When do you use this stuff, initial fermentation, seconday? how much do you use say per gallon of mead?
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Pectic Enzyme
- Thread starter McJeff
- Start date
Either.....
Normally, if you can, its best to use it with the fruit before fermentation. Once theres some alcohol involved, then its doubled, so depending on the instructions but the stuff I get is 1 tsp per gallon or two tsp per gallon if fermented.
Its also helpful to use it in advance as it helps with colour and flavour extraction too......
Normally, if you can, its best to use it with the fruit before fermentation. Once theres some alcohol involved, then its doubled, so depending on the instructions but the stuff I get is 1 tsp per gallon or two tsp per gallon if fermented.
Its also helpful to use it in advance as it helps with colour and flavour extraction too......
Add to must to break down pulp and aid in the extraction of tannin. Can also abate pectin haze in wines and cider.
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Pectic enzyme, not acid.
And as McJ points out (in reverse), it's primary purpose is to metabolise any pectins that might come from any fruit ingredient used.
It's also used as it can help with flavour and colour extraction.
It's effect is reduced by the presence of alcohol, which is why it's recommended to be used on the fruit before fermentation, but it still works on the fruit/juice etc, after the fermentation but the dose is doubled.
Yeah I've never used it before, didn't care what the mead looked like. But I'm curious now. Have a 2g pineapple/mango 3 weeks in I'm goin to try it on when I rack it.
I use it for any wine or mead I make that contains fruit (except JAO's, they generally don't have enough fruit for it to matte). 1/2 tsp per gallon 24 hours before I pitch, it can help release the juices from mashed fruit so you have a more accurate starting SG by the time you pitch. The only time I used it after fermentation was for a JAO variation where I added a lot more citrus fruit, and it wouldn't clear no matter what I added so I finally added some pectinase and it cleared within a week or two.
I have a pectic enzyme experiment in the patrons section I believe, but I'm not a patron anymore so I can't access it to give you any info (or even the thread title) from it. Do a search and see if you can find it.
Basically the enzyme has a reduced effect in the presence of alcohol and it takes far longer to achieve the same clarity. Also putting in the enzyme in pre-fermentation, during fermentation, and post-fermentation alter the flavor differently - it's not just a clarity thing.
Take a taste of the pectinase... I don't find it tastes like much, and there's nothing I can pick out in any of my wines or mels that screams out "This is what pectinase tastes like!", even the one where I did have to add some after fermentation so I added a double dose. I'm really not sure if there's any other way to remove it, other than encouraging it to clump and settle out but I'm pretty sure that requires heating. And probably a fining agent.
In my experience (noted in the thread I mentioned earlier) there is a flavor change when adding pectinase but it isn't because there's any pectinase left in the solution or anything, it is because it drops the pectin out of the solution. It will not ruin the flavor, or add any new (or bad) flavors. It will probably just taste a bit different, perhaps 'thinner.'
I am not sure, but I would look into what the different clarifying agents bind to, and see if any of them bind to pectin. I really don't think you have anything to worry about with adding the pectinase though.
I ordered some, seems pointless to not use the stuff when it so easy and helps so much.
Slowly adding to my brewing skills and tricks. Ty guys
Slowly adding to my brewing skills and tricks. Ty guys
Now see I'm gonna disagree with capoeirista13 on that. The pectin doesn't seem to taste of anything, like most gelling agents.
The pectolase metabolises it so it can't clump together creating the cloudiness. Plus helping with the extraction of colour/flavour presumably, is because of what it does when its still an integral part of the fruit (don't quote me on that, its just me presuming out loud).
So apart from traditionals and JAO I put it in all fruit batches, usually before any fermentation and when ive sulphited the fruit initially.....
There doesn't, IMO, appear to be a downside to using it, while there is if you dont.....
The pectolase metabolises it so it can't clump together creating the cloudiness. Plus helping with the extraction of colour/flavour presumably, is because of what it does when its still an integral part of the fruit (don't quote me on that, its just me presuming out loud).
So apart from traditionals and JAO I put it in all fruit batches, usually before any fermentation and when ive sulphited the fruit initially.....
There doesn't, IMO, appear to be a downside to using it, while there is if you dont.....
Make two identical batches, use enzyme on one and not on the other. Tell me if you find a flavor difference. I did that and I found a flavor difference.
Does pectin enzyme inhibite fermentation? I've used it twice in the last week and fermentation has taken significantly longer to start. When it has started, its noticably less vigerous with less head foam.
Not that I'm aware of... Might just have been those batches? Definitely would be an interesting thing to note if you do manage a side-by-side comparison.
