Help - Vegetarian finings suggestions

[Beer Widow]

Hi all

I was bought a wine kit and it's currently bubbling away but I've just noticed that the finings that I will be due to use in a week's time are not vegetarian. Being a vegetarian, this is of some concern to me. Can anyone recommend anything suitable?

Thanks :)

Beer Widow

 

[Mark1964]

dont use any we dont and our wines clear fine

 

[evanvine]

If you are drinking alcohol what does vegetarianism matter?

 

[Beer Widow]

Thanks Mark 1964. How long should this take? This is my first batch so I have no idea...

 

[Mark1964]

ours cleared in 6 weeks just make sure you try and leave all the sediment behind when you rack in to 2nd demijohn if you can

 

[Laurin]

You can use Bentonite. which is a clay base fining agent. Or just let it clear by itself.

 

[Eric_S]

Yep - just leave it be - rack off into secondary no later than 5 or 6 weeks after starting and it will clear happily enough in it's own time. No rush to do anything - 1 week to add finings in any case sounds optimistic!

 

[The Goatreich]

I use Bentonite, works fine for me. I like to make everything vegan friendly, I don't see the need to do otherwise.

 

[screamlead]

Ditto most of the above - just leave it it will clear naturally given time.
Just as an afterthought though - how do you know the shop bought stuff never use non veggie finings? Do they stick it on the label or something? Must admit i have never seen - 'fined and clarified with non veggie finings!' :

 

[rossi1]

j j berry as i recall used a banana mix to clear wine,can not remember exactly how.could always use egg white?

 

[cf.]

Sorry but I can not see the point of a vegan wine is yeast not a living the bactiria you stun with the ct all living . Any how good luck I would just let it clear

 

[graysalchemy]

The vegetarian society has approved isinglass in beer because it doesn't stay in the finished product. But obviously a fish has died in order to use it which is a bit hypocritical but then so is wearing leather shoes.

 

[The Goatreich]

Really? Wow that surprises me that they have approved that.

 

[graysalchemy]

I stand corrected I think this must be an urban myth swimming around in my head and probably has no fact to it at all but I am positive I have read it before.

Just Checked on the VS website and they make no mention of this so please ignore that comment.

However I still know many vegitarians who wear leather shoes and wear wool (1/3 of UK wool comes from slaughtered sheep).

 

[adomant]

would polyclar work ? that's just ionised plastic. Otherwise filtering should do it. for my whites I use a pump based filter with ultrafine (sterile) pads

 

[Onionman]

Time will do the job.

 

[tonyhibbett]

If you want to get picky, animal products are used to refine sugar, manure from animals destined for slaughter is used in organic vineyards, biodynamic compost incorporates horns from slaughtered cows and using yeast involves the exploitation and slaughter of millions of simple animals while sulphite spells death to to millions of pathogenic bacteria. Your body does the same job to keep you alive and healthy, as does pastuerisation and cooking for that matter. Meanwhile, alcohol is a toxic substance which also kills bacteria, yeasts and other members of the animal kingdom. Vineyard owners sytematically slaughter birds and mammals which dare to interfere with thier vines. The fuel you use, the clothing you wear, the food you eat, all have a negative impact on the animal kingdom.

 

[The Goatreich]

It's pretty much impossible to avoid the cruelty completely. I just do what I can.

 

[tonyhibbett]

I have it on good account that some Chilian wine producers add a horse's leg to improve their reds, literally adding body.

 

[alanwh]

I wonder wheather the chitosan in 2 part finings comes from already processed shellfish ? If so then its a byproduct of the food industry, like wearing leather shoes or wool clothes etc ?