John,
I do fruit/flower/vegetable wines. Usually I do not have any clearing
problems with my wines (and I use pectin enzyme & tannin in all recipes),
but every so often I get one which won't clear. Before I even try the
Bentonite, I have already made sure that it is not a pectin haze or a starch
haze. Last year, it was my Watermelon wine which wouldn't clear, but cold
stabilization seemed to do the trick. This years watermelon wine was clear
within a few months- same recipe...who knows??? My first dandelion wine
cleared very well, this one has had problems. I've already determined that
it wasn't a starch or pectin haze. And I also tried cold stabilization
which helped a little bit. The Bentonite was my last shot at clearing. I
might give Sparkalloid a shot with my next clearing problem - I'm willing to
try new things.
Thank you.
Darlene

"J Dixon" > wrote in message
...
> A.J.
> I cant give you a specific answer because it really depends on what
is
> causing the clarity problem. The majority of fruit wines that I have made
> did not require any fining for clarity. The most common problem I have
seen
> with fruit wines are Pectin hazes. These can normally be prevented by the
> addition of Pectin Enzyme right from the beginning of fermentation. Pectin
> Enzyme seems to work a lot better if you use it right from the beginnning.
I
> am not sure of all of the reasons why, but I think a lot of it has to do
> with the increased temperature of an active ferment as Pectin Enzyme is
more
> effective at warmer temperatures. The addition of Tannin also aids
> clarification as well as giving the wine a more "grape like" consistency
and
> improving the mouth feel which I like. (more a stylistic thing). By using
> the Pectin Enzyme, and Tannin I have only had a couple of fruit wines that
> would not fall bright on their own. I tried bench trials with Polyclar,
> Sparkalloid, and Bentonite (in case it was a protein haze). I found the
> Sparkalloid to do the best job, and not strip the wine out. In Greater
> amounts Bentonite did strip some of the flavor from the wine. A normal
> dosage I use of Bentonite is in the area of 1.5-2 grams per US Gallon,
and
> I try to limit it to no more than 4 grams per gallon. I have also used
> Gelatin counter fined with Kieselsol with success, but Gelatin also has
> stripping qualities so you have to be careful and I would recommend bench
> trials with it especially to make sure you like the results. So in summary
I
> like Sparkalloid the most of the fining agents that I have used, but that
is
> just what has worked for me and I haven't had many problems with my fruit
> wines. HTH
> John Dixon
> "A.J. Rawls" > wrote in message
> ...
> > What is a better clarifying agent than Bentonite? Especially for
> > fruit/flower wines?
> >
> > Later,
> > A.J.
> >
> > On Sat, 20 Dec 2003 16:19:23 GMT, "J Dixon"
> > > wrote:
> >
> > >Darlene,
> > > That is the basic concept with one major point to make... The wine
> has
> > >to have Tatrate Crystals in order to form a crust on the Bentonite.
There
> > >usually is enough of them in most any grape wine, but I dont know
> anything
> > >about Dandelion, but my first guess is that it does not contain them,
and
> > >this would be a waste of time. The point I was making was more about
> using
> > >Bentonite for Protein stability or hazes versus as specifically a
> clarifying
> > >agent, which there are better products out there for that purpose. Make
> > >sense?
> > >John Dixon
> > >"Dar V" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > >> John,
> > >> I'm game for anything at this point. Let me see if I understand you
> > >> correctly...you add bentonite, wait the proper time amount, then cold
> > >> stabilize to damp down the bentonite, and then rack.
> > >> Darlene
> > >>
> > >> "J Dixon" > wrote in message
> > >> . ..
> > >> > Darlene,
> > >> > I use Bentonite regularly for my grape wines especially the
> whites.
> > >> The
> > >> > reason I use it is for Protein stability, or "hot" stability.
Simply
> > >> stated
> > >> > it means that a sudden protein haze wont form at warmer
temperatures.
> > >> > Bentonite is also a clarifying agent, but in my opinion there are a
> lot
> > >> > better products out there if clarity is the goal of the fining. I
> have
> > >no
> > >> > experience with dandelion, so I wont give you any suggestions as to
> what
> > >> to
> > >> > use without bench trials. I usually cold stabilize my wines by
bring
> > >them
> > >> > outside after I have fined with the bentonite for about 2 weeks.
This
> > >> > accomplishes a couple things: it limits handling by eliminating a
> > >racking,
> > >> > and it has the benefit of the tatrate crystals "holding down" the
> > >> bentonite
> > >> > to allow better racking as the bentonite is quite fine and fluffy.
> HTH
> > >> > John Dixon
> > >> > "Dar V" > wrote in message
> > >> > ...
> > >> > > I have a dandelion wine which wouldn't clear, so I have added
some
> > >> > > bentonite, and I've been watching the wine clear. It's been
about
> 10
> > >> > days.
> > >> > > Since this was the first time I used bentonite to clear a wine, I
> was
> > >> > > wondering what experiences others have had with it. Will it
clear
> > >more
> > >> if
> > >> > I
> > >> > > wait longer or not? I'm happy with how much it has cleared
> > >considering
> > >> > how
> > >> > > cloudy it was. I wouldn't say the wine is crystal clear, but
I've
> > >read
> > >> > the
> > >> > > info on Jack's site, and I really don't want to overdue it.
Thanks
> in
> > >> > > advance.
> > >> > > Darlene
> > >> > >
> > >> > >
> > >> >
> > >> >
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> >
>
>