Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment very
long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly low-alcohol)
which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at the
same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days (just
to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!). I find
Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK

greetings barb! i've had good luck & nice results using "sparkalloid" with
both peach & pear wines. most of my fruit wines lean towards "knockout
juice" anyway (but in a genteel manner,) so a higher alcohol level hasn't
been a concern. it's easy to use & works better if you allow it to sit 4-5
weeks before racking. However: after a year+ in the bottle, a small amount
of brown sediment does appear; by small amount, i mean pehaps a half
teaspoonful, if that much. hope this helps, regards, bob


"Barb" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment
very long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly
low-alcohol) which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at
the same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days
(just to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!).
I find Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK

It would be good to know what stage the wine is in at this point. DId you
use fresh crushed pears or cook them? A friend used a "cooked " recipe that
never really did clear. We even froze it to drop the solids out of it. I've
had much better results with using fresh pears w/o cooking.

"Barb" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment
very long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly
low-alcohol) which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at
the same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days
(just to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!).
I find Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK

Bobdrob, thanks for the suggestion. Can't find Sparkalloid in the UK -
anyone know an equivalent I could try? What about bentonite?.... I've never
had to try it before, but is it worth a go?

Encat, I chopped the pears and steeped them in the primary in boiling water,
added ingredients when cool and yeast after a couple of days. Maybe the
boiling water was a mistake...

BarbUK


"encat" wrote in message
. ..
It would be good to know what stage the wine is in at this point. DId you
use fresh crushed pears or cook them? A friend used a "cooked " recipe
that never really did clear. We even froze it to drop the solids out of
it. I've had much better results with using fresh pears w/o cooking.

"Barb" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment
very long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly
low-alcohol) which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I
treated another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit
juices, at the same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a
couple of days (just to mention ...that this one tastes really good and
is rocket-fuel!). I find Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK

Hi Barb,

Sparkalloid is harder to find here. I used Kwik Klear Finings 2
months ago on a cranberry-raisin wine which refused to clear after 9
months. It was crystal clear within 24 hours, though I left it the
recommended 72 hours anyway before bottling. I felt that the flavour
was unimpaired using Kwik Klear and the colour was still excellent.
Kwik Klear is a two part liquid fining agent (gelatin & kieselsol)
which comes in disturbingly / reassuringly small bottles! It is
available at most winemaking stores in the UK - I have found it at the
three I use in Birmingham UK and the online stores I order from too.
That would be my recommendation.

I have used Bentonite to great effect in clearing a plum wine that
just wouldn't lie down last year. As long as it is well mixed and
left overnight to properly gel its a wonderful fining agent. I am not
sure that it didn't strip the flavour from my plum wine slightly,
though it probably wasn't the best taste raw anyway!

Best of luck, Jim

For what it's worth, I make pear wine each year from fresh uncooked
Bosc pears and, like you, add some pectic enzyme to help break down the
fruit. And each year, there is a small amount of suspended fruit matter
that does not clear. This material will not fine out with bentonite
(tried that) but will eventually settle with time. We ignore it, bottle
it, and allow it to settle in bottle, then decant when opening a bottle
to leave the settled sediment behind. We could let the wine stay in
carboys for a few months and settle it there, but we like to drink the
wine fairly young, so we don't bother.



On 2007-11-06 10:04:23 -0800, "Barb" said:

Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment very
long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly low-alcohol)
which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at the
same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days (just
to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!). I find
Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK

Use 1 EGG WHITE
add to carboy and watch it clear.
Tom

--

Home of the
MOON RIVER BREWERY
and
DELANCO VINEYARDS


"Barb" wrote in message
...
Bobdrob, thanks for the suggestion. Can't find Sparkalloid in the UK -
anyone know an equivalent I could try? What about bentonite?.... I've
never had to try it before, but is it worth a go?

Encat, I chopped the pears and steeped them in the primary in boiling
water, added ingredients when cool and yeast after a couple of days.
Maybe the boiling water was a mistake...

BarbUK

"AxisOfBeagles" wrote in message
news:2007110708264516807-me@donotreplycom...
For what it's worth, I make pear wine each year from fresh uncooked Bosc
pears and, like you, add some pectic enzyme to help break down the fruit.
And each year, there is a small amount of suspended fruit matter that does
not clear. This material will not fine out with bentonite (tried that) but
will eventually settle with time. We ignore it, bottle it, and allow it to
settle in bottle, then decant when opening a bottle to leave the settled
sediment behind. We could let the wine stay in carboys for a few months
and settle it there, but we like to drink the wine fairly young, so we
don't bother.



On 2007-11-06 10:04:23 -0800, "Barb" said:

Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment
very
long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly low-alcohol)
which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I
treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at
the
same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days
(just
to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!). I
find
Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK



I tried the KwikClear finings before with other wines, but I found the
gelatine went "off" horrible and smelly in the bottle, and un-usable /
expensive. The egg white sounds good, and is a solution mentioned in C J
Berry's book. I think I might try that, since the wine was so cheap to make
it won't matter if I ruin it.

And I always have eggs in the fridge and don't have to go to the homebrew
shop to buy something!

Anyone else tried this?

Barb UK

I can see how that would put you off KwikKlear Barb! You do have to
make sure your fining agents are stored well and fresh when you buy
them I suppose. Be sure not to use an egg which has gone off
either I believe egg whites are the traditional for fining red
wine, I haven't used them myself...

Jim

On Nov 7, 6:10 pm, "Barb" wrote:
"AxisOfBeagles" wrote in message

news:2007110708264516807-me@donotreplycom...



For what it's worth, I make pear wine each year from fresh uncooked Bosc
pears and, like you, add some pectic enzyme to help break down the fruit.
And each year, there is a small amount of suspended fruit matter that does
not clear. This material will not fine out with bentonite (tried that) but
will eventually settle with time. We ignore it, bottle it, and allow it to
settle in bottle, then decant when opening a bottle to leave the settled
sediment behind. We could let the wine stay in carboys for a few months
and settle it there, but we like to drink the wine fairly young, so we
don't bother.

On 2007-11-06 10:04:23 -0800, "Barb" said:

Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment
very
long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly low-alcohol)
which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I
treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at
the
same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days
(just
to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!). I
find
Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK

I tried the KwikClear finings before with other wines, but I found the
gelatine went "off" horrible and smelly in the bottle, and un-usable /
expensive. The egg white sounds good, and is a solution mentioned in C J
Berry's book. I think I might try that, since the wine was so cheap to make
it won't matter if I ruin it.

And I always have eggs in the fridge and don't have to go to the homebrew
shop to buy something!

Anyone else tried this?

Barb UK

"Barb" wrote in message
...
Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment
very long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly
low-alcohol) which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at
the same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days
(just to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!).
I find Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK


OK, I just stuck in a good glob of egg-white, per CJ Berry's book, and we'll
see what happens! I hope it works ... what I like about this solution is
that it's non-chemical.

Barb UK

"Barb" wrote in message
...
Encat, I chopped the pears and steeped them in the primary in boiling
water, added ingredients when cool and yeast after a couple of days.
Maybe the boiling water was a mistake...

BarbUK

Barb,

We have a couple of pear trees at our place. After trying a few methods,
I've found that quartering and freezing the pears for about a week works
best for me. When they're thawed, a golden pear nectar oozes out of the
segments. I toss them all in the primary to ferment then press when
fermentation subsides. Since I age my wines in the carboy for at least 6
months, any particles settle out before bottling.

Paul

On Nov 8, 2:00 pm, "Barb" wrote:
"Barb" wrote in message

...



Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment
very long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly
low-alcohol) which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at
the same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days
(just to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!).
I find Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK

OK, I just stuck in a good glob of egg-white, per CJ Berry's book, and we'll
see what happens! I hope it works ... what I like about this solution is
that it's non-chemical.

Barb UK

If that doesn't work try it again following a different procedure.
Stir 1/2 teaspoon salt into 1 cup of water until dissolved. Separate
the egg white and add twice as much of this salt solution to the egg
white and mix it into a slurry. Let the foam subside before adding it
to wine. The French usually do this in a copper bowl but I'm not sure
if that matters... 1 egg is probably enough for 5 gallons Imperial.
(I've never made pear wine so refrained from posting until now; I know
you need some salt in the egg whites.)

Here is a nice link on fining from the university of Arkansas:

http://www.uark.edu/depts/ifse/grape...es/nmc14wg.pdf


Joe

Joe

If that doesn't work try it again following a different procedure.
Stir 1/2 teaspoon salt into 1 cup of water until dissolved. Separate
the egg white and add twice as much of this salt solution to the egg
white and mix it into a slurry. Let the foam subside before adding it
to wine. The French usually do this in a copper bowl but I'm not sure
if that matters... 1 egg is probably enough for 5 gallons Imperial.
(I've never made pear wine so refrained from posting until now; I know
you need some salt in the egg whites.)

Here is a nice link on fining from the university of Arkansas:

http://www.uark.edu/depts/ifse/grape...es/nmc14wg.pdf


Joe

Joe


Thanks for the link Joe, one to keep! Well the egg gloop doesn't seem to be
doing anything straight away (most finings show some small sign of effect
within a day with me) - I'm going to stick it in the porch where it's cold.
I did put a small pinch of salt in the egg, as advised in the book.

I'll try your method in a week or so, if the stuff still remains murky.

Barb UK

I hate to be a curmudgeon here, but I don't think this egg white advice
is going to do a damned thing for your pear wine. Egg white(positive
charge) is a traditional fining agent to reduce some tannins (negative
charge) from harsh red wines. Your issue is almost certainly not
tannins - pear wines tend to be deficient in such and some winemakers
add grape tannin to stiffen up their wine.

As a pear winemaker myself, I would bet that your haze is caused by
suspended fruit particles. Not even sure what charge they carry - which
would dictate a fining agent strategy - but I do know that time will
settle them out. One year, I kept the pear wine in carboys for almost a
year before bottling and it was crystal clear. But usually we bentonite
fine, allow a couple months to settle most (not all) the fruit
material, then bottle. Usually have a small residue in the bottles
after a couple more months - but find it easy to pour or decant such
that we eliminate it.



On 2007-11-06 10:04:23 -0800, "Barb" said:

Hi, I'm relatively new to making my own wines, and have had some success
with various fruits, rosehips, etc.

I bought some very nice "on offer" pears from Tescos and followed a basic
recipe I found on the net, which looked as if it had all the right
ingredients. Pectolase was included at the outset. It didn't ferment very
long, but is now a dry, light-flavoured wine (I think fairly low-alcohol)
which should be quite pleasant when it has stood a bit.

However, a dose of Vinclear has had no effect on it whatsoever. I treated
another wine, made rather experimentally from assorted fruit juices, at the
same time, and it has responded quite miraculously in a couple of days (just
to mention ...that this one tastes really good and is rocket-fuel!). I find
Vinclear usually works well.

Any ideas?

Barb UK

On 11/10/2007 12:16 PM, AxisOfBeagles wrote:
[snipped for brevity]

As a pear winemaker myself, I would bet that your haze is caused by
suspended fruit particles. Not even sure what charge they carry - which
would dictate a fining agent strategy - but I do know that time will
settle them out. One year, I kept the pear wine in carboys for almost a
year before bottling and it was crystal clear. But usually we bentonite
fine, allow a couple months to settle most (not all) the fruit material,
then bottle. Usually have a small residue in the bottles after a couple
more months - but find it easy to pour or decant such that we eliminate it.

You've got me curious. If you don't know what charge the suspended
fruit particles have, why do you use bentonite?

I've made a couple different pear wines/meads. Five gallons with about
30 lbs of assorted pear varieties, apple and pear juice at 50/50, etc.
All have dropped clear over time, but all did throw additional sediment
in the bottle. Not a huge amount, but a fine dusting on the bottom of
the bottle. But I do use pectin enzyme with any fruit wine, and I do
not boil or even heat the fruit.


Cheers,
Ken