EoinMag

Recipes 

Hi guys, I pitched a plum wine the other day, using fresh plums and a lot of raisins in the mix. I had to boil the raisins a bit to get them soft enough to run my blender through and even at that I've damaged the motor, I also added the stoned plums to the mix to soften them up a bit too, I doubt it's all fully cooked
The question is that seeing as I boiled the liquor, will this wine ever clear or have I potentially set the pectin? I don't have pectic enzyme at the moment, but I do have a two part finings. Will it be sufficient to fine it before one of the rackings? Or will it be sufficient to add pectic enzyme later when I have the money free to buy some, cos I intend to get some with my next internet order but the wine will be at least into secondary by then if not reracked again.

Basically, will I need enzyme or will finings do, and can the enzyme wait until well into the brewing process or does it need to go into an active well fed brew at the start? Any help would be appreciated.

CBBaron

Recipes 

Pectin enzyme is most effective when added before pitching the yeast. I believe alcohol impairs the chemistry (or it may be the low ph?) Either way it will still help when added later in the process it will just take longer and may not be completely effective.

I'm not sure if the wine will clear on its own once you have set pectins. I have always played it safe with fruits and add some pectin enzyme.

Craig

EoinMag

Recipes 

Ok Craig, thanks for that it's some help at least, I expect that this will be in secondary for 4 months or so, almost to the point of bulk ageing so the enzyme may have a chance to work in that time, if I'm lucky

Cheers.

Eoin

EoinMag

Recipes 

Anyone else got any insight on this maybe?

Yooper

Recipes 

Not any different than Craig's opinion, I'm afraid.

__________________
Broken Leg Brewery
Giving beer a leg to stand on since 2006

EoinMag

Recipes 

Ok Cool guys, thanks for the input

gratus fermentatio

Recipes 

Next time you might try freezing & thawing, then refreezing & thawing your fruit instead of boiling it. Freezing & refreezing helps to break down cell walls, but won't set pectins like boiling will. I've put both raisins & plums in the blender & never had any problems with them, not even in my cheap blender. Did you try to blend them without any added liquid?

As to the pectic enzyme question, I have nothing to add to what CBBaron & YooperBrew said. Regards, GF.

EoinMag

Recipes 

Hmmm, I'm thinking I'm going to try fining it, at a later racking. Gonna put it in secondary tomorrow possibly.