Pumpkin Wine Not Clearing - HELP!!

[rjholtmus2]

I made some pumpkin wine from one of Jack Keller's recipes and I am having trouble getting to clear. Any hints? I have tried several fining stages and even added more pectic enzyme but nothing seems to work. One of the guys at the wine shop where I trade said that pumpkin beer is difficult to clear.

I started this in early October and have since made and bottled some Cranberry and French Colombard, both of which cleared beautifully.

Also, it does not taste like what I thought pumpkin wine should taste. Do not know what I expected, but this isn't it.

Thanks for any suggestions
Roy

 

[Julie]

Hi rjholtmus2,

Welcome to winemakingtalk. Can you post up the recipe and what procedures you have taken so far? It is very diffiicult to know what we need ot tell you without knowing what has already been done.

Thanks and don't panic, I'm sure we will be able to get you back on track.

 

[rjholtmus2]

Here is the recipe -

8 lbs Pumpkin "meat" (shreded)
5 lbs Sugar
5 tsp Acid Blend
1/2 tsp Tannin
2 tsp nutrient
2 Campden, crushed
1 EC-1118 Yeast

Starting S.G. was around 1.080, don't remember for sure. Final S.G. before sweetening was .08 (pretty potent)

Racked to secondary. Added clearing packet. Waited. Racked. Added second clearing packed & waited. Racked. Added packet of some "super pectic enzyme" stuff I got with my Vinbright Filter kit. Yesterday I tried to filter. The taste is great, but not pumpkin and the color is a beautiful light yellow.

If you can solve this one, I owe you a bottle.

Thanks
Roy

 

[Julie]

I might have to take you up on that but I'm sure I won't be along on solving this issue. First off you final gravity reading isn't right. .08? Do you think you mean .998? 1.000 is technically considered dry but usually wines will go to .992 on average. so the first thing is take another reading to see what it is and did you add any sulphites?

And filtering will not clear a wine, it is to "polish" a wine, once it is clear it gives an extra shine.

 

[Wade E]

What fining agents did you use? I have never tried it but I know a few people who have used Sparkaloid when SuperKleer didnt work. If its a haze then even though its a no no to filter a wine thats not clear I did this with a Peach wine that I just couldnt get rid of a haze and it did work. Beware that it may clog the filter while doing so so you may want to have more then 1 filter on hand depending on what kind of filter and pr filtration unit you are using.

 

[rjholtmus2]

Julie, yes, you are correct about the final S.G. - .998 is correct. I get bleary-eyed trying to read the hydrometer, or as my son's girl-friend calls it the "gravometer". The fining agent was Superkleer or something similar. Yes, I did add sulfites when I sweetened back to 1.01. Maybe I just need to mark this one up to "experimentation" and drink it anyway.

Thanks
Roy

 

[djrockinsteve]

I used sparkolloid on mine and it cleared up very nice. Need to start a new batch. My current one is over a year old and at last taste was great. It's soaking up a lil cinnamon now.