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Dissolving bentonite

I've been experimenting with using bentonite to clarify. I've been trying to add it with the must before pitching the yeast. Adding it as it's packaged causes it just to settle to the bottom right away, so I've been dissolving it. I will take, say, half a liter of must and mix with the bentonite in a 1 liter bottle. I'll shake it until I can't see any solids, and nothing quickly settles out between shakes. This will then get mixed into the must at large. The problem is it settles out within hours.

I've tried various quantities, from 3 teaspoons for a 6 gallon batch to

3 tablespoons for a 6 gallon batch, and I've run into this every time. Is that just the lay of the land? I figured the bentonite would settle with the yeast quiet down. I can't imagine it clarifying appropriately in primary fermentation.

It could also be possible the tip I got for adding it in primary fermentation is crock, and that I should do it in secondary, or at the end of primary. Am I using it at the wrong time?

Granted, I shouldn't need bentonite if I age long enough, but I don't think I'll be aging appropriately until I have a few closets full of wine bottles. Until then, I need faster gratification.

Reply to
Adam Preble
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Adam, You hydrate bentonite into a 5% slurry; for example 5 grams and 95 cc water. Boiling water and a blender or mixer are easier than shaking, you let it sit at least a day before use. It's a good fining agent, you just got bad directions for use. It's just clay, but it has to be properly prepared to use. You can use it in primary but I don't.

Joe

Reply to
Joe Sallustio

All Bentonite is not equal... I notice that kits come with a finely ground form of bentonite called "Quick Bentonite" and it almost dissolves. I made kit wines (Winexpert and Brewery Lane) using the bentonite in primary and the wine cleared brilliantly... I skipped the bentonite in a couple of batches and they did not clear until I used another fining agent (Super Kleer) on them.

Finely ground Bentonite stirred into primary works very well if you stir it like mad.

Reply to
A. J. Rawls

Bentonite doesn't actually "dissolve". It's a type of clay. It works by adsorbing proteinaceous materials onto its surface. The trick is to expose as much of its surface to the wine as possible, and the way to do that is to thoroughly hydrate it before use.

Hydration is best accomplished by mixing the bentonite into hot water in a blender (Osterizer). Mix ~50 grams into a liter of boiling hot water and blenderize until smooth. Let stand for a day or more, shake to suspend the solids and use immediately.

Tom S

Reply to
Tom S

As being new to making wine I have to ask this question, why would you want to try to clarify before you start your fermentation? In the four batches I have found that the wine I have made (from grapes and watermelon) are clear by the 3rd racking.

Reply to
Roy Boy

Bentonite takes proteins out of wine. These can precipitate in the bottle, even if the wine looks completely clear during bottling.

Bentonite added before fermentation is also supposed to help the fermentation along by giving the yeasts something to attach to so they stay longer in suspension. So it's not just about clarification in this case.

Pp

Reply to
pp

As I understand it, there are numerous grades/types of bentonite. For me, each type of bentonite seems to require different handling.

As someone already said bentonite gets rid of proteins that can cause a haze in your wine.

It is often used in the primary for two reasons....

1) it provides 'nucleation' sites for the yeast. No I'm not a chemist and I got that word off the internet somewhere. Basically it helps the yeast to circulate in the must/wine.

2) When used in the primary, less bentonite (and less stirring) is used to produce the same effect. Because the 'lift' provided by the yeast causes the bentonite to circulate, less stirring is required.

When making a kit, the bentonite usually settles out failrly quickly (less than an hour?). Then when the yeast starts up, the bentonite can be seen throughout the wine. This is much more visible in white wines, of course.

Steve

Reply to
Steve Waller

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