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chadspad wrote:Oh blimey that is vigorous lol. Think thats why its better to do the primary ferment in buckets so stop that happening.

I remember folks from my student days who thought they'd save themselves that step, and put whole cherries into the demijohns... The air lock locked itself with a cherry stone, and the whole shebang exploded. I think they re-decorated the kitchen after that.

I currently have a gallon of the following brewing merrily away.

Hawthorn Wine
Elderflower Wine
Gorse Wine (No shortage up here!!!)

A question for you all tho. Does anyone use finings to clear the wine? Or do you let it clear itself.

hi and welcome to the forum


I dont use finings, but I do use a good brewing yeast that brings clearing qualities to wines, and both my mead and rhubarb wines were lovely and clear.

I also have elderflower wine bubbling away - theraputic.. watching those airlocks....

I haven't used finings yet, but i might have to on the mystery wine - i think its got something in it that's stopping it clearing.

I've got going:

Chai
Coffee
Coconut
and Mystery

and as of this weekend, i'll have the Lavender going too!

I havent used finings either, most wines do clear themselves but some are notorious for being harder to clear like plum especially if u have cooked the fruits first - this is where pectolase comes in handy. I have found that by using a campden tablet at the end helps drop any sediment to the bottom and perhaps another dose of pectolase.

Currently on the go:

Elderberry (just about to bottle)
Elderberry & pear
Pear
Pear & nectarine
Coffee
Plum
Quince
Coconut
Lavender
Mint

No wonder I have such a small kitchen

haha, i've got the same problem, my demijohns are in the broom alcove...and the broom ishaving to find somewhere else to live.

How much pectolase at a time do you use? I'm thinking that i might give it a go with the mystery wine (its got kiwi and oranges in it), but i don't want to use too much/too little.

Its finished fermenting - haven't heard a peep out of it for a while. I racked it on Saturday night, and it hasn't moved so i reckon the yeast has done its thing.

Also...when adding sugar, do you add it, taste it and then leave it for a while to ferment if its going to, or do you add it, then add campden tablets? The mystery wine is far far far too dry for me (i like medium-dry, not super dry!!) so i'm thinking of sweetening it. On the other hand, the chai one was far far far too sweet last time i racked it, so i put some more yeast and nutrient in it. it seems to be working so far.

Pectolase says to add 1 level teaspoon per gallon or 2 tsps if used with heated or boiled fruits. I only used 1 with my plum but then added another at a later date and that worked.

With sweetening, I add a campden tablet and most importantly potassium sorbate which stops the brew starting to ferment again when u add sugar to taste. After adding these I wait a couple of weeks then add the sugar. Try adding little bit of sugar at a time dissolved in cooled boiled water. I leave a glass of the wine in the fridge to taste it but then I like my wine really cold. U could also sweeten with fruit juice instead if u prefer - I added 1/2 litre of apple juice to my elderberry instead of sugar.

i shall give those suggestions a try! Thankyou

Sorted all my wines out the other night which helped me sleep a little better lol The lavender has completely cleared and is ready to bottle - it has a very distinctive taste (it tastes exactly as it smells) and seems to be very strong (recipe did say it makes a wine of 18°!), the woman that have tried it love it, the blokes hate it. The mint is alright altho not as minty as I had hoped. The coffee is fab, there is def no mistaking its coffee. My elderberry and pear is absolutely delicious and ready to bottle although I doubt thats going to get the 2 years lay-down thats suggested lol. And the coconut and mango juice tastes of coconut and mango juice so thats a complete result! All in all a very good batch of wines and a good night was had by all testing them!

Hows your coconut going fee?

Its sitting in the demijohn waiting to be bottled i think.

Its not cleared very well, so i think i'll rerack it again, and leave it for a few weeks.

All mine are waiting to be bottled!! I put some pectolase in the mystery wine and its mostly cleared, the coffee and the chai ones have stopped. Must get bottling at the weekend!

OK, I have the most delicious plum wine that has been clear from the start, something I was dead chuffed about as I keep reading that plum wine is notorious for not clearing easily. Clear that is until I added my campden tablet prior to bottling and its gone all hazy!!!! Ive added another tsp of pectolase but that hasnt worked. Its been a month since the campden was added. Any idea on how to clear the wine please?

either commercial finings, or baked banana skin according to CJJ berry.

Thanks Fee. Problem with finings is the sachet is for 5 gallon and I only have 1 gallon. Not going to be easy to store a liquid sachet after opening and its the only one I have. Will use as last resort. Baked banana skins - will have to get the book ut and have a read!

i have used egg white to fine something? cant remember what - had too much tannin - tannin binds to the protein in the egg white and precipitates out. may strip some colour though