Bob,
I typically don't use clarifying agents either, unless a wine really doesn't
clear. Usually my wines clear by racking when there is sediment, and
letting them sit. I've had wines take a year to clear, and yet the
zucchini/banana wine I started in late April cleared in less than a month.
As soon as my wine cellar gets big enough, I'm going to start to bulk age
longer before bottling. Just started my Oregano Wine a few days ago -
should be interesting.
Darlene
G'town, Wisconsin
USA

"Oberon" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Bob" > wrote in message
> hlink.net...
> > I know a lot of people use clarifying agents; is there anyone else
out
> > there who lets it all clear just by the simple passage of time and
> gravity?
> > I do my ferment, add campden tablets after a couple months to stop
> > fermentation as much as possible, watch it settle to near-crystalline
> > clarity, then rack into another carboy, add preservative and wait for
> final
> > clarification. It can take a very long time....... ;-)
> > Bob
>
> Bob,
>
> With the exception of a few white grape wines, I've never had to use a
> fining agent to clear a wine. I do get a small amount of sediment in all
of
> my wines and meads after several months in the bottle, but I consider this
> to be acceptable given that I do not filter. There are a few meads I've
> made, notably a golden raisen melomel, which continued to throw lees even
> when appearing to be clear (after a typical 9-12 months bulk aging period)
> and would have probably benefitted from a fining regimen. This mead I
> bottled after about two years of bulk aging and it still threw sediment in
> the bottle, though it appeared to be crystal clear in the carboy.
>
>
> --
> Cheers,
> Ken
>
>