I know why is bentonite is used, but sometimes it's added before
fermentation and sometimes after? My wine kit added it before, but Iv'e
seen recipes where it's added after. What determines the when?
Thanks,
Crhoff

adding it befopre gives yeast nucleation sites so they can stay in
suspension.

after it helps stuff settle out.

Basically a decision of the wine person putting the kit/recipe
together. There are a number of factors that I am aware of...

1) there are many different grades/types of bentonite. perhaps some
work better during fermantation, others after
2) less bentonite is required during fermentation than after because
of the 'lift' provided by the yeast activity
3) bentonite aids the yeast to circulate provin=ding a better
fermentation

Note ... I'm no chemist or whatever. The above comments have been
gleaned from various internet sources.

Steve

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 16:15:31 -0500, "Crhoff"
> wrote:

>I know why is bentonite is used, but sometimes it's added before
>fermentation and sometimes after? My wine kit added it before, but Iv'e
>seen recipes where it's added after. What determines the when?
>Thanks,
>Crhoff
>

Notice that when betonite is added after fermentation it must be boiled.
When it is added in kits before fermentation it is just stirred in. Is this
just because if added during fermentation, the yeast action stirs it up so
you do not have to boil it?

Ray

"Crhoff" > wrote in message
...
>I know why is bentonite is used, but sometimes it's added before
>fermentation and sometimes after? My wine kit added it before, but Iv'e
>seen recipes where it's added after. What determines the when?
> Thanks,
> Crhoff
>
>

Ray Calvert wrote:
> Notice that when betonite is added after fermentation it must be boiled.
> When it is added in kits before fermentation it is just stirred in. Is this
> just because if added during fermentation, the yeast action stirs it up so
> you do not have to boil it?
>
> Ray

I never heard that it has to be boiled, the only fining agent that I
know has to be boiled is hot-mix Sparkalloid... There are different
types of bentonite out there, so their preparation might differ. The
one I'm using after ferment just needs to soak in water for 24 hrs or
so - I'm using hot water but that's just because it makes it easier to
make the slurry that way.

Pp

On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 16:15:31 -0500, Crhoff wrote:

The few industry texts I have read refer to fully expanding the bentonite
by mixing into hot?? water and allowing it to stand for at least 24 hrs.
It needs to be made up as 5% w/w suspension as it becomes too
viscous to work with easily in higher concentrations.
Little mention is made of bentonite as a fermentation aid except for
clarified white grape juice and in the secondary fermentation of sparkling
wines. Is the addition of bentonite before primary fermentation a recent
development or is it mainly confined to wine kits where suspended
grape matter may be largely absent?
Regards
Ian


> I know why is bentonite is used, but sometimes it's added before
> fermentation and sometimes after? My wine kit added it before, but Iv'e
> seen recipes where it's added after. What determines the when? Thanks,
> Crhoff

Ian Anderson wrote:
> On Tue, 10 Jan 2006 16:15:31 -0500, Crhoff wrote:
>
> The few industry texts I have read refer to fully expanding the bentonite
> by mixing into hot?? water and allowing it to stand for at least 24 hrs.
> It needs to be made up as 5% w/w suspension as it becomes too
> viscous to work with easily in higher concentrations.
> Little mention is made of bentonite as a fermentation aid except for
> clarified white grape juice and in the secondary fermentation of sparkling
> wines. Is the addition of bentonite before primary fermentation a recent
> development or is it mainly confined to wine kits where suspended
> grape matter may be largely absent?
> Regards
> Ian
>

I believe it's the latter - mainly confined to wine kits because
they're speeding up the "normal winemaking process to get the wine in
bottles in 4-6 weeks.

If I remember correctly, Margalit talks about ading bentonite to must,
and one possible problem with that was increased risk of hydrogen
sulfide formation for longer fermentations.

Pp