Wine finings

[DrD]

Hi all,

Questions about 2 types of fining agent:

1. - I have a white grape and elderflower supermarket juice brew, finished fermenting a week or so ago. Has been racked once and stabilised. I added an unused pack of finings from a Wilko red wine kit, then realised I didn't actually know what it was (clear, viscous liquid, 15 ml). Is this chitosan? Isinglass?

Any issue adding either of those to white wine (with added tannin)? It seems to have cleared most yeast cells and debris, but I can see loads of tiny clumps still floating about, how long should it really take? When I used the same type of sachet in a Wilko red wine kit it cleared it almost immediately, could I have over fined it due to the lower level of tannin? I'm going to leave it to see if it settles out, but if it doesn't, would adding tannin help?

2. - I bought a can of red grape concentrate, brewed this up, racked, stabilised etc. Then added 0.7 g gelatin dissolved in hot water to 5 L, to see if it will clear it. Didn't really do much, there is a sediment but still loads of debris in suspension that hasn't clumped. Any thoughts?

If I were to buy a fining agent, which would you recommend? I aim to do mostly supermarket juice brews, but small numbers so something with a short shelf life is probably not ideal.

Cheers all

 

[Moley]

If you used a one pack finings then I would think it was most probably isinglass.

Given the choice I would only buy Ritchie's Kwik Clear. There are two pack sizes available which claim to treat 70-135 litres or 135-270 litres of wine or beer. I use a dosage somewhere in the middle. There are two small bottles in each pack, you de-gas, add part A, give it a good shake or stir, then add part B 30-60 minutes later.

Once opened, store it somewhere cool and it will keep for several months.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I use Kwik clear and it is popular with forum members.

There is a thread about it here - viewtopic.php?f=40&t=48575

 

[DrD]

Bought some kwik clear...

Checked in Wilko, the stuff I put in my white wine was chitosan, still looks bitty, has tiny clumps suspended in it.
The red that I put gelatin in hasn't really done much.


So....

Safe to use Kwik Clear on top? Rack first?

Cheers :thumb:

 

[bobsbeer]

So....

Safe to use Kwik Clear on top? Rack first?

Yes no problem.