Is it Pectin Haze?

Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum

Help Support Winemaking Talk - Winemaking Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Winemanic

Member
Joined
May 7, 2016
Messages
64
Reaction score
4
I used 1/3 tsp of gelatin as fining to clear my red wine made from fresh grapes. The carboy had already been in the fridge for over a week. The result was immediately cloudy wine. I had previously had the same problem with my strawberry wine a few months ago.

I had attributed that to using too much gelatin in the absence of enough tannin, but was not expecting this in wine made from fresh red grapes that should contain more than enough tannins.

Now, I know people would advise adding pectic enzyme, but I have searched and have not been able to find it here, and ordering online is out of the question. other fining agents are also not available.

Should I use the peel of a papaya? What part of the peel? Should it be a ripe, semi ripe or raw fruit? I really need help. I made this wine with great care and now it seems ruined! :(

Thank you!
 
What is the red grape? There are quite a few different types of red grapes and how old is the wine?
 
What is the red grape? There are quite a few different types of red grapes and how old is the wine?

Hi Julie,

We only have table grapes here. Most of them belong to the European vinifera species. I cannot be sure what exact variety they were. I live in a country where wine making is illegal, hence no wine making materials are available. Today I got a small supply of EC-1118 and 2 small bottles of pectic enzyme, one is LD Carlson's powder and the other is BSG liquid. I have added 2 cups sugar to the wine and a little K-meta, shall be adding a little of pectic enzyme and then fermenting once more with EC-1118. Previous one was fermented using natural yeast on the grapes. Hopefully, it should end up better. I do understand that my action of adding more sugar would affect the taste, as I now will get too much alcohol that would overwhelm the taste of wine.

This wine was first started on August 11, so it already is 4 months old and totally dry but still shows no sign of clearing.

Thanks!
 
4 months is early, give it more time. Lol, I know time is a nasty word! I don't normally use any clearing agents in my wines and they normally clear within a year's time.
 
4 months is early, give it more time. Lol, I know time is a nasty word! I don't normally use any clearing agents in my wines and they normally clear within a year's time.

I believe it should have cleared by 3 months max. All the other wines I have made did. I think it might be because of the yeast strain, so now I am going to referment with Lalvin EC-1118. It may not end up with a lot of flavour but at least it would be a drinkable alcoholic beverage.
 
each batch of wine you make will have it's own characteristics. Just because your other wines cleared within 3 months does not create a rule that all of them will. Using a wine yeast is a much better option.
 
each batch of wine you make will have it's own characteristics. Just because your other wines cleared within 3 months does not create a rule that all of them will. Using a wine yeast is a much better option.

I agree, Julie. The only option I had earlier was to use baker's yeast or cultivate naturally occurring yeast from fruit. It is only now that a friend had his friend bring some wine yeast and pectic enzyme from the US.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top