Clearing Apple Wine

[Becks1955]

I have 3 gallons of Apple wine that I've been reracking once a month for almost 6 months now. It's cloudy, so I added speedy bentonite as the instructions stated. However, it has not cleared at all. I only stirred it in periodically for the first 15 minutes. Should I stir it more, add more bentonite, add the Super Kleer or Sparkloid or just wait?

Any and all advice will be appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[Julie]

You need to slow down, you should not be racking every month. Once fermetation is complete, leave it sit 3 months before you rack. Are you adding sulfite when you rack?

 

[Becks1955]

Yes, I've added sulfite every time I've racked. I didn't realize you were supposed to wait three months between racking! Do I just let it sit now until it clears? I honestly have never had this much problem getting a wine to clear before.

 

[winemaker_3352]

How much k-meta have you been adding?

I would not add any k-meta for a long long time - possible think about getting an SO2 tester to monitor it.

Racking will not clear your wine either - like said above - those need to be sparingly and only when needed - if there is a lot of sediment.

Make sure you have degassed your wine - wine with a lot of CO2 in it will not clear well.

You can try adding some pectic enzymes - it could be pectin haze...

If that doesn't work you can try adding super kleer as well.

But IMHO it is only 6 months old - I would let it sit for a while.

Don't rush it...

 

[Becks1955]

I added the bentonite before I degassed, so is it too late to degas now? I've read that you should use the bentonite as your clarifier before you bottle. Instead of bentonite, should I be using the Super Kleer instead of Sparkloid now or do I wait some time and then try another clarifier like Super Kleer or Sparkloid?

 

[Julie]

Bentonite works best prior to fermentation. Normally this is what I do, start fermentation in the primary, once sg is down to 1.010 snap lid down and add an airlock, will check it every two or three days, once fermented to below 1.000 and sg is consistant, rack to carboy add sulfite, now since I have it off the gross lees, I now let it sit for 3 months, rack and sulfite and then let it sit another 3 months. I will bottle anywhere from 9 months to one year after starting.

Leave it sit for the next few months and see what happens.

 

[Becks1955]

Thank you, Julie ... I guess I'm just being impatient!

 

[BernardSmith]

I agree with Julie. I wonder if the racking itself is what is resulting in the continued cloudiness. The sediment begins to drop out and you agitate the wine as you rack it and the sediment that was falling is now fully mixed again. And you are repeating this agitation monthly. I would wait several months (perhaps 3 or 4) before you rack again. Like Winemaker 3352 says wine is not going to clear until all the CO2 has been expelled but CO2 will degas by itself if you have the patience and your monthly racking may have removed much if not almost all the CO2

 

[Becks1955]

Thank you ... I appreciate all the advice!