clearing - Need Ideas!

[sluff]

The phenol content in most red grapes is high enough to stabilize protein, making protein haze in red wine less of a concern. The addition of oak helps as well. Anyway, you could test if bentonite helps on a small sample, take a 100 ml sample and add 0,1-0,2 g bentonite to it.

Very good idea. I’m going to try K&C first and see if that clears it up. If not I’ll try this. Thanks!

 

[bstnh1]

Any time I've run onto a clearing issue, I just gave it another does of Kieselsol/Chitosan and that took care of it.

 

[sluff]

Any time I've run onto a clearing issue, I just gave it another does of Kieselsol/Chitosan and that took care of it.

Thanks! Gonna do that today - as soon as FedEx arrives with the K&C.

 

[bstnh1]

Nope, FWK don't include bentonite. If you have pectin or protein haze, I don't believe fining will make any difference, and I suspect filtering won't, either.

I've been adding a few tablespoons of bentonite to the primary ever since I noticed they don't come with it. I have no idea if it helps or not. But I've had no problem with any of the FWK clearing other than one that took a little longer than I expected for the carbon to settle out.

 

[sluff]

I've been adding a few tablespoons of bentonite to the primary ever since I noticed they don't come with it. I have no idea if it helps or not. But I've had no problem with any of the FWK clearing other than one that took a little longer than I expected for the carbon to settle out.

Good idea. I am starting 2 more FWK kits tomorrow and will add a few tablespoons of bentonite to the primary. Can’t see that it would hurt anything…

 

[sluff]

Good idea. I am starting 2 more FWK kits tomorrow and will add a few tablespoons of bentonite to the primary. Can’t see that it would hurt anything…

Quick note: I just received my first "Tavola" FWK (Sauvignon Blanc) and it contains both carbon and bentonite.

 

[bstnh1]

Quick note: I just received my first "Tavola" FWK (Sauvignon Blanc) and it contains both carbon and bentonite.

Interesting. I did a Tavola Sauvignon Blanc in May '22 and it did not come with any bentonite. I checked my notes to be sure. I added my own bentonite. Also noticed that the Tavola Chardonnay I started in June '22 DID come with bentonite.

 

[sluff]

Interesting. I did a Tavola Sauvignon Blanc in May '22 and it did not come with any bentonite. I checked my notes to be sure. I added my own bentonite. Also noticed that the Tavola Chardonnay I started in June '22 DID come with bentonite.

Hmmmmmmmmmm

 

[joeswine]

Using bentonite tonight in the primary aids and clearing, it also aids in fermentation as the yeast wants to settle to the bottom it has a place for it to go and come back into the process

 

[sluff]

Using bentonite tonight in the primary aids and clearing, it also aids in fermentation as the yeast wants to settle to the bottom it has a place for it to go and come back into the process

You recommend adding bentonite to the FWK red wines? I’m starting another one tomorrow.

 

[joeswine]

I use it in every wine I’ve ever made.
If you follow me on my threads you’d see for yourself it works without question.

 

[Brant]

I use it in every wine I’ve ever made.
If you follow me on my threads you’d see for yourself it works without question.

Does bentonite strip color as well?

 

[bstnh1]

Using far too much bentonite can strip some color and also affect the body of the wine. But using recommended doses will not negatively affect it.

 

[Etxcav8]

I had similar clearing issues with FWK and another brand kit. I used additional kieselsol and chitosan, sometimes two applications of K/S before it cleared. On one of the packages of k/c I read the fine print and it said it will NOT clear wine made with hard water. I was using well water which was tested and it showed mid point between hard and soft. I have since switched to distilled water and have no more clearing issues.

 

[sluff]

I had similar clearing issues with FWK and another brand kit. I used additional kieselsol and chitosan, sometimes two applications of K/S before it cleared. On one of the packages of k/c I read the fine print and it said it will NOT clear wine made with hard water. I was using well water which was tested and it showed mid point between hard and soft. I have since switched to distilled water and have no more clearing issues.

Interesting… I have been using bottled spring water. I never thought to check the hardness in off the shelf spring water…

 

[sluff]

Interesting… I have been using bottled spring water. I never thought to check the hardness in off the shelf spring water. I just read this on the web: “ Since spring water emanates from underground water sources, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and electrolytes like magnesium and calcium from the rock. As a result, spring water is generally considered hard.”

 

[Brant]

Get an RO unit off amazon. They are not expensive, easy to install and will remove all minerals. I love mine. Water tastes great and is perfect for winemaking.

 

[bstnh1]

Get an RO unit off amazon. They are not expensive, easy to install and will remove all minerals. I love mine. Water tastes great and is perfect for winemaking.

This is from a wine making site in response to a readers question: "Let me start off by saying that using distilled water in a wine does not mean the wine is ruined. We do not recommend using distilled water because it may cause problems with the fermentation.

Distilled water is water that has been ran through a still, or rather, steamed from one vessel to the next. This process drives out all the free oxygen and leaves the trace minerals behind. This is significant to a fermentation."

Further on the response adds that if you are using distilled water, they recommend you add yeast nutrient to the primary, 1 tsp. per gallon.

Here's the link:
Did Using Distilled Water In My Wine Ruin It? - Wine Making and Beer Brewing Blog - Adventures in Homebrewing.

 

[Brant]

This is from a wine making site in response to a readers question: "Let me start off by saying that using distilled water in a wine does not mean the wine is ruined. We do not recommend using distilled water because it may cause problems with the fermentation.

Distilled water is water that has been ran through a still, or rather, steamed from one vessel to the next. This process drives out all the free oxygen and leaves the trace minerals behind. This is significant to a fermentation."

Further on the response adds that if you are using distilled water, they recommend you add yeast nutrient to the primary, 1 tsp. per gallon.

Here's the link:
Did Using Distilled Water In My Wine Ruin It? - Wine Making and Beer Brewing Blog - Adventures in Homebrewing.

I recommended an RO system. I didn't mention distilled water.

I would use tap water rather through a carbon filter before I would use distilled water.

Edit: the reason I bring this up is RO systems are cost effective. I do not have distillation equipment and wouldn't buy it. I just speaking to a cost effective approach to getting water that (I think) works well for winemaking and I do not need to purchase.

Also, I have not needed to change the process because I used RO water. I don't know about the necessity of a yeast nutrient. I've fermented without it and it worked fine.

 

[Brant]

And after a quick Google search it sounds like RO doesn't strip dissolved gases (O2, CO2) so that might be the one major difference between RO and distilled finished product

However, I would think that stirring the water/must (like during punch down) would reoxygenate it.