New comer from Minnesota

[Loony]

This is my 1st experience on a forum. My husband and I have been making wine for just about a year. Most of our wines we have had no problems with, but our fruit wines, raspberry,plum,and mullberry, form a film on the top. I have tried clarifiers when we rerack them, and it still forms this film on the top. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong and how to fix the problem. The wine still tastes good. Thanks.
Stephanie

 

[Sacalait]

Does the film form after it's in the bottle or when it's in the carboy?

 

[Loony]

When it's in the carboy

 

[Sacalait]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. As long as you've added what's called for in the recipe mainly the K-meta you should be OK. If you keep the SO2 level between 50ppm and 75ppm there should be no chance of spoilage.

 

[Luc]

Stephanie,

As you write that you do not have problems with most wines I presume you are making a lot of kit wines.
Kit wines are mainly pure juice that has been cleared and filtered
and undergone more procedures to make it as easy as possible.

Now with fruit wines there are likely to be some
solid particles in your must no matter how much you
strain the must.
So these particles will sometimes be lighter as the wine itself
and therfore float atop. It is also possible that they attach to CO2 bubbles and therfore float atop.
At the top they will form a film or a layer.

Indeed as written before: maintain a healthy SO2 level and
keep as low air as possible above the wine and you should be fine.

I presume the wine has finished fermenting . Then I suggest to let it age more (how long has it aged ???) and the wine will clear slowly on its own.
If it is still fermenting then wait until it is finished and then let it age for a considerable time. All CO2 will slowly dissapear from the wine, and the wine will clear on its own.

Luc

 

[Loony]

No, actually, we have never made a kit wine. We either grow or pick our own ingredients. The wines we have not had this happen to us, have been wines made out of vegetables, so I think it must have something to with the sugar content also. I appreciate all the input I'm getting, and knowing that our hard work will still turn out good. Thanks
Stephanie