apple wine stabilization

[Gelu Liber]

I have a batch of apple wine that seems to be coming to an end of the secondary fermentation. The bubbles in the airlock were ferocious a week ago but have slowed tremendously to one bubble every minute or so. It is still very cloudy. It has been 3 weeks in the carboy, I will test S.G. tommorrow.


What should I do next? Should I leave it alone? Should it be racked again? Is there anything I should add to clear and stabilize the wine and when should I do it?


It smells GREAT!

 

[Waldo]

Wait until the secondary fermentation has ended and you have verified this using SG readingsthen rack it into a clean and sanitized carboy or rack it back into your sanitizedprimary fermenter, clean and sanitize your carboy and then rack it back into this. At this time, you need to add 1 crushed and well dissolved campden tablet per gallon of wine. I usually dissolve mine, add it to my carboy first then rack my wine ontgo it. If you will be sweetning it before bottling then you need to add sorbate to it at this time also. It shouldstart clearing pretty quickly at this time.


What variety of apples did you use?

 

[Gelu Liber]

Mostly Macintosh, I believe. They are homegrown.
My SG toay is 0.990. It started at 1.080. If it is the same tommorrow I will rack it and add the campden.


Thanks for the help!

 

[paubin]

Gelu, my apple is also very slow to clear. Don't rush your wine into the bottle. You will like it alot more if you let it take it's time. I will have my apple in the carboy 6 months before I even add sorbate or think about back sweetening. Mine has been going for 3 months now and is still cloudy and will probably be a good canidate for fining and filtering. Mac apples often make a flat tasting wine so hopefully you had some tarter tasting ( granny smith, ect.) in there. There is always the option of testing the acid add adding a little to perk it up a little if it is a little flat.


Pete

 

[kutya]

Gelu:


I had to let my apple sit almost 6 months before it would clear. Even then, it was not what I would call crystal clear...

 

[peterCooper]

Did you use pectin enzyme in the recipe?
I've done two batches now, one without the pectin enzyme. It never did clear perfectly, although filtering it helped some. THe second one I used the enzyme and it cleared a treat.

I think you might be past the point where it would do any good. Just thinking about the next time.

 

[paubin]

I know for myself that I used pectin enzyme. Just a slow clearing wine I suppose.


Pete

 

[bj4271]

At what point in the process did you use the pectic enzyme?

 

[peterCooper]

It went in at the beginning.

 

[jojo]

shes dry 0.990


sparkelloid !

 

[Gelu Liber]

What about using Claro K.C? Super-Kleer?

 

[Wade E]

I love that super Kleer. It works so fast. Although I have never used
anything else it except when I did the kit wines which includes it's
own clearer which I believe to be Isinglass which worked well but no
where near as fast. I usde super Kleer on my Pear wine Thursday night
and Friday afternnon it was crystal clear, almost like water. I try not
to use clarifier but I had to stir the snot out of the pear due to SO2
and it stirred up the little bit of sediment that was there from the
third racking.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I also like Super Kleer KC to clear wines...it's like magic....I rack off the sediment, stablize and then let it sit awhile more, then bottle...
Haven't seen anymore sediment in the bottles later... :&gtEdited by: Northern Winos

 

[Gelu Liber]

Are there any draw back to super-kleer?

 

[PolishWineP]

We really like Super Kleer too and haven't found any draw backs to it.

 

[Wade E]

It says it doesn't clear up pectin haze but it does mostly. Though when
not pectin haze it clears it so brilliantly in just 12 - 48 hours thats
its hard to believe.

 

[bj4271]

George sells the Super Kleer in packets. I've used the packets for 6 gal batches & they do work well. I make 1 gal batches of various concoctions, can the same packets be used in those?