what is the white stuff floating in my wines?

[buffalofrenchy]

I am looking for someone who has seen this white stuff before and could identify it. I noticed this so far in two different wines: dragon's blood and this white grape peach wine. I have not seen it in my kits wine but I didn't use clear bottles for any of the kits that I have made so perhaps I just can't see it. This white stuff is actually faint. You need good lighting and angle to see it. It looks like a cloud of smoke developping as you move the bottle...

Any idea? could it be simply that I tend to rush these wines? 4 weeks for drangon's blood and 6 weeks for this one hence some lees still appear - compared to my kit wines which I usually do in about 13 weeks? Do I simply think too much about it?

No foul odor nor taste with either wines.

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[dangerdave]

Leftover sediment. Probably sparkolloid residue, if that's what you used. A little sediment is not considered a flaw in home made wines. Filtering will remove this in the future. or waiting longer for it to fall out.

 

[buffalofrenchy]

Yes I used sparkolloid. Thanks for the feedback and glad to hear I don't have to worry about it.

 

[salcoco]

it maybe dead yeast as well. I would wait a little longer on your next batches and make sure everything has settled out. sometimes filtering may be necessary.

 

[ibglowin]

Agree with the others but also wanted to say excellent job of photographing the issue! Well done.

 

[Boatboy24]

Yep, I've got some of those. Premature bottling syndrome.

 

[manvsvine]

What so2 did you use?
How old are the wines?

Lab spoilage looks a bit like that .

 

[buffalofrenchy]

Not sure what you mean by what SO2 i used?
Wine is young. Been in bottle for a month.

 

[manvsvine]

It's probably yeast lees from bottling to early then.

If it was older and no so2 was added , it could be lab bacterial spoilage .

 

[GeoS]

I see that in the carboy when I use sparkaloid. When I bottle I only put the racking cane down 1/2 way and slowly inch it down as it empties to avoid picking up the sediment. Try filtering before bottling. I think its just sediment from the sparkaloid.

 

[GeoS]

Manvsvine, how do you add SO2, I have never heard about that. SO2 is sulfur dioxide and has that rotten egg smell.

 

[bakervinyard]

I don't know if this in the right post however, I have a white film on the top of my kit wine. I've been bulk ageing for a couple of months. I had added a grape pack of merlot grapes I had in the freezer from last fall into the primary. I made 2 kits the same no film on the second one. Any thoughts ? Bakervinyard

 

[buffalofrenchy]

You should post a picture

 

[jojabri]

I'd agree, that looks like what I call "Sparkolloid Fluff". I see that a lot on my rushed wines. In fact, I'm considering going to superkleer once I've used up all my Sparkolloid.

 

[GeoS]

Bakervinyard, if you can, post a picture.
Not sure when you added the grape pack. Was it pre ferment? What does the white film look like?

 

[bakervinyard]

Bakervinyard, if you can, post a picture.
Not sure when you added the grape pack. Was it pre ferment? What does the white film look like?

Not sure if I can post a picture just got an I-Phone and still learning how to use it, Lol. The grape pack was added pre-ferment. The white film is almost like a thick paste like consistaince. I gently poured some bottled water to the carboy and was able to float most of it out, I then used a clean paper towel with sanitizer and cleaned the inside neck of the carboy.I checked with my LHBS and they said its not a big problem. Bakervinyard

 

[manvsvine]

Manvsvine, how do you add SO2, I have never heard about that. SO2 is sulfur dioxide and has that rotten egg smell.

no you are thinking of h2s , hydrogen sulfide , which you get when you don't feed your yeast

I am talking about sulphur dioxide , which you add as potassium metabisulfite or campden tablets .

its the main preservative of winemakers .

 

[GeoS]

Your right, my bad.

 

[GeoS]

Not sure if I can post a picture just got an I-Phone and still learning how to use it, Lol. The grape pack was added pre-ferment. The white film is almost like a thick paste like consistaince. I gently poured some bottled water to the carboy and was able to float most of it out, I then used a clean paper towel with sanitizer and cleaned the inside neck of the carboy.I checked with my LHBS and they said its not a big problem. Bakervinyard

I have never seen that before!

 

[GeoS]

What did they say the thick film was?