Sparkolloid to clarify pee?

[hobbyiswine]

I see that the skeeter pee directions say to use Sparkolloid to clarify and I have some. Directions on the bag say to add (1 tsp I think) to 2 cups boiling water per gallon of wine. This mean I need to add 6 tsp to 12 cups of water for 6 gallons of wine? seems like a lot of water. anyone had any luck using SuperKleer or Isinglass or a similar clarifying agent? Thanks for the help.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Sparkolloid is 1 teaspoon to 2 ounces of water per gallon of wine plus a lil extra for evaporation. Simmer 30 mins. and add hot. Stir well to blend and degas.

It works great.

 

[milbrosa]

My Sparkolloid Powder has slightly different instructions. It says to dissolve 1 tablespoon of powder in 1 cup (8 oz) of boiling water for 5 minutes. Add mixture to 6 US gallons of wine. Wait 1 week to rack or bottle.

A tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, so that is half of the amount that your directions would yield in six gallons of pee, djrockinsteve.

I'm making my first pee now and I'm about to add the sparkolloid, so I'm interested in knowing if 3 teaspoons in 6 gallons is sufficient, or if I should double that as you suggest.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Yes that tablespoon (3 teaspoons) in a cup of water (8 ounces) then boil will vaporize a few ounces bringing that solution down to what it should be.

The only concern I have is that the powder needs to convert to a positive material so it will grab all the negative particles and drag them to the bottom.

I'm not sure that 5 minutes is really sufficient to convert that. Only experiments would tell. Once I start the burner I check the clock. Add the sparkolloid and stir frequently for 30 minutes.

It takes about 10 minutes to come to a simmer so it has a good 20 minutes of simmering. My wines begin to show signs of clearing in a few hours.

Try your way and let us know.

 

[REDBOATNY]

I used super kleer last year when I made skeet. It did clear well but I had a very small deposit on the bottom of the bottles after about six months. I may not have waited long enough before bottling.

 

[milbrosa]

Try your way and let us know.

I'll do that. I have to doublecheck my gravity, but assuming it's fully dry now (it's been almost 2 weeks since first racking), I'll be racking tomorrow into a fresh carboy. This will be my second racking, and I'll be leaving behind a fair amount of sediment, maybe 1/2 inch.

When I rack, I'll be adding the kmeta, sorbate, and sparkolloid, and I'll report back in another couple of weeks on clearing progress.

 

[hobbyiswine]

The directions on my sparkolloid from my LHBS were a bit confusing so I had started this thread. My LHBS packages all their own additives and chemicals and prints the instructions on their own little labels and sticks them to the baggies. That's where my confusion started as the diections said "add one TSP per gallon of wine to 2 cups boiling water". I guess they are assuming for a 6 gallon batch you would have 6 TSP or 2 TBL added to 2 cups water. For what it is worth the info from djrockinsteve was very helpful. I followed his recommendations and my pee is CRYSTAL CLEAR! Thanks!

 

[djrockinsteve]

If you have a grape wine or other fruit you most likely will have lots of sediment from tiny pieces of pulp, skin, seeds etc. if you have a frozen concentrate then there will be much less sediment.

Using less sparkolloid for the concentrate would be fine. Your wine should clear on its own but more time may be required. Adding a cup of water to 6 gallons of wine I'd love to avoid but the sparkolloid contained in it clears my wines tremendously.

If you peer thru my wine bottles there is absolutely nothing floating. These directions came from the company that makes sparkolloid.

1 teaspoon of sparkolloid plus 2 ounces of water per gallon. There will be some evaporation but that is okay. If you need to add extra water if too much water evaporates that's okay too.

Add it hot to your mostly full Carboy thru a funnel and stir briskly. Top of more wine and stir top area if you can. Airlock and keep @ room temp.

I let it clear 6 weeks. 4 is good.