Pear Wine Haze

[Neil]

I have a pear wine that finished fermenting mid November. After racking off the initial lees, and then a second racking early December I have had it sitting in our cold barn. Night time temperatures have been in the 20s and 30s.

The wine seems to have a persistent heavy haze (no significant change and little new sediment). Question is should I just leave it longer or add something too assist clearing?

If I add something what would peoples suggestion be?

1. More Pectin Enzyme (initially had 1/2 tsp for 5 gallons)
2. Fining agent - if so what kind? I have Bentonite and Chitosan available.


Thanks
Neil

 

[Rice_Guy]

Pear is fairly high in pectin, I would vote for two to five teaspoons pectase. Part of the answer is due to pectase losing effectiveness in the presence of alcohol and part is that you are currently at low temperature (enzymes roughly double their reaction rate for every 10C / 20F increase in temperature up till 110/120 when most of them break down).

 

[Neil]

Pear is fairly high in pectin, I would vote for two to five teaspoons pectase. Part of the answer is due to pectase losing effectiveness in the presence of alcohol and part is that you are currently at low temperature (enzymes roughly double their reaction rate for every 10C / 20F increase in temperature up till 110/120 when most of them break down).

That was my first thought - hit it with more pectin Enzyme and if that fails look at a fining agent. I can always bring the wine back into the house and warm it up first.
Thanks

 

[Johnd]

That was my first thought - hit it with more pectin Enzyme and if that fails look at a fining agent. I can always bring the wine back into the house and warm it up first.
Thanks

Just as @Rice_Guy said, pear is high in pectin. If the dosage suggested above doesn't do the trick, consider adding another couple of tablespoons and giving that a chance to work. Your haze is most likely pectin, and the fining agents aren't going knock it out. Best bet is to exhaust your efforts on the pectic enzyme before trying the fining agents, you're not likely to overdose on pectic, but too much fining can strip some color / flavor from your wine.

 

[Raptor99]

My pear wine usually takes about 2 months to completely clear after the second racking. Giving it more time might help.

The most effective time to add pectic enzyme is before you add the yeast. The instructions on my package of pectic enzyme say to add 1/2 tsp. per gallon, so that would be 2.5 tsp. for 5 gallons.

 

[Venatorscribe]

I have a pear wine that finished fermenting mid November. After racking off the initial lees, and then a second racking early December I have had it sitting in our cold barn. Night time temperatures have been in the 20s and 30s.

The wine seems to have a persistent heavy haze (no significant change and little new sediment). Question is should I just leave it longer or add something too assist clearing?

If I add something what would peoples suggestion be?

1. More Pectin Enzyme (initially had 1/2 tsp for 5 gallons)
2. Fining agent - if so what kind? I have Bentonite and Chitosan available.


Thanks
Neil

Yep. Don’t panic - rack again in Spring. Just give it time

 

[Neil]

My pear wine usually takes about 2 months to completely clear after the second racking. Giving it more time might help.

The most effective time to add pectic enzyme is before you add the yeast. The instructions on my package of pectic enzyme say to add 1/2 tsp. per gallon, so that would be 2.5 tsp. for 5 gallons.

Thanks.

I did dose it before we started fermentation. I can see through the wine in the demijohn, its just hazy which is why I thought of Pectin haze. I was surprised that a week outside in the teen temperature we have been getting made no change.

 

[salcoco]

if pectin doesn't works could be protein haze. use bentonite in this case. in future add bentonite to juice or must pre-fermentation will help in clearing post fermentation