Why doesnt bentonite spoil brews ?

[brewman !]

I made up some bentonite to fine a wine I have aging. I can never get the bentonite to dissolve in room temp water, so I boiled some and then added the bentonite to it. Then I let it cool and then I added it to the wine.

Bentonite is dirt, right ? And dirt has all sorts of yuckies in it,right ? So why do we add this stuff to our wine/beer and why does it not spoil it ?

I happened to boil my bentonite, but there have been lots of times that I didn't.

Thanks.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

It must be clean dirt...

 

[Brewsmith]

Bentonite is a type of clay. It has been refined. At room temps it just absorbs water. I work for a soils engineering company and use the stuff (not food grade I'm sure) in projects. Once it absorbs water, it creates a barrier so that no more water can get through. It turns into a grey, thick, pudding-like substance. We use it when making ground water monitoring wells. We put some above the level we're monitoring so that surface water (i.e. irrigation, sprinklers, rain etc.) doesn't just flow on in.

 

[Brewsmith]

Plus you said you boiled it! Nasties gone.

 

[tundra45]

First off, bentonite is not dirt! It is a component of some soils, though. Made up of fine particles of aluminum-silicate of sodium, calcium, magnesium, and iron. The structure provides for tramendous surface area and hydration capability. Couple this with the fact that it is inherently electronegative, and you'll understand why it attracts positive particles, such as haze-causing proteins. Unfortunately, it can attracts positive flavor components as well. Bentonite should be prepared in hot/boiling water to aid in forming a lump-free slurry. Processing of bentonite into a powder involves using high heat so there are no viable biologicals capable of spoiling your wine. BTW, dirt is the stuff under your fingernails.

 

[8string]

Bentonite clay is also mined/quarried to be used as kitty litter because of its absorbancy. (thankfully, Townes Van Cat goes outside and hasn't used his litter box in over a year). During heavy rains in bentonite clay country, roads become completely impassable and you cannot walk without a thick heavy clay cake adhering to your boots. Its awesome, I was once bentonite trapped in the Grand Staircase, southern Utah for 2 extra days. Its probably why the Badlands, SD are called that. And by the way without the above mentioned "Dirt", we would not have our precious barley and hops.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

I was once bentonite trapped in the Grand Staircase

I was once drunk sleeping on the grand couch downstairs...


:cross:

 

[Genghis77]

Both Bentonite and Kayolite are used in milkshakes to thicken. So, this could hint of the contents when it doesn't melt like ice cream. Both are very similar clays. Bentonite used as a drilling mud and underground water sealant.

 

[lefteye]

Fond of canning, I 'put up' about a doz. one cup mason jars with the slurry.
One cup is enough for two fives.
It's sterile, premixxed - what more do want?
could mix a little polyclar in it for the dbl. whammy
Too much of the polyclar/bentonite combo will strip the beer of some color and flavor and may adversely affect head retnetion - mor is not better.
Recipe:2 oz bentonite/ one quart water - two tbl.sp. of this will give you .1 part per thousand in five gal. liq. - .1 to .5 ppt is usual to clarify (Dave Miller)
Miller also recommends to continue to lower the amounts of both til haze reappears and then add more til it goes (take notes)
Lastly, mix it thin enough to pour witout touching the mouth of yr carboy.