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bentonite Question

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Barrel Char Wood Products
A

ash

NewBee
Registered Member
Nov 23, 2009
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Ghent / Belgium
www.mspace.com
I have this 2 meads that were done fermenting, yet cloudy.

I tried pectine enzyme in the form of Zymex Color. The did seem to get one of them a bit clearer but still, after a few days I deceided to use bentonite for the first time.

I let the bentonite (quantities as mentioned on the package) soak in water for 3 hours like it said on the package, and then got rid of the exces water and added it into the meads.

I've read about people clearing their meads in 24 hours but mine still is cloudy (even more than before the bentonite) after a day. I would need the meads this weekend. There is a form of grey lees in the carboys, like you would expect from the bentonite falling out.

Is this to be expected and what can I do to get them clear by the weekend?
I have some clar-vit but I'm hesitating to use it because it sais to first use bottle A, the B in pectine rich liquids and vice versa in liquids with less pectien and I don't really know.
Also, I'd rather be sure about the bentoneite before adding other shit.
 
Properly hydrated bentonite will generally fall to the bottom of a carboy (taking those haze particles that happen to be attracted to the bentonite) down to a greyish lees layer within several days to a week or so. If yours fell out of suspension in only a day, it may not have been completely hydrated before you added it. I am most familiar with the "old school" natural bentonite clay particles, that require hydration in very hot water for at least 12 hours before addition - I usually allow mine to soak, mixing it up periodically, for at least a day before I make the addition. I know that there are now various processed versions of bentonite that take up the water more quickly, although I prefer to use the old stuff (it is cheaper!). And as for bentonite, it is completely inert, so you can safely add another fining agent if the bentonite has not worked for you thus far.

That said, if you have the clar-vit and you want to try it, I'd suggest that you follow the instructions assuming that you have pectins in suspension, that is to use part A before part B. Since you probably do have residual pectins from the fruit, this makes the most sense to me.
 
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