Blackberry Melomel and Cherry Meilomel Clarity

Kody_Wulfe · May 9, 2017

Hey gang...

I have a question...

I have gallon each Blackberry Melomel and Cherry Melomel that I started from an all ready clear Mead base.... we added fresh fruit.. let it set for a while... add 3/4 TBS pectin enzyme, racked it off the dead fruit in the bottom... cold crashed it.. racked it again... Cold crashed it again... and each time we are getting sediment... Is there a harm to adding more enzyme????

Kody

Kody_Wulfe · May 9, 2017

Sorry.. further information I am sure would help...

I should have said.. cold crashed each time for 72 hours.. then let set for a week before the second racking.. then cold crashed it for 72 hours...

Dadux · May 9, 2017

If you are getting more and more sediment...dont rack!
wait at least a month. If you see more sediment falling, you dont rack. When it stops, you rack. Then wait another month. YOu can see moust time if there is a lot of particles sedimenting by using a flashlight. Put it on top of the mead (if you have a bucket take out the lid) and watch the walls. If you see the top clear, but at some point it gets cloudier (we call this phases, there are usually 2 phases, one free of sediment, and another with most of the sediment that has not precipitated already. when you rack, you mix them again), then its still sedimenting. If all the mead is clear and there is a layer of crap at the bottom, then it is usually done sedimenting (this is a trick, not always 100% true. Many meads have always some more things that can fall unless you fine or filter, but doing this you can make sure you get rid of most of the crap)
You dont seem to have a problem with pectine, but rather you are not letting it sediment.
I never used that enzime so i dont know how much you should use, but have some patience. Someone else can maybe answer this

Squatchy · May 9, 2017

Lots of people use that to clarify. But it's not really what the enzyme is used for. Yes it will clear up some of the haze part of the time. But it's not because of the enzymatic properties. It's designed to break down the fruit before fermentation. As you may , or may not know. There are positive and negative charged particles in suspension in your hazy mead that are so small they don't weigh enough to sink to the bottom.

So technically you could add anything positively charged and it would bind with the negatively charged particles. Causing them to become heavier and thus cause them to sink to the bottom. This is really all that happens when you add the enzyme at the end of fermentation. That's why it works once in a while and never really works that good.

You need to use real fining agents and you will see better results.

dingurth · May 9, 2017

You said 3/4 TBS of enzyme.. did that mean 0.75 Tablespoons? How much must were you adding this to?

If you add pectin enzyme at the start of fermentation, the recommended dose is 1/2 teaspoon per gallon.
It seems to be pretty universal that pectin enzyme works better at the start of fermentation, but it can work afterwards. It doesn't work as well though (believe it struggles because of the alcohol), so what I've done based on other forum recommendations is double the dose to 1 teaspoon per gallon. It can take anywhere from a day to a week to work. I've seen results in 24-48 hours, but it got better as I waited the full week. Just my experience with it.

Also, you can add too much. I don't know what that threshold is, but people have said it throws off flavors if you dump too much in.

I think Dadux is right though, too much racking. Give it more time to fully settle.

Squatchy · May 9, 2017

dingurth said:
You said 3/4 TBS of enzyme.. did that mean 0.75 Tablespoons? How much must were you adding this to?

If you add pectin enzyme at the start of fermentation, the recommended dose is 1/2 teaspoon per gallon.
It seems to be pretty universal that pectin enzyme works better at the start of fermentation, but it can work afterwards. It doesn't work as well though (believe it struggles because of the alcohol), so what I've done based on other forum recommendations is double the dose to 1 teaspoon per gallon. It can take anywhere from a day to a week to work. I've seen results in 24-48 hours, but it got better as I waited the full week. Just my experience with it.

Also, you can add too much. I don't know what that threshold is, but people have said it throws off flavors if you dump too much in.

I think Dadux is right though, too much racking. Give it more time to fully settle.

Have you ever had anything go clear using the pectic enzyme? I never have, although I don't use it that way. I tried it when I first started making mead with very little results. At least as far as getting it clear enough to not need to use other "fining agents"

dingurth · May 10, 2017

Squatchy said:
Have you ever had anything go clear using the pectic enzyme? I never have, although I don't use it that way. I tried it when I first started making mead with very little results. At least as far as getting it clear enough to not need to use other "fining agents"

The opposite actually. I've used fining agents on a mead and it didn't fully clear. Presumably because the pectin haze was untouched by these agents (used both positive and negative charges and waited months both before fining and after).
The pectin enzyme I've added to my meads has made it more clear for sure. Whether I'll have to add another fining agent later or if I just have to give it time is TBD.

gee117 · May 10, 2017

dingurth said:
The opposite actually. I've used fining agents on a mead and it didn't fully clear. Presumably because the pectin haze was untouched by these agents (used both positive and negative charges and waited months both before fining and after).
The pectin enzyme I've added to my meads has made it more clear for sure. Whether I'll have to add another fining agent later or if I just have to give it time is TBD.

I +1 on that I use both pectin enzyme and finings.

I'd normally leave then for a week to clear up after adding finings also make sure fermentation has stopped I have had trouble with it becoming cloudy because of fermenting

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curgoth · May 10, 2017

I had a peach batch that wouldn't clear until I hit it with a second dose of pectic enzyme, at which point it went sharply clear in a couple days.

Kody_Wulfe · May 15, 2017

I have not touched it since we last talked.. thanks for everyone's input....

Will let them sit another month..

Why cant I upload a file here???

K

Squatchy · May 15, 2017

Mead will not clear if there is suspended gasses in the must. Try to see if you can degas it more/better

caduseus · May 16, 2017

Kody_Wulfe said:
I have not touched it since we last talked.. thanks for everyone's input....

Will let them sit another month..

Why cant I upload a file here???

K

Stir it at least 2x/week to allow the yeast to help you in turn by partially clearing the must. If you do it longer than a month it can improve mouthfeel through a process called sir-lie ageing

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Blackberry Melomel and Cherry Meilomel Clarity

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