Super-Kleer K.C. question

[Howling_Moon_Woffie]

OK...got a question for anyone who knows ...

I'm brewing mead right...I know that in itself might be an issue but the question comes to this- One of the Clarifying agents I was thinking about using is a two part liquid called Super-Kleer K.C. It is Sterile water, Kieselsol and Chitosan. Since Chitosan is a shellfish derivative would this pooch the mead for people on Jewish dietary law restriction? It's not an ingredient and drops out in racking but still...on the same note would Diatomaceous earth do the same...since they are tiny shellfish bodies and all.

Ya think it would cause allergies for those who cant have shellfish too?

I would hate to make a REAL batch of mead and not be able to share

 

[Yooper]

I'm not Jewish- so I really don't know what's kosher and what's not.

I do make wine for vegan friends- and I steer clear of KC finings. I don't use gelatin, isinglass, or KC finings (superKleer).

I have used bentonite in the past when needed, as well as sparkelloid. Normally, time clears the mead or wine just fine so it's rare when I"ve needed finings.

(I make a LOT of wine, and have for 20+ years. I can count on one hand the number of times I've used bentonite or sparkelloid).

 

[Effingbeer]

In my experience, processing agents don't affect Kosher status. In my company's case, we used gelatin from pig bones. As with any religion, there are variations in strictness depending on the sect.

 

[Sammy86]

OK...got a question for anyone who knows ...

I'm brewing mead right...I know that in itself might be an issue but the question comes to this- One of the Clarifying agents I was thinking about using is a two part liquid called Super-Kleer K.C. It is Sterile water, Kieselsol and Chitosan. Since Chitosan is a shellfish derivative would this pooch the mead for people on Jewish dietary law restriction? It's not an ingredient and drops out in racking but still...on the same note would Diatomaceous earth do the same...since they are tiny shellfish bodies and all.

Ya think it would cause allergies for those who cant have shellfish too?

I would hate to make a REAL batch of mead and not be able to share

Being one of the tribe I can say without a doubt if you are trying to share with a religious Jew they will not drink it because of the shellfish. Now if you are talking about your middle of the road Hebrew who doesn't follow Kosher Law (like myself) you will be ok.

Kosher Laws are dated and ridiculous IMHHO (in my humble Hebrew opinion) but there are my fellow tribes people who follow the word and won't have it!

Are your friends that religious?

 

[Vikings]

Sammy, I had a coworker who "followed" Jewish law. He claimed that as long as he wasn't "informed" of the contents of a dish no sin was committed. For example if he drank the wine with the shellfish clarifying agent, but was not told it was there, then he was in the clear. Is this so?

 

[Howling_Moon_Woffie]

Thanks Sammy! Yeah they are devout from what I can see. Different plates and knives...watching them cook was kind of cool

I bought like 4 packs of this stuff thinking it was better than some of the stuff I used in the past. Seems I'll be saving it for personal brew not a share-Batch. I was more worried on the Allergen aspect.

Ok...so on any advice for clearing my batch I have:

Let time drop it out...
bentonite
sparkelloid

Has any one used Biofine? (redneck voice) It's one of them Thar Veeegan thangs so I hear (/Redneck voice)

 

[jensmith]

I have plently of food alergies. Shellfish is not one of them. However I would not risk drinking a wine made with /cleared with, any food I was alergic too. Shelfish alergies can be scarry. They tend to shut down breathing. Having said all that, comerchial winers do not label alergens like the shellfish. It may be something like under a certain percentage labbeling is not required.
In general I would not worry about the shelfish residue. If you know someone with a shellfish alergy just inform them of what you used. These wines we make are really just for personal consumtion and freinds.
So few wines need any type of clarifyer that it should be easy to remember which ones you used them on. I have only used the super kleer twice. Worked great on the stubborn cloudy wine. I have not tried any other clearing agent.

 

[FlyinDan1017]

In that case time is your best bet. Also lower the temp and make sure it's fully degassed (which it should be if you've been 6mos or so in secondary). Dropping the temp helps a lot though.

 

[Howling_Moon_Woffie]

Yeah...I'm not a fan of what they don't know won't hurt them. I don't roll like that- comes from the Chocolate Truffle side of my life. I try to take allergies into mind in most things, still kicking myself for not asking about it at the brew shop.

Um...Dan...so far it's been two weeks in primary and I JUST racked to secondary on Friday. I'm shooting to be drinking before 6 months. I live in Florida so there is a limit to "lower temps" I mean like 75F is just about as low as I can go.

 

[FlyinDan1017]

Understood, you're lucky to get 75!! I'm in phoenix and it's currently 106. I'd go broke cranking the a/c to the optimum 68deg.

Here's what you do: take a shallow 3-4" pan and set your carboy in it. Drape a towel around and fill with water. The towel's capillary action will draw the water up and it'll evaporate, thus cooling your secondary. Should get you 8-10deg cooler.

The guys at my LHBS take it a step further by setting a small aquarium pump in the water. Then run an 3/8 poly tube up and around the neck of the carboy. The tube has tiny holes poked in it and continuously runs water down the towel. They claim it drops the temp 12-18deg (but I suspect they're just trying to sell more $13 aquarium pumps).

 

[Sammy86]

Sammy, I had a coworker who "followed" Jewish law. He claimed that as long as he wasn't "informed" of the contents of a dish no sin was committed. For example if he drank the wine with the shellfish clarifying agent, but was not told it was there, then he was in the clear. Is this so?

Like I said it depends on how strictly you follow the law. If he was that religious he would ask...my grandparents kept a kosher house and when we went out to dinner my grandma would ask to make sure she didn't break kosher

Claiming ignorance is a cop out IMO, if he followed it that strictly it is my opinion he would ask to make sure just my .02

 

[Howling_Moon_Woffie]

Great Idea Dan- except we also have a humidity issue around here. It's like walking out into a hot armpit outside so mold would not be that far behind.

I was thinking about chill packs and some MacGyver Liquid Cooling set up like for computers but that's a bit much for our current house/ brew space I have. Maybe when we move to Oregon in a year or so I can tech out my rig