I've got an apricot wine that's been fermenting for 3 days now and is
quickly on it's way to sort of a thin alcoholic jam. If I add
pectinase now will it help, or is it too late?

Thanks,

--arne

"arne thormodsen" > wrote in message
...
> I've got an apricot wine that's been fermenting for 3 days now and is
> quickly on it's way to sort of a thin alcoholic jam. If I add
> pectinase now will it help, or is it too late?

It will help... most add in the beginning, however you can add even after
transfer to your secondary.

Mix it with a bit of water, then stir it into your wine -- good luck with
your wine!

Steve

doesn't breaking down pectin result in methanol?

--
billb
"Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
...
> "arne thormodsen" > wrote in
message
> ...
> > I've got an apricot wine that's been fermenting for 3 days now
and is
> > quickly on it's way to sort of a thin alcoholic jam. If I add
> > pectinase now will it help, or is it too late?
>
> It will help... most add in the beginning, however you can add even
after
> transfer to your secondary.
>
> Mix it with a bit of water, then stir it into your wine -- good
luck with
> your wine!
>
> Steve
>
>

"billb" > wrote in message
newspBWc.1772$4o.302@fed1read01...
> doesn't breaking down pectin result in methanol?

There are minute amounts of methanol in almost any wine, I do not believe
pectinase to be a serious contributor. The end result of using pectinase is
a wine that does not cloud (chill haze) when refrigerated.

Steve

> doesn't breaking down pectin result in methanol?


Yep, but that is going to happen wheather you ad pectinase or not.
The yeast will break down some of the pectin themselves.

That is why you need to age wine. During aging alcohols combine with
acids to form esters (compounds that give wine fruitty aromas). This
is why (along with slow oxidation of tannins and other compounds)
wines "soften" with age, the harsh edges round off.

"billb" > wrote in message
newspBWc.1772$4o.302@fed1read01...
> doesn't breaking down pectin result in methanol?

There are minute amounts of methanol in almost any wine, I do not believe
pectinase to be a serious contributor. The end result of using pectinase is
a wine that does not cloud (chill haze) when refrigerated.

Steve

> doesn't breaking down pectin result in methanol?


Yep, but that is going to happen wheather you ad pectinase or not.
The yeast will break down some of the pectin themselves.

That is why you need to age wine. During aging alcohols combine with
acids to form esters (compounds that give wine fruitty aromas). This
is why (along with slow oxidation of tannins and other compounds)
wines "soften" with age, the harsh edges round off.

Pectin is a huge branched carbohydrate that is important for plant cell wall
integrity, it exists in many forms depending on tissue, species etc. Pectin
is modified by esterification (this changes the crosslinking between
branches) and the enzyme pectin methylesterase removes these modifications
and is what releases the methanol. It is my understanding that many of the
pectic enzymes that are sold to us are actually cocktails of enzymes that
will attack different parts of the pectin molecules. Since there are many
different linkages in the molecule it takes many different enzymes to put it
together or take it apart.
-Alex P

"billb" > wrote in message
newspBWc.1772$4o.302@fed1read01...
> doesn't breaking down pectin result in methanol?
>
> --
> billb
> "Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
> ...
> > "arne thormodsen" > wrote in
> message
> > ...
> > > I've got an apricot wine that's been fermenting for 3 days now
> and is
> > > quickly on it's way to sort of a thin alcoholic jam. If I add
> > > pectinase now will it help, or is it too late?
> >
> > It will help... most add in the beginning, however you can add even
> after
> > transfer to your secondary.
> >
> > Mix it with a bit of water, then stir it into your wine -- good
> luck with
> > your wine!
> >
> > Steve
> >
> >
>
>

Pectin is a huge branched carbohydrate that is important for plant cell wall
integrity, it exists in many forms depending on tissue, species etc. Pectin
is modified by esterification (this changes the crosslinking between
branches) and the enzyme pectin methylesterase removes these modifications
and is what releases the methanol. It is my understanding that many of the
pectic enzymes that are sold to us are actually cocktails of enzymes that
will attack different parts of the pectin molecules. Since there are many
different linkages in the molecule it takes many different enzymes to put it
together or take it apart.
-Alex P

"billb" > wrote in message
newspBWc.1772$4o.302@fed1read01...
> doesn't breaking down pectin result in methanol?
>
> --
> billb
> "Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
> ...
> > "arne thormodsen" > wrote in
> message
> > ...
> > > I've got an apricot wine that's been fermenting for 3 days now
> and is
> > > quickly on it's way to sort of a thin alcoholic jam. If I add
> > > pectinase now will it help, or is it too late?
> >
> > It will help... most add in the beginning, however you can add even
> after
> > transfer to your secondary.
> >
> > Mix it with a bit of water, then stir it into your wine -- good
> luck with
> > your wine!
> >
> > Steve
> >
> >
>
>

doesn't breaking down pectin result in methanol?

--
billb
"Steve Thompson" > wrote in message
...
> "arne thormodsen" > wrote in
message
> ...
> > I've got an apricot wine that's been fermenting for 3 days now
and is
> > quickly on it's way to sort of a thin alcoholic jam. If I add
> > pectinase now will it help, or is it too late?
>
> It will help... most add in the beginning, however you can add even
after
> transfer to your secondary.
>
> Mix it with a bit of water, then stir it into your wine -- good
luck with
> your wine!
>
> Steve
>
>