Fining agents are used to clarify wine and beer before
bottling or long term storage. Fining (fine - ing) agents work on
the principle that all of the particles clouding up wine or beer have an
electrical charge. As the saying goes, opposites attract, so a positively
charged fining like gelatin will attract negatively charged particles and
bind with them, making them too heavy to float. They will then sink
to the bottom of your carboy, leaving everything brilliantly clear.
Fining Agents for Wine
LIQUOR
QUIK SUPER KLEER K.C. $1.95
This superior Euro-fining, is the new standard in wine finings.
It contains 2 pre-mixed pouches, kieselsol and chitosan. It works
by creating both strong negative strong positive charges in the wine, which
allow for larger yeast clumping and faster clearing. These finings
have been successfully promoted in certain brands of wine kits over the
past few years and are now available to every wine kit maker. One 2.26
oz package is sufficient to clear a 5 or 6 gallon batch of beer or
wine in two days.
BENTONITE
8 oz. $1.00
1 LB. $1.50
Naturally occurring hydrated aluminosilicate
of sodium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. Also useful when added to
clear juice must at the beginning of a fermentation and to provide yeast
nucleation sites. Speeds the onset of fermentation. Use 4 teaspoons
for five gallons of wine. Dissolve by blending into 1/2 cup of boiling
water. Allow to stand for 24 hours and stir thoroughly into wine.
Wait two weeks and then rack wine from sediment. Using more than
the recommended amount can strip melanoidins (color and flavor compounds)
from a wine. Prolonged breathing of dust can cause respiratory disease.
SPARKOLLOID
1 oz. $1.95
1 LB. $11.95
Cold Mix Fining Agent. Positively
charged fining agent for beer and wine. Noted for working when other
fining agents have failed. Also provides a compact sediment bed,
pressing down other fining agents and increasing yield. Used as a
coating medium for filter pads, to decrease porosity. To use, stir
1/2 tsp. per gallon into one quart of briskly boiling water. Boil
for three minutes, stirring well to completely dissolve. Use 1/2
cup of the prepared solution for every gallon of wine. Stir thoroughly
into wine, leave for 2 weeks, and then rack off sediment. Although
it may contain some colloidal compounds which can make it gel, Sparkalloid
is derived from the preserved skeletons of marine animals found in dry
seabed, suspended in powdered agar gelatin. Prolonged exposure to
dust can cause lung irritation.
ISINGLASS LIQUID
45 ml. for 5-6 gallons $0.85
12 pack $8.55
Positively charged fining agent. Traditionally used
for beer but can also be used for wine. Extremely gentle. Use
packet per six gallons of beer or wine. Dissolve into one cup of
water and stir thoroughly into beer or wine. Wait two weeks and rack off
sediment. Not as strong as any other fining. May fail to clear
completely.
GELATIN FINING
1 oz. $1.30
1 LB. $10.50
Positively charged fining agent for wine and beer.
The most powerful of the organic fining, gelatin will also remove excess
tannins (polyphenolics) and coloring particles (melanoidins) from wine.
Use ½ teaspoon per 5 gallons of beer and 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons
of wine. Soak in cold water for one hour, then boil to dissolve.
Add cooled solution directly to wine during the stabilization and degassing
step. For beer, add to secondary fermenter prior to racking.
Once the transfer is complete, stir gently. Using more than the recommended
amount will remove too much of the color and flavor compounds from wine
and some of the body from beer.
IRISH MOSS
1 oz. $1.95
1 LB. $9.95
Chrondus crispus, a dried marine
algae used to aid in cold break after boiling. Use one tsp. in the
boil for 10 minutes. Irish Moss is a dried sea weed used by brewers
worldwide to remove the positive charged proteins in the wort. These
proteins cause finished beer to become hazy when it is chilled. Brewers
call this condition chill haze. The Irish moss has a negative charge
and attracts the proteins helping them settle to the bottom of the brew
pot. This brew pot sediment is called trub by brewers. It is
good practice to add one teaspoon of Irish Moss to the brew pot at least
15 minutes before the end of the boil.
LIQUOR
QUIK SUPER KLEER K.C. $1.95