Opinions?

Don't know what to say about 2 batches of the same wine being that different in color. Made some from juice last spring & it all was the color of your dark one. The reason I posted here was to tell you that I racked mine 3 times & still had settling at the bottom. Left sit for 6 months, filtered it before bottling, it was very clear. Check it a few months later & STILL there is stuff settling out. Gonna make a batch this spring & let it sit for a year before fooling with it. The primary ferment left a LOT of garbage at the bottom, more than I'm used to seeing with anything else I've ever made, so I figure it's just the pear juice that contains more junk than usual. If you haven't let it settle for at least 6-8 months, I suggest you do, it should clear eventually. Good luck.

I had a _lot_ of sediment in the pear wine I made this year. The recipe I followed recommended adding a small amount of ascorbic acid to prevent oxidisation. Apparently it turns wine a darker colour.

I assume you are saying that the two larger carboys have a different color from each other rather than a different color form the bottle. I also assume that they are under airlocks with very little head space so oxidation is not the culprit. Oxidation will cause wine to darken or brown.

The color difference could be cause by different amounts of particulates in suspension. As the particulates drop out it may tend to darken and then clear. You really can not tell the color of a wine very well until it clears.

When did you start it? How long since it stopped fermenting? Did you add pectin enzyme? Have you protected it with Camden or sulfite?

Ray

1) Did the liquid come from the same batch before fermentation? 2) Which bottle was started first? 3) Were did you have the bottles during fermentation, in full light, on a window sill.? 4) Did you peal the fruit before using? 5) What kind (type) of sugar have you used? 6) Have you tried it yet?

Stephen SG

My two batches were fermented as one lot, then they were transfered to the demijohns to finish the fermentation and that is when the colour changed with the darker batch.

That is exactly what I did say.

The picture linked at the URL I provided clearly shows the amount of headspace and the rubber bungs which hold the airlocks. You can't see the airlocks, that is one assumption that is reasonable.

Yes, I'm sure it could. What else could it be caused by?

October. See:

Not sure.

No.. Pectolyase and Amylase are the only additives used.

This was my first attempt at winemaking, but I agree the "junk" at the bottom was considerable.

I have transferred (and filtered) the wine to two new demijohns and placed it (covered) in the back of my garage. I'll leave it there for a couple of years. :)

The entire batch was fermented in a five gallon plastic drum. It was then filtered and transfered to the two demijohns and has been kept in a cool area away from direct sunlight.

No.

Raw cane sugar.

Yes, both batches taste a bit like watery cider but the lighter batch is a bit smoother.

If I am not mistaken Pectolyase is a pectin enzyme. Sounds like you have done everything right. My guess would be that one of the carboys got more pulp than the other or for one reason or another is clearing a little slower. Certainly nothing to worry about at this time. The main thing that would cause a color change to worry about at this stage is oxidation and you have it under an air lock so that should not be a problem Just let it clear and they will probably come out the same.

I saw you post below about putting them in the garage for a couple of years. I have not made pear wine but friends have. Many fruit wines reach their peak and start down hill by then. I would plan on trying it after 9 months and then regularly every 2 or 3 months until you decide it is nice. Then bottle and start drinking. Not all wine improves forever with time. Whites in general, are often better young and fruit wines act more like whites. I may age my reds for 2+ years but many of my whites I drink up in 1 year. Just some food for thought.

Ray

... "It was then filtered and transfered to the two demijohns ..."

If you filtered the wine without sulfite protection, this is most likely oxidative browning.

... "Yes, both batches taste a bit like watery cider"...

When you say "watery cider, do you mean it is sweet like cider??

If it tastes sweet like fresh apple cider, then your fermentation stopped before completion. This could be the result of a ML infection especially if there was no sulfite present. If your purpose was to make a dry wine then you'll need to sulfite to about 60ppm to knock out any residual bacteria, add yeast nutrient and re-innoculate with a strong bayanus yeast like 1118.

CHEERS!

Aaron

What if it is "oxidation" in that batch ?

ok.. I will try that.

No, it is not sweet, but it does taste quite alcoholic and also watery ie. without "body".

Mike,

I just talked to Paul Lehmann who posts here but is on vacation at the moment and away from his computer. He has a 10 gal. batch of Pear he started in October. He said he hit it with Betonite a couple of weeks ago and it cleared almost over night. I personally prefer to used SuperKlear but that is just me.

Just a comment

Ray .

Sorry not to have got back sooner.

You will find that the sugar type used is the reason for the different colour.

Stephen SG

I had about a quart of "dregs" poured from the bottom of my secondary fermentation carboy from this fall's activities. It was about as clear as mud, but figured I might be able settle it out enough to use it for cooking or whatever. I let it settle for a week or so on its own, then added a gram or two of Bentonite and waited a couple more days. It was not only clear enough to cook with, it was clear enough to drink. I didn't give this bottle of salvaged wine a chance to age though :o)