Bentonite

[Joanie]

If bentonite is a fining agent, why does Winexpert have you mix it up in the primary before you even add your juice?

Do folks use it before fermentation on non kit wine? What are the advantages?

Edited by: Joan

 

[grapeman]

Joan
There are two ways to use Bentonite. One is to add it atthe beginning of the kit. The other adds it later at racking. The idea of adding it at the beginning is so that the fermenting action with bubbles helps disperse it better so it can grab hold of the fines better. Adding it later has its proponents also claiming that it strips less of the flavors and colors while doing its job. I have used it in several non kit wines. It worked especially well in a Riesling wine. That is probably the clearest wine to date and was made out of a lowly Alexanders Sun can of juice- 2 cans for six gallons. I added it after racking to secondary.


PS. How did you extract the Cayuga juice in the end and how much did you get?

 

[scotty]

Thanks for the tip on bentonite. I was also wondering about that.

 

[masta]

Quote from Tim Vandergrift of Winexpert:



"The bentonite is in the primary fermentation for two reasons:

<UL>
<LI>It helps increase the rate of yeast growth, acting as an accelerant for budding activity
<LI>It helps settle out yeast cells post-fermentation, and prevents hazes from early autolysing cells.</LI>[/list]

 

[Joanie]

Thanks, Appleman and Masta.

I extracted juice from the Cayugas by pressing small amounts with my potato masher...they'd been in the fridge and I was NOT going to press them with my feet! Then I poured that into straining bags and squeezed until my arms and hands wanted to fall off! I ended up with a little under three gallons with sugar I added to get the Brix up. I pitched the yeast yesterday afternoon and it's already working! =)

 

[scotty]

Quote from Tim Vandergrift of Winexpert:



"The bentonite is in the primary fermentation for two reasons:

<UL>
<LI>It helps increase the rate of yeast growth, acting as an accelerant for budding activity
<LI>It helps settle out yeast cells post-fermentation, and prevents hazes from early autolysing cells.</LI>[/list]

Is this the possible reason that my sangeovese kit had extra strong obvious yeast activity in the primary fermenter?? ((looked like a small outboard motor was running

 

[masta]

Quote from Tim Vandergrift of Winexpert:



"The bentonite is in the primary fermentation for two reasons:

<UL>
<LI>It helps increase the rate of yeast growth, acting as an accelerant for budding activity
<LI>It helps settle out yeast cells post-fermentation, and prevents hazes from early autolysing cells.</LI>[/list]

Is this the possible reason that my sangeovese kit had extra strong obvious yeast activity in the primary fermenter?? ((looked like a small outboard motor was running

The bentonite also helps replace some of the total solids that are missing from the juice in wine kits compared to fresh juice from crushed grapes. The bentonite actually helps agitate the batch when the particles hitch aride up on the CO2 to the top of the liquid and fall back down.

 

[Wade E]

Should bentonite be added to all wines in the primary stage or only in wine kits?

 

[Joanie]

Good question, Wade.

Also if you add it at the beginning as a yeast acelerant, can you add it again as a fining agent?

 

[scotty]

In my kit it was added in the beginning and was called the fining agent((at least i think i remember that. I may just have assumed it though.?????


Ill now bet adding it at the beginning has a dual benefit.
Because the bentonite added at the beginningmay have beenthe fining agent that helped clear the wine before the last stages.
The kit also had a iquid fining agent though. K.aro KC i believe((clarifier and fining chemical is how i read the information about this product.