PEAR WINE SEPARATING?

[LONGHORNROBB]

I made some pear wine August/September 2021 and it's been just hanging out in the carboys since, inside a closet inside the house. It is clearing pretty well and the sediment has fallen to the bottom, but the wine is clearly separating (like a black-and-tan) beer. I'm pretty new to the game, can anyone tell me what's going on here and what I need to do about it? as soon as I can get this figured out, I'm going to rack one more time and then bottle

 

[ChuckD]

I think that’s just a normal progression of settling out the Lees. My apple wine does the same thing as it’s clearing. Have you tried adding pectin enzyme or any fining agents to help it clear?

 

[oppyland]

You can call it Tequilla Sunrise.

My pear never looked exactly like that, but it was difficult to clear. Chuck's advice is solid - if you haven't done yet, now's the time to try more pectic enzyme and/or fining agent (like Super Kleer).

 

[LONGHORNROBB]

thank you both. I think that'll be a good start...definitely not going to hurt anything.

 

[ChuckD]

It sure is pretty like that though. Do those of you experienced with fruit wines know if cold crashing will help speed clearing? I have heard it does with grape wines… along with other benefits.

 

[Jovimaple]

@LONGHORNROBB Welcome to WMT!

 

[Rice_Guy]

I have done cyser which settles sharper than your photo, but with two years age was still turbid so I bottled anyway.
Welcome to Wine Making Talk. , , , Longhorn as in U Texas.

 

[oppyland]

It sure is pretty like that though. Do those of you experienced with fruit wines know if cold crashing will help speed clearing? I have heard it does with grape wines… along with other benefits.

I tried cold crashing with my pear wine, and it didn't show immediate results. It may have helped though - certainly worth a try.

 

[ChuckD]

I have done cyser which settles sharper than your photo, but with two years age was still turbid so I bottled anyway.

I sure wouldn’t toss a perfectly good wine because it was a little hazy. It’s a cosmetic defect… if it tastes good drink it!

 

[winemaker81]

Do those of you experienced with fruit wines know if cold crashing will help speed clearing?

It depends on what is keeping the wine from clearing. If it's a pectin or protein haze, probably not.

 

[cmason1957]

To further the point Bryan makes above, it's probably pectin with a pear wine. Pectic enzyme is something you can add after fermentation, but add double or triple what the directions call for, alcohol makes it so it doesn't work as well. I had a pear that after the third time adding a triple dose of pectic enzyme it cleared out quite nicely. No harm done to taste or bouquet. It turned out to be one of the best pear wines I ever made.

 

[franc1969]

That's likely a pectin haze. Looks just like my pear, needs a lot of enzyme, but it won't hurt anything.

 

[LONGHORNROBB]

definitely be trying the triple pectic enzyme dose....then the other clearing agents...the taste is amazing...I added raisins (prolly where that darker color is coming from), and some peppercorns (VERY subtle tingle in the body). the haze is truly cosmetic, which I certainly don't want, but it's NOT going to go to waste.

 

[ChuckD]

and some peppercorns (VERY subtle tingle in the body).

The peppercorn addition is interesting. A lot like blending a sweet fruit wine with a hot pepper wine, which I have heard good things about.

 

[LONGHORNROBB]

I have done cyser which settles sharper than your photo, but with two years age was still turbid so I bottled anyway.
Welcome to Wine Making Talk. , , , Longhorn as in U Texas.

Class of 1996. Horns Up!