Clearing question

[pightr]

I have the Island mist strawberry white merlot kit in process of clearing right now. It has been clearing for 3 weeks as of tomorrow. As for the instructions state when I added the clarifying agent, it says: Leave for 14 days to clear, check on the 14th day and if it is clear and ready to go either bulk age or bottle. If it is not clear let sit for another 7 days. It is now coming up to the 3 week mark tomorrow and is still very hazy! No im curious should I just let it sit some more on top of the lees or should I rack off the lees now and continue to let it settle some more. Or a third option i've heard of some people adding an additional clearing agent. I don't recall the one that was used in the kit at the moment but I can look it up later when I return home. Thanks for the help again in advance!

 

[Tom]

Is it on the primary or secondary? Did you degas? Temp?
Not knowing, ... I would rack and add another clearing agent like SuperKleer

 

[pightr]

Is it on the primary or secondary? Did you degas? Temp?
Not knowing, ... I would rack and add another clearing agent like SuperKleer

It was in the primary for 7 days, it is now in the secondary and going on 4 weeks. Yes I degassed with a vacuum pump, Temp now is at 68. I was thinking about going and picking up some superkleer since I have heard such good things about it. How fast does superkleer usually take affect?

 

[Tom]

you should see a difference in a few days. I would still wait at least 2 weeks so you get a firm sediment and then rack

 

[Wade E]

Ive had many problems using the fining agent W.E. includes in their kits and just throw them out now and use SuperKleer if Im going to use 1. Rack off the sediemnt you hyave now and use the SuperKleer and give it 2 weeks even though it will usually clear pretty great in 24 hours but fine sediment will still fall out over time and like Tom said you want the fining agent to compact nicely so that you can rck ff easier without disturbing it. Another trick is to tilt the carboy to one side sl all the sediment (Lees) fall to one side and then you rack off the other making it much easier not to touch the lees

 

[pightr]

you should see a difference in a few days. I would still wait at least 2 weeks so you get a firm sediment and then rack

nevermind wade just answered the question i was going to ask you tom lol. thanks again guys.

 

[pightr]

Also another question while its clearing should you keep the wine in the same temp as always 65-75? Or does it not really matter at this point anymore?

 

[cpfan]

Also another question while its clearing should you keep the wine in the same temp as always 65-75? Or does it not really matter at this point anymore?

It doesn't matter as much once you've degassed (you did degas thoroughly, right?), but Winexpert recommends that you maintain the higher temperatures.

Steve

 

[pightr]

It doesn't matter as much once you've degassed (you did degas thoroughly, right?), but Winexpert recommends that you maintain the higher temperatures.

Steve

Yes I degassed thoroughly and checked it after degassing to make sure and it is definitely degassed. My wine expert instructions don't say anything about keeping a certain temp. once I have degassed and it is in the clearing process. I just racked off the lees and hopefully it settles out a bit more if not I will be adding superkleer once I have a chance to get to the store. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[cpfan]

pightr:

Your Winexpert instructions recommend a certain temperature range at the start, and never suggest that you change that temperature. Their rep (Tim V) has been known to recommend the higher end of that range throughout the entire process. Although he has been known to change his mind about some things.

OTOH, I believe that some of the Spagnols instructions do suggest a change in the temperature.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

Yes, RJS kits do recommend a change in temp which I have found to be wrong in my experiences trying to clear and have passed that info on to others having a problem and their problem was resolved by raising it back up also. I find when using any fining agent that temps around 75* does best in every wine. If not using a fining agent cooler temps do a better job. Ad I was stating above Ive had a few RJS kits that werent clearing as good as others during the cooler winter months so I put the brew belt on them and immediately the rest of the wine started clearing nicely and others have noticed the same.

 

[Redtrk]

Instead of starting a new thread i'm going to jump on this one.

My white zin has been racked once after a nice clearing of all the dark. We degassed and it has been two weeks since. The dark is gone since the racking and the top seems really clear. However it appears through the glass to be clear but hazy looking from midway down the carboy. Is it clear to rack or bottle at this point or should I continue to wait? This hasn't changed in three days.

 

[cpfan]

Instead of starting a new thread i'm going to jump on this one.

My white zin has been racked once after a nice clearing of all the dark. We degassed and it has been two weeks since. The dark is gone since the racking and the top seems really clear. However it appears through the glass to be clear but hazy looking from midway down the carboy. Is it clear to rack or bottle at this point or should I continue to wait? This hasn't changed in three days.

"Your white zin". Can you please be more specific? This thread is abaout a specific strawberrry white merlot. Not necessarily the same.

Also some additional info is required. Temperature. Specific gravity (all of them). Racked once? From primary to carboy presumably. Have you added K-meta, sorbate, clearing agents?

Steve

 

[ffemt128]

Instead of starting a new thread i'm going to jump on this one.

My white zin has been racked once after a nice clearing of all the dark. We degassed and it has been two weeks since. The dark is gone since the racking and the top seems really clear. However it appears through the glass to be clear but hazy looking from midway down the carboy. Is it clear to rack or bottle at this point or should I continue to wait? This hasn't changed in three days.

I would recommend waiting. From what you describe you still have fine sediment floating at the lower level of the carboy. The clarity should be consistent top to bottom of the carboy prior to bottling, otherwise you will end up with sediment in the bottles.

 

[Redtrk]

I would recommend waiting. From what you describe you still have fine sediment floating at the lower level of the carboy. The clarity should be consistent top to bottom of the carboy prior to bottling, otherwise you will end up with sediment in the bottles.

Yeah that's what I thought too. The temp is about 68 where it is sitting.

So we'll give it another week or so and see what happens. I've marked the carboy with an erasable marker at the clearing level to see how much or how fast it clears.

Thanks!

 

[ffemt128]

Yeah that's what I thought too. The temp is about 68 where it is sitting.

So we'll give it another week or so and see what happens. I've marked the carboy with an erasable marker at the clearing level to see how much or how fast it clears.

Thanks!

If you can get some Super Kleer, it is a great product. Mix it in as described in the directions and give it a day or two and everything will be clear. After that wait about 3-4 weeks before racking.