Wine not clearing and SG changed

[twhite25]

Hi,

First time using a 'Orchard Breezing Mist' wine kit for Green Apple wine. Fermented to 0.996 SG so I added Sulphite and Potassium Sorbate per instructions; added the finishing blend and degassed per instructions. Then added Kieselsol then Chitosan per instructions. Put it back in carbuoy and let stand for 5 days. Not only did the wine NOT clear but the SG changed to 1.020. I've never seen this before. Can anybody guide me in right direction??

 

[Dugger]

Adding the flavour pack increases the density of your wine and thus the SG - this is normal. Be patient for the clearing; make sure it is warm.

 

[twhite25]

Thank you Dugger...I'll wrap it back up tonight and wait for a week.

 

[Wade E]

This is a sweet wine and that flavor pack is also a sweetening pack containing inverted sugars to sweeten your wine. What temp was your wine when you degassed your wine as it should have been around 75* to properly degas a wine, colder temps keep the C02 from expelling out of your wine. What did you use to degas your wine if using a spoon you probably didnt degas well. get yourself a drill mounted Mix Stir for doing this better or even better a vacuum tool like a Mityvac or the best way with an electric aspirator pump.

 

[twhite25]

Thanks Wade...Temp is around 70* so I'll bump up to around 75* when I put it away.

 

[twhite25]

What should SG be when bottling?

Hi,

First time using a 'Orchard Breezing Mist' wine kit for Green Apple wine. Fermented to 0.996 SG so I added Sulphite and Potassium Sorbate per instructions; added the finishing blend and degassed per instructions. Then added Kieselsol then Chitosan per instructions. Put it back in carbuoy and let stand for 5 days. Not only did the wine NOT clear but the SG changed to 1.020. I've never seen this before. Can anybody guide me in right direction??

HI, I got some good advice from Dugger and Wade last week. I re-degassed it, warmed up the room and put more clearing agents in and waited a week. It cleared great but the SG is still 1.020. Is this normal...should I bottle?

 

[Wade E]

Yes, the sg is not going to change as you have added sorbate which is the purpose of this, so it doesnt ferment again otherwise it would ferment again and go dry again instead of being sweet. I would raqck off the sediment into a clean carboy or into a bucket temporarily just to clean the carboy and then back into the carboy and let it sit a little while longer. Id also ive it another week as is to let the lees compact so that they are not as easily disturbed.

 

[arcticsid]

Had me a bit confused on this one for a second. I don't remeber anyone mentioning the increase in the SG after adding the F pac, but obviously it is going to increase, but wont ferment.

Because the sorbate was added this wine is no longer fermentable. Right? Well, I know its right. It also makes sense that once the f pac is added the SG will increase because of the sugars, but will not and can not ferment.

As obvious as this sounds, I could see how you would think something was odd when you go from below 1.000 to back up to 1.020.

Troy

 

[twhite25]

What should SG be when bottling?

Thanks--

I always thought that when SG was above 1 it was no longer alcoholic. I get from your response that this is normal when you add the finishing pack. Since the wine is now very clear...should I bottle?

 

[Wade E]

Like I said I would rack to clean vessel then bottle. The reason being is 2 fold.
1) The first reason is so that in the middle of bottling you dont disturb the lees and cloud up the wine leaving you with like 2-3 gallons of cloudy wine in which you will have to find a vessel or a few vessels to keep thsi cloudy wine in till it clears and
2) being it will lost like;y believe it or not still drop some very fine sediemnt over some more time and that will be in your bottles, trust me the fining agent doesnt get it all out. You still have the same alc. content minus the little bit you diluted it with the f-pac which would probably be .004% or something barely even measurable so just call it what it was before you sweetened it.

 

[twhite25]

What should SG be when bottling?

Thank you Wade...

I racked to clean carbouy and bottled. Everything came out fine. Wine is sparkling and tastes great.

 

[arcticsid]

T, you mean sparkling in clarity right? The whole thing about degassing is to remove those "bubbles".

Troy

 

[twhite25]

Yes, I meant clarity...no bubbles at all. The wine is clear, bottled and tastes great even at a day old.

Thanks guys for the good advice.

 

[Wade E]

Now let it sit a few weeks an youll most likely notice a fine dusting on the bottom of the carboy.