Perry Problem - or is it?

[dulynoted]

Hello all. This would be my first post, so go easy on me.

I've been playing around with cider since October of last year, lurking on here, reading, researching, and mostly using store bought juice and different yeast/sugar combinations to find something I enjoy. Since I'm in a condo, I've only been doing gallon batches in old glass jugs, because space is at a premium.

I stumbled on a cider/appelwine recipe I like, so I thought I'd try it with pear juice. Basically, it's a gallon of juice, 200 grams of turbinado sugar (O.G. 1.064) and Lalvin D-47 yeast. The pear juice I procured was rather cloudy, so after I pitched the yeast, I added some pectic enzyme. I think this may have been a mistake, but I'm not sure since I have read conflicting info about when you should put the pectic enzyme in. From what I've been reading, it's preferable to put it in before you pitch yeast, but then I've read that it's no big deal if you put it in after.

Cut to this morning. I gave the batch a look, and it appears that the bottom half (HALF!) of the jug has sediment. Will the pectic enzyme take care of this for me as time goes on? Or have I botched this entirely? Either way, I'm going to let it keep going, but I was hoping some of you could put my mind at ease.

The batch has been fermenting since Saturday.

 

[Daze]

Pectic enzyme is inhibited by alcohol, sooooo the common practice is to add the enzyme weight 12 hours THEN add the yeast. however there is so little alcohol produced in the first 24 hours of fermentation (the yeast are more concerned with reproducing than eating) that I have found pitching the two together to work just fine. The important thing about pectic enzyme is to not use it after the fermentation process has been going for a wile. It will not hurt anything but it will also not do its job due to the alcohol. Pectic enzyme does nothing for sediment. The cure for sediment is to let it settle out and rack the clear liquid off of the top. Either way you should be good to go. where did you get the pear juice??? BTW welcome to the forum!!!

Also some one may call you out and say "if it doesn't have apples it is not cider" I don't really care and I understand why you posted here, what you are making is closer to cider than wine, but just thought I would give you a heads up.



#tag#winecoolers, hard soda, hard lemonade & more

 

[Fizzycist]

In a cider batch I just did I didn't add the pectic enzyme until primary fermentation was done, 3 weeks after pitch, and it cleared it up almost overnight. Went from very hazy to crystal clear. I think you could do just about whatever you want.

 

[Daze]

I think you could do just about whatever you want.

That is bad advice. Yes it can work later BUT it won't always especially on higher alcohol brews. It works best when done early. What you have said makes it sound like it really doesn't matter and in all situations there is no difference when you use the enzyme, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Not trying to be argumentative or tell you you know nothing about brewing, I just want to make sure the wrong impression is not given There are a bunch of myths and misconceptions on wine additives and I wanted to make sure another one wasn't started with enzyme.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Hello all. This would be my first post, so go easy on me.

I've been playing around with cider since October of last year, lurking on here, reading, researching, and mostly using store bought juice and different yeast/sugar combinations to find something I enjoy. Since I'm in a condo, I've only been doing gallon batches in old glass jugs, because space is at a premium.

I stumbled on a cider/appelwine recipe I like, so I thought I'd try it with pear juice. Basically, it's a gallon of juice, 200 grams of turbinado sugar (O.G. 1.064) and Lalvin D-47 yeast. The pear juice I procured was rather cloudy, so after I pitched the yeast, I added some pectic enzyme. I think this may have been a mistake, but I'm not sure since I have read conflicting info about when you should put the pectic enzyme in. From what I've been reading, it's preferable to put it in before you pitch yeast, but then I've read that it's no big deal if you put it in after.

Cut to this morning. I gave the batch a look, and it appears that the bottom half (HALF!) of the jug has sediment. Will the pectic enzyme take care of this for me as time goes on? Or have I botched this entirely? Either way, I'm going to let it keep going, but I was hoping some of you could put my mind at ease.

The batch has been fermenting since Saturday.

Just give it time, that sediment will compact a little more before it's done.
After racking the clear off, you could filter the cloudy part & get more out of it. Something like this (with a coarse filter) should work well:
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/winemaking-equipment/filtering-fining/filters/vinebrite-filter.html
Or you could just drink it like a pear nectar juice drink.
Regards, GF.

 

[dulynoted]

Thanks for the responses and the welcome. I got the pear juice at the Food Hole. R.W. Knudsen simply pear juice or something like that. I think it was $3/qt. I'm gonna leave it be for a while and see what happens.

However, I have officially learned my lesson. Enzyme before you pitch the yeast.