Simple Isinglass question -

[OldAtHeart]

I'm a novice homebrewer helping my wife in what is our first experience making wine. We've just racked the wine out of secondary for clarifying. Sulfite and Potassium Sorbate have been added, as well as Isinglass. We were supposed to top off the wine with water, but didn't have any bottled/distilled water on hand.

So... here we are the next day. We've got the water to add, but I'm worried about disturbing everything that has already settled out. Will everything resettle if the sediment is disturbed? It's probably a silly question, but I've never used Isinglass. Any help is appreciated!

 

[HopToItHomebrew]

I know your doing wine and not beer but, I did notice in, "Brewing Quality Beers" by Byron Burch that it...

..."needs to be conditioned with an acid, such as Citric or Tartaric, or the inemaking standard Acid Blend. A tablespoon of isinglass powder is soaked in 2 cups of water with 1/2 teaspoon...for 30 minutes... Isinglass will settle protein and yeast to the bottom of the fermentor, which you can then rack away from, four or five days later."

Emphasis mine. I don't see why it would hurt; it takes a few days to do its magic anyway. Good luck; I think you'll be fine.

 

[Yooper]

I assume the wine is clear now? Or at least reasonably? The reason I ask is I usually don't add finings until after the wine stops throwing lees on its own, then clarify. This usually requires several rackings, and topping off is very common at each racking.

I'd top off now, and consider when to fine later on. You can fine it now if you want, of course, and then rack it off on the lees in a couple of weeks.

Edit- I just read more carefully and see that you've already fined this. That's fine, but you top off at EVERY racking! So top off now, and when you rack it off of the sediment in a couple of weeks, top it off again!

 

[OldAtHeart]

Yes, the wine is quite clear. Last night was the second racking, and the finings were pitched at that time. In other words, what is resting on the bottom now is whatever has precipitated out with the isinglass. I'm wondering if disturbing that fining/sediment will cause irreparable cloudiness, or if the isinglass will resettle.

I suppose worst case scenario would be that I run down to my LHBS (3 miles away) and grab some more isinglass.

I think I'll go top it off. Thanks for the help!

 

[Atek]

Given the sediment now after fining I would Rack this off the lees from that and THEN top off.

 

[shelly_belly]

It will resettle. Go ahead and top off.