pectin haze or cloudiness?

[chevyguy65]

What is the difference between pectin haze andcloudy wine? We have a 3gal. batch of rhubarb that we racked for the 3rd time with very little sediment on the bottom this last time. It still does not seem very clear. Should we use "super-kleer" or just give it more time to clear on its own? its been sitting at about 66* after fermentation stopped.




Thanks in advance for any comments.




M&M Chevy

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

I made rhubarb recently, saw the same thing you are seeing, used the super kleer ingredients and saw an incredible difference. NW had same experience, can see our results here:


http://www.finevinewines.com//Wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3309&PN=1

 

[Wade E]

I think NW used the SuperKleer and it failed whic was the first time
Ive ever heardv of this but as JWM stated in his post folliwing NW's,
it might have been a bad batch of SuperKleer as Isinglass typically is
not as good as SuperKleer but you never know, there just might have
been something about hat batch that the Isinglass works better for.
Time, a clarifier, and maybe even a filtering could all do it.
Edited by: wade

 

[NorthernWinos]

Yes...the Super-Kleer did almost nothing....I was amazed it has almost always worked...seemd once before I had a dud and then it cleared on it's own after another racking...this time I followed the directions with the one hour wait between additions.....The Isinglass saved the day...so you just have to have to try all these good 'tools' we have available.

 

[PeterZ]

If pectic enzyme clears the wine it is pectic haze. If a clarifier clears the wine then it is cloudy wine. Without $50k in lab equipment that's the only way to know.

 

[Dean]

Rhubarb has way more pectin than any other fruit/veg, so id guess it's pectic. At any rate, additional pectic enzyme cannot hurt, nor add off flavors, so I think that adding some should be easily considered.

 

[swillologist]

How much pectic enzymeshould Iuse. I have some rhubarb that needs some clearing up also.I have some super kleer but if the pectic enzyme would do it. I wouldtry that.

 

[chevyguy65]

Ok last question on this .... Its a 3 gallon batch


If I use pectic enzyme .....how much?


If I use "Super-Kleer" is it OK to use the whole pack on the smaller batch?


Sorry for beating this one to death

 

[swillologist]

One more question. I put a half a tsp. per gallon of pectic enzyme in when I started the batch. Well it be alright to add more?

 

[Dean]

I'm not sure on the dosage of pectic enzyme for your batches. I use the powerdered form of it, and per 6 gallon batch, I usually use 2 tsps if I'm working with something with LOTS of pectin.

Again, you can always add more pectic enzyme because it does not cause off flavors or colors. It cannot harm the wine. As far as the Super-Kleer, it should be fine for a 3 gallon batch, but that would be as small as I would go.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

My guess from experience would be your seeing cloudy wine.If you used the appropriate amount of pectin in the beginning,1/2 tsp per gallon, I would use the clarifier's. You should see results in 24 hours or so from the super-kleer ingredients that would confirm this. They worked for both NW and I, leading me to come to this conclusion, although it is possible your rhubarb does have more pectin, going from past results it wouldn't be my first guess.

 

[swillologist]

Thanks Dean and JW. Yes I put 1/2 tsp. per gallon. I will give the super Kleer ago. Thanks again

 

[chevyguy65]

Thanks for the advice... we added the "super-kleer" and by the next morning .....BAM.....it was cleared!!!! Let it sit a couple days and the we filtered...added anti-oxi, sorbate and will sweeten and bottle tonight.(Mrs Chevy enjoys her wine a little sweeter) The taste is very nice.Next batch ofwe will use strawberries instead of straight rhubarb.

 

[Wade E]

Good Ole' SuperKleer, the only time Ive ever heard of it failing was
with NW's batch. That must have been what JWM said, a bad packet.