Bentonite Question

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

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

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