Concerning Sparkolloid,

Last night while working on my first skeeter pee I also used Sparkolloid for the first time, though I don't believe it worked at all. I followed the directions on the bottle to a T but it became what looked like vanilla pudding. I brought 1 cup water to a boil and then added one tblsp sparkolloid and let that boil for five minutes. When the five minutes were up I removed it from the heat and let it stand for about 1 minute before pouring it into the sulfited and sorbated skeeter, stirred it in gently, and airlocked it. But like I said, it was the consistency of pudding. It did mix into the skeeter but I don't know how well. If it doesn't clear is it safe to try sparkolloid for a second time?

Really, no one knows?

You might have a lot of free anions hanging around in your water (chlorides etc.) which binded to the sparkalloid? I don't really know, I've never used it. Leave it for a while and see what happens. I would suggest just letting time do it's thang.

Yeah, OldMate, that was my thinking as well, just let it sit. I was hoping to have this finished up pretty soon but there's no harm in waiting. The water was just Kroger's brand (local grocery chain) so i have no idea what was in it. I didn't use the really nice high PH artisan water that I normally use. I'll give it a week and then sparkolloid it again if nothing happens.

Takes at least a few days before things start to clear, and it was AT LEAST a week before mine was settled out.
it's not really necessary, just visual. Once it stabilizes you can backsweeten and drink.
If you don't have the patience/time then just drink it.
Otherwise let it sit, if you don't see clearing in a few days give it another go with the sparkloid, and use bottled water to make it.

For reference mine was a muddy chocolate milk with alot of sediment.

cold crash it...that way you can drink it and bottle it simultaneously. I bottled a batch yesterday, and my assistant kept handing me his empty glass to refill from the bucket lol.

Reaver said:

Takes at least a few days before things start to clear, and it was AT LEAST a week before mine was settled out.
it's not really necessary, just visual. Once it stabilizes you can backsweeten and drink.
If you don't have the patience/time then just drink it.
Otherwise let it sit, if you don't see clearing in a few days give it another go with the sparkloid, and use bottled water to make it.

For reference mine was a muddy chocolate milk with alot of sediment.

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Yeah, I'll give it a week and then hit it again if nothing happens.
I really want this one clear because most of it is going out to friends in clear wine bottles for aesthetic purposes. Muddy Chocolate Milk, that sounds like something I'll have to try!
I've been thinking about trying a Clover honey mead made with the same lemon juice as a Skeeter, I think that would be good.

What amazes me about this skeeter is while racking from the primary bucket I could QUAFF glasses of this stuff, totally dry! I can't wait to sweeten and bottle it.

You need to kick up all the sediment before adding sparkalloid. A good 1-2 minute vigorous stir will do, then add it, then stir a minute again. Did you de-gas before adding? Directions just say to add, but any good wine kit will tell you before adding fining, that you need to kick up sediment or it won't work. I haven't had any trouble using it, and it works in 5-7 days although I try to wait 2 weeks. Did it on skeeter pee, a few meads and an agave wine, all cleared. It also clears top to bottom most of the time. In a carboy, you'll see 2-3" clear bright everyday. i hope this hslps

It always works best for me if I degas the wine first. I can have it clear and ready to bottle in 3 days if I degas it real well before added it. I figured this out while working on some skeeter pee that I couldn't . Now I do it with everything and it works great.

You add 1T to 1cup of boiling water and let it sit for 5 min. You do not boil it for 5 min.