Super-Kleer KC

[pkcook]

I have 5.5 liters of plain mead that is very cloudy. My question is two fold:


1) Can I use Super-Kleer KC to clear it?


2) The package says use with 5-6 gallons. Do I use the whole package for a little over a gallon?


Any help would be appreciated!


PC

 

[Wade E]

I probably would bear it into two as it might strip too much flavor but not sure.

 

[pkcook]

I'm just concerned about how to accurately break the liquid packages in 1/2 or 1/4. I've never used the stuff before and have less faith in the outcome of this mead than anything I have in a carboy right now

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[Wade E]

I dont think being a little off will hurt any as long as your close. This stuff works great though!

 

[pkcook]

This mead was as clear as a crystal until I used some honey to back sweeten with and it has remained cloudy now for about 3 months. I'm hoping the Super-kleer will do the trick.

 

[Wade E]

I"ll put money on it that it does and in about 12 hours.

 

[pkcook]

Will give it a try tomorrow. I'm back and forth with the world series and this forum

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[geocorn]

I don't know if I am too late, but I would not recommend using all of the packets. Not sure how to measure them out, but as wade pointed out, the SuperKleer can stip flavors. I like to try pectic enzyme first. A lot of the wines just have a pectic haze and a little pectic enzyme will settle things out nicely.

 

[masta]

Based on the amount included in the package I would suggest to add ~1.5 teaspoons of each of the fining agents in the package of Super-Kleer to a one gallon batch. This amount should be proportional to adding all of it to 5 gallons.










The reason this product works so well is that is contains both kieselsol and chitosan and attracts both positive and negative charged particles.

 

[Wade E]

Not to question you Masta but are you sure as to both of them, seems
like D2 the second part is of much bigger quantity in the packet.

 

[masta]

I thought about that Wade and assumed they were the same since I didn't have a packet to look at......but you know what happens when you assume.

Any idea on the amounts in the packets from looking at it or amount printed on it?

 

[Wade E]

There are no numbers on the packet as to how much is in each side but
looks to me as if the second additive is twice as large as the first,
if not a tad more.

 

[pkcook]

Thanks all for the recommendations. I think I'll try George's addition of some pectic enzyme and see how that works out before I try the Super-kleer. I guess I can measure the liquid in the packages and divide it into 5ths. I'm just lazy and hoped the whole thing would not matter.


Thanks again for all the help.

 

[rgecaprock]

I've used the Super Kleer for one gallon batches and just eyeballed what I thought was the portion for 1 gallon and had no problem, no stripping and very clear.
Ramona

 

[Dean]

if you don't mind waiting for a few weeks, liquid isinglass is what I use for 1 gallon mead batches and it works like a charm. Caveat: It does work slooooooooooooow! Takes about 30 days, but it will be crystal clear if it is sediment. I agree with George that i'd try Pectic first, and maybe Bentonite next as it could be a slight protein haze from the honey you used to back sweeten.

 

[pkcook]

I think Dean may be on to something here. The mead was crystal clear before I sweetened it with honey. That was when I got the haze. Two questions: 1) Can honey cause a pectin haze? and 2) Will Super-kleer clean up a protein haze?

 

[Wade E]

I guess I'll find out when I back sweeten my melomel if it clouds up when I get around to it.

 

[pkcook]

I back sweetened a gallon of cherry melomel with the same honey and didn't notice the haze, but the cherry is almost as dark as a Cab!

 

[Dean]

Honey can create protein haze! When you boil it, the scum on top is denatured protein. However, since by and large, if you use quality honey that is raw, it can also have materials that can drop out of suspension too. My first guess would be protein. Pectic haze is a type of poly-sacarride (SP?) that occurs in plant walls. I'm not sure if honey does contain pectin, but it frequently replaces sugar in some jams and jellies.

 

[Dean]

oooooooooooo, and finally, you did use Sorbate right? Sorbate only stops the yeast from multiplying. You might have had some yeast still in suspension and they are eating the back-sweetening honey and getting bigger/flocculating. That can cause a cloudiness too, in which most fining agents will take them out fast.