Isinglass or Bentonite or...?

[cintipam]

Also, here is a link to a tutorial about fining agents. It is in the tutorial forum. There is a lot of good info there, but I agree searching this forum isn't easy. I usually just do a google, on bentonite I had to add the word wine to get it wine specific.

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f71/understanding-fining-agents-16678/

BTW if you did 2 tsp kmeta you didn't ruin your wine. Esp since it is young. But be aware you overdid it and use far less (1/4 tsp total per each big 5 or 6 gall carboy) next time.

Pam in cinti

 

[Just-a-Guy]

Just reread your note about how you did the bentonite. sounds like that was good but did I read you put 2 t (teaspoons) in EACH carboy of Kmeta? normal dose is 1/4 tsp per each 5 or 6 gallon carboy. I just wanted to be sure since you are kinda new to wine.

Pam in cinti

Um... yeah, 2 tsp p CB. Yikes. Not sure where I got that, maybe I just read it wrong... Whaddaya reckon will happen?

 

[cintipam]

what is p CB?

 

[Just-a-Guy]

what is p CB?

Sorry. Per carboy (I should remember this forum is not my wine journal). These are 5 gal carboys, filled to the neck.

 

[cintipam]

figured it out. per carboy.

Ok, you used way too much. luckily the stuff only lasts limited length of time, and stirring will help work some off. So give it a couple big stirs, then don't worry about it till time to add more. Then add the 1/4 tsp per carboy.

At this point you do have too much, only real problem is that if you tried to drink the wine you would taste it. Since it is too young to drink as I said give it a couple good stirs and forget about it .

Pam in cinti

 

[Just-a-Guy]

Thanks, Pam. Appreciate the help!

Mark

 

[cintipam]

You prob got it from the directions. Kmeta is used for 2 diff purposes. In first step of winemaking to stun wild yeast or later for protecting the wine or it is 1/4 tsp per 5 or 6 gallons.

However kmeta also makes a very effective sanitizing solution that is made much much stronger. Those directions are also on the label and I bet you read that. This is an important difference to remember.

Pam in cinti

 

[T-n-T]

Thanks Heather and Pam.

I've racked both the DB and the grape with the allineone; I've racked the DB twice with the allinone. In addition, I have pumped one of those silly wine vacs til I thought I was gonna go nuts. I'm getting nothing from the DB - if I pump long enough, I can get a few large bubbles to come up. The grape I am down to a handful of large bubbles when I pump hard -- I don't think it's CO2 in either case. (I have a brake bleeder on order, but I think the vacu vin or whatever it is seems to work ok if you have the patience).

My plan is to rack all the wines again in the next few days (first time for the pear), using the allinone, and in the process add a fining agent. Then let them sit for a week or so, then rack again and add sorbate, wait a week, then back sweeten to taste. Then wait another week and filter using the allineone and whole house setup I bought. Then bottle.

Hey, I'm not making fine cabs here... just some quick fruit wines for fun.

From what I've been able to determine from reading, no one agrees about much of anything when it comes to fining agents. Some say always use bentonite, some say never. Some say use it in the primary, some say use it in the secondary. Etc.

I think since I have some I will use it in this racking, then maybe consider some isinglass when I rack to add the sorbate (in a week or so). Unless someone tells me this is a bad plan....

Mark

Edit: I'll read the bottling thread now, thanks! (OK - I've read that thread before, got it!)

Second Edit: I'm familiar with bottle bombs from brewing. So is my wife, unfortunately....

Hi, it's TnT in Venice

I found this thread and it appears great so far - I like it! Trying to speed up clarification can often be futile and even strip some nice flavors. I've used them all and they can be tricky. We have found, time is the best clarifier. More concerning is back sweetening. This can also be a frustrating experience for beginners. Just remember sorbates and sulfites don't stop fermentation, they pause it for a period of time (unless you keep adding more which is not ideal). When you sweeten back, yeast - even though you think there are non from sorbating or sulfiting - fermentation can often restart. And, yes, even in bottles. Another thing that can help against fermentation starting again is the alcohol level (depending on the yeast used). If you have a pretty high alcohol level plus sorbate, fermentation is less likely to start back up when back-sweetened. If your alcohol is less than 12 or 13, take caution and don't bottle too soon (to see if fermentation restarts). Remember, different yeasts have different tolerances to alcohol. I suggest you experiment with different clarifiers. Next time make a gallon extra and play with the gallon batch instead of your five-gallon batch. You can always find what you like best (regarding retaining flavor and clarity) and then apply that to your bigger batch. Also, different fruits can respond somewhat differently to clarifiers. We have used many things in the past many years including peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, apples, oranges, grapefruits, crabapples, prickly pears, persimmons, loquats, and others I can't think of right now. Remember, winemaking is a time-involved contact sport - patience is a virtue - and trying to rush things can often be ruinous.

 

[winemanden]

Thanks Heather and Pam.

I've racked both the DB and the grape with the allineone; I've racked the DB twice with the allinone. In addition, I have pumped one of those silly wine vacs til I thought I was gonna go nuts. I'm getting nothing from the DB - if I pump long enough, I can get a few large bubbles to come up. The grape I am down to a handful of large bubbles when I pump hard -- I don't think it's CO2 in either case. (I have a brake bleeder on order, but I think the vacu vin or whatever it is seems to work ok if you have the patience).

My plan is to rack all the wines again in the next few days (first time for the pear), using the allinone, and in the process add a fining agent. Then let them sit for a week or so, then rack again and add sorbate, wait a week, then back sweeten to taste. Then wait another week and filter using the allineone and whole house setup I bought. Then bottle.

Hey, I'm not making fine cabs here... just some quick fruit wines for fun.

From what I've been able to determine from reading, no one agrees about much of anything when it comes to fining agents. Some say always use bentonite, some say never. Some say use it in the primary, some say use it in the secondary. Etc.

I think since I have some I will use it in this racking, then maybe consider some isinglass when I rack to add the sorbate (in a week or so). Unless someone tells me this is a bad plan....

Mark

Edit: I'll read the bottling thread now, thanks! (OK - I've read that thread before, got it!)

Second Edit: I'm familiar with bottle bombs from brewing. So is my wife, unfortunately....

I think that what we're all agreed on is patience. Patience is a key ingredient!!

 

[Biggz]

I bought some bentonite to use on my wine, mixed some up and that crap was like cement..i decided to go against the clearing agents and just let the clarity happen on its own and it will. The wine was nice and clear by the time i got to drinking it and the mead is still sitting and getting more clear everyday.