Would you use sodium bentonite?

[Ericphotoart]

I've ordered 1 lb of bentonite and now I noticed in questions and answers of the product, someone says it is sodium not calcium bentonite. How to distinguish the difference? is it salty? Would you use it to clarify wine? I heard it leaves a salty taste in wine. The package says 2 tsp / 5 gallons.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0064O9C3C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[stickman]

With Amazon it is buyer beware, in this case the photos show different products and are not reliable for determining what you will receive. In general there is no absolute rule about using sodium or calcium bentonite, both types are used for wine though there are differences in how the products are processed to achieve specific results, clarification and lees compaction etc. I would want to know the product manufacturer and the specific product name. I found a list of few product examples below.

 

[hawkwing]

LD Carlson is a brand that my local shops sell. If your package comes and is that brand you should be ok to use it.

 

[Rocky]

LD Carlson is a brand that my local shops sell. If your package comes and is that brand you should be ok to use it.

I have some of the L. D. Carlson product also. It is a real PITA to get to dissolve, even with hot water. I still get a clump or two that I have to really put some effort into to get it into solution.

In making wines from kits, there is one kit manufacturer that has a bentonite product that dissolves immediately. Does anyone know which kit manufacturer this is? I don't think it is RJ Spagnols nor WinExpert. Anyone had this fast-dissolving bentonite? I would really like to get some of it.

 

[hawkwing]

I’ve often used my blender to help.

 

[Rocky]

I’ve often used my blender to help.

I have used a mortar and pestle to grind the bentonite into a powder, but I cannot find my mortar and pestle. It probably was lost somewhere in our aborted move to Florida last year. I have one in the kitchen, but I hate to use it to grind up dirt.

 

[Ericphotoart]

My main concern is that it’s probably sodium bentonite not calcium. Any thoughts about this?

 

[hawkwing]

My main concern is that it’s probably sodium bentonite not calcium. Any thoughts about this?

Ignorance is bliss.

 

[Ericphotoart]

Ha, ha. You may be right.

 

[user 35751]

I fill my fermenter with 1/2-1 gallon of hot water, stir up a whirlpool, then sprinkle it in as I’m spinning. It works well for me, getting the granules to hydrate seperately

 

[Scooter68]

Regardless of the tricks you use, the one that works best for me is to prepare it a day ahead of time. That seems to make those clumps a lot easier to dissolve. gives the water time to soak in completely.

 

[stickman]

The following was taken from Fining with Bentonite, Purdue Extension FS-53-W

Should I use sodium or calcium bentonite?
It doesn’t really matter, as long as the oenologist performs an ethanol titration or one of the arbitrary heat stability bench tests on each wine and determines the smallest effective dose to satisfy the test.

Suppliers of sodium bentonites argue that this form has a protein fining capacity twice as high as its calcium cousin. Suppliers of calcium bentonites argue that their form swells less in water, and it creates fewer lees and a smaller loss of wine when racking.

The quantity of sodium added to wine by a heavy bentonite treatment can double the amount of sodium naturally present in grape juice (10 to 20 mg/L), but even then wine is still considered a “very low sodium” beverage. On the other hand, excess release of calcium into a wine from bentonite via exchange with grape proteins may increase the risk of calcium tartrate instability. Since calcium tartrate does not respond as readily to cold stabilization as potassium bitatrate, this may mean the difference between a stable wine and a wine throwing a glass-like precipitate that may worry consumers.

 

[Ericphotoart]

Per directions on the packing I dissolved 2 tsp of bentonite in 1/2 cup of warm water. It was very very thick. I added additional 1/2 cup of water and mixed it with a blender. I left it overnight and mixed it in the wine. I could still see a lot of clumps when mixing with wine. I'm not sure how it's gonna work. I think most if not everything drowned to the bottom of the carboy. After 1 day I dont see any changes but I understand it needs about a week if works.

 

[winemaker81]

Per directions on the packing I dissolved 2 tsp of bentonite in 1/2 cup of warm water. It was very very thick. I added additional 1/2 cup of water and mixed it with a blender. I left it overnight and mixed it in the wine. I could still see a lot of clumps when mixing with wine. I'm not sure how it's gonna work. I think most if not everything drowned to the bottom of the carboy. After 1 day I dont see any changes but I understand it needs about a week if works.

@Rocky grinds his finer with a mortar-n-pestle -- that sounds like a good idea, to make the bentonite as fine as possible.

Next time, I'd run the slurry through the blender again, or use an immersion blender, to ensure clumps are broken up. When adding it to the wine, use a drill-mounted stirring rod to keep the wine in motion, and pour the slurry in a thin stream.

 

[Ericphotoart]

Thanks. Yes I did use a blender and the slurry had a thick pudding consistency but didn't mix well with wine. I guess not using a stirring rod created my problem. Well next time.