Is there a natural substitute for pectin enzyme? Everytime I see a recipe I like, theres some ingredient I dont have. I got into home winemaking to save money and have some fun. The fun part is a go but the specialized ingredients never seem to end and theyre not cheap. Any ideas for thrifty natural substitutes on some of the more common additives?
Natural substitutes for common additives
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RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
There's absolutely no need to use pectinase. It doesn't help with anything besides clarity and there's nothing wrong with having your wine a little hazy. (Bonus: without pectinase there's less methanol in the wine.)
What other ingredients are you wondering about?
What other ingredients are you wondering about?
Ive made more kits than batches from scratch so Im trying to learn more about ingredients. Ive heard black tea can substitute for tannin, and lemon juice can be used for acid blend to name a few. are these accurate and are there more of them
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Lemon juice provides only citric acid, so it can substitute for acid blend but it won't be the same. Acid blend contains tartaric, malic, and citric acids, each of which contributes different flavor.
Tea is a good source of tannin and it is a possible substitute, but it also won't provide the same flavor/effect as something like Scott Labs FT Blanc Soft, or oak. Raisins can also add tannins (along with sugar and flavor).
These additives are all really inexpensive (at least here in the US) and even with all of them you still save a fortune making your own wine instead of buying an equal quantity of commercial wine.
It may seem like a lot all at once though when you're starting, so I understand that.
Hope this helps.
Tea is a good source of tannin and it is a possible substitute, but it also won't provide the same flavor/effect as something like Scott Labs FT Blanc Soft, or oak. Raisins can also add tannins (along with sugar and flavor).
These additives are all really inexpensive (at least here in the US) and even with all of them you still save a fortune making your own wine instead of buying an equal quantity of commercial wine.
It may seem like a lot all at once though when you're starting, so I understand that.
Hope this helps.
hmmm, think i heard papaya is good for pectic enzyme.....but at $5 a lb for the enzyme, probably cost more.....or does that just break down meat?
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Gonna go out on a limb and say... No.
I believe you're thinking of papain. "Enzyme" covers a huge class of organic protein molecules. Every living cell has dozens or hundreds of different enzymes. They are certainly not all equivalent.
Even "pectinase" products are actually a mix of enzymes and different brands of pectinase products are not the same.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Fruit (not just papaya) does naturally contain pectinase, but nowhere near enough to be helpful in any circumstance.
Seamonkey84
Well-Known Member
For different nutrients from fruits, this is a good read.
https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Nutrient-fruit/
https://www.denardbrewing.com/blog/post/Nutrient-fruit/
