Is there any point of fining before you filter? Beyond not clogging up a filter pad too fast, but I'll be letting it age and clear before I filter.
Fining before filter?
- Thread starter McJeff
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Absolutely. Filtering only polishes the final product. That depends on how long you let it sit and how many times you rack during the aging process. If it sits for a year or more and you've racked it two or three times (I cold crash before each racking) then you may not need to use finings. Some people claim that finings strip flavor away.
Regardless of your opinion, either by fining or waiting, you should only filter wine that's already crystal clear. At least you will think it's crystal clear until it goes through a filter.
Regardless of your opinion, either by fining or waiting, you should only filter wine that's already crystal clear. At least you will think it's crystal clear until it goes through a filter.
I've done it both ways. But as mannye said, the mead should be crystal clear before filtering regardless of whether you had previously fined.
However, even fined and filtered wine/mead can drop sediment over time. I previously posted a link to this short article on the subject of sedimentation occurring even after filtering: Understanding Sediment in Wine
I have never cold crashed. I know it "cures" wine crystals, but is it a 100%, sure-fire cure to the long-term sedimentation problem?
Nope. I have had sediment in mead that I fined, cold crashed and filtered. Very frustrating. But the smallest I go is one micron. .5 would probably eliminate 99% of sediment.
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
I have had sediment with a 0.5 micron nominal filter. I'm wondering if the wine may contain some dissolved solids when bottling, but much later they precipitate out of the solution.
Not necessarily! Really fine particles will remain even after fining.
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
This probably isn't a helpful suggestion but I've noticed that if I boil the honey solution and skim off the stuff that rises, then add pectic enzyme once cool, and wait for 12 hours of course before adding yeast I end up with perfectly clear mead in a short time - so far anyway! Obviously there are those who avoid heating the honey solution in an attempt to preserve as much of the original character of the honey as possible, but then there are some who avoid using finings as they say it affects flavour too!
Then again I've used bentonite to clear a cold-started mead before only to find sediment continues to form after many months so personally I prefer to start in a way that means the mead goes clear quickly as I'm a bit of a faffer - I had to go back and rack from bottle to bottle as sediment continued to form.
Then again I've used bentonite to clear a cold-started mead before only to find sediment continues to form after many months so personally I prefer to start in a way that means the mead goes clear quickly as I'm a bit of a faffer - I had to go back and rack from bottle to bottle as sediment continued to form.
I'm curious to try the same recipe boil and no boil to find out if there are appreciable differences in taste.
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
That's a good idea Stanley! No seriously I'd be one of the many others interested in the results.
Well here's another mess you've gotten me into!
Sent from my TARDIS at the restaurant at the end of the universe while eating Phil.
Fine! hee hee pun. I have a couple of of 1 gal carboys freeing up in a couple of weeks. Summer Cider is just about done.
