When you need to drain wine from the sediment and why filtration is needed, the best methods and types

A novice winemaker often asks the question: when to drain the fermented wine from the lees? As soon as a sediment appeared at the bottom of the bottle with wort, and the bubbles with carbon dioxide stopped escaping, it was time for the first removal of the wine. You may need several filtrations, the amount depends on the quality of the wine material and the technology of preparation and the type of wine obtained.

Why filtering?

Filtration of fermented grape or berry wine is a mandatory step in preparing a homemade alcoholic drink. The taste, texture and aroma of wine, apple cider or other handmade alcoholic products depend on the purity of the finished product.

Dead bacteria, fungi, which take an active part in the fermentation process, sink to the bottom, so a sediment is formed, which must be removed from the bottle in a timely manner. If you are late with filtration, the wine will acquire bitterness and an unpleasant odor and even become dangerous to human health. It will take several times to filter the drink at home.

On a note! In the culture of winemaking, only one type of sediment is allowed, emphasizing the nobility of wine - this is a tartar, it does not affect the taste of the drink, aroma, texture and color.

If a person noticed a sediment in the form of tartar in a bottle with a closed wine, this does not mean the lack of quality of the drink, on the contrary, a bottle with a noble drink that will surprise with its exquisite taste fell into his hands.

When should you do it, how often and how many times?

When making homemade wine, filtration is mandatory. If the wine drink is based on fruits or berries, cleaning will need to be carried out several times.

On average, homemade wines are cleaned about three times, and the fermentation process lasts three months.

Sediment on the bottom of the tank is the first signal that the fermentation process is over. The thickness of the bottom layer can reach 5 and more centimeters. After the first cleaning, the wine is left in a bottle and waiting for a new sediment to fall out, the procedure is repeated and done until the flakes stop forming.

The first time the homemade drink is filtered immediately after the precipitation has formed, the second time it is purified after about 60 days, the final filtration is carried out 90 days after the first precipitate has formed.

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Wine filtration types

There are various ways to filter wine at home.The most common is filtering the drink through cheesecloth, so it is not difficult to remove sedimentary flakes. The fabric is laid in several layers and cleaned.

There are folk ways to filter homemade wine:

• using egg white;
• gelatin;
• cow's milk;
• activated carbon.

These processes are based on chemical reactions, and after using folk remedies, the wine must be infused and filtered through filters again.

Experienced winemakers use special press filters, cleaning with professional tools is of high quality, re-filtration is not required, and such a procedure is automated much easier and more convenient. Therefore, if a person has material capabilities and is an adherent of modern technologies, they do not deny themselves this pleasure, they refuse tubes, hoses and gauze.

Filter types

The most popular wine filter is cardboard. You can buy it in a specialized store. These filters allow for coarse, fine or medium cleaning and are used in filter presses. This device drives the wine drink under pressure through several filters. The loss of wine is minimal, and the degree of purification is of high quality.

Other professional filters are:

• membrane;
• tangential;
• vacuum;
• lenticular;
• kieselguhr.

With the help of automated cleaning devices, you can filter 200 liters of house wine and get rid of the sediment in just 1 hour.

From the available filters, you can use coffee filters, gauze, burlap or a separator.

In winemakers' shops, you can buy a modern absorbent - bentonite, which is able to collect the biological remains of bacteria. Bentonite not only refines wine, but also brightens it, improves texture and taste. Available in powder or liquid form.

Dependence of the formation of sedimentary elements on the type of wine

Any wine forms a sediment, the drink must be filtered and poured into a new bottle, whether it be white, red wine made from grapes or berries, it does not matter.

Homemade wine is a natural fermentation product, and the sediment in it during the production process can fall out several times, respectively, and the filtration must be repeated.

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The loss of tartar in grape wine is a sign of the nobility of the drink; such wine products are appreciated by tasters and wine producers. There is no need to get rid of such sediment.

How to properly drain wine from sediment without turbidity at home?

On average, you need to filter homemade wine with your own hands three times. The first cleaning is carried out immediately after the first precipitate has formed, the drink must be quickly filtered, then the procedure is repeated two months later, and then another month later.

To get rid of the turbidity and get a clear color of the drink, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

• The necessary tool is prepared in advance: a tube (at least one meter long, 1 centimeter in diameter), a container for draining the sediment.
• 5 days before the expected date of sedimentation and filtration, the bottle is moved to a stool.
• Do not lower the tube directly to the bottom of the container, the distance from the bottom should be 3 centimeters.
• It is necessary to strain the drink slowly and carefully, without lifting the dregs from the bottom.

Experienced winemakers recommend another tried and tested trick.

As soon as the end of the tube is lowered into the bottle of wine, place the other end of the hose to the neck of the drain container and do not lower it to the bottom, it is believed that this technique can improve the taste of the wine.

How to remove wine from lees without a hose or tube

When using a tube when filtering a wine drink, a fairly large proportion of the finished product is inevitably lost, which is drained along with the turbidity. There is a more laborious, but more gentle technology for removing wine from the sediment without a hose and tube.

Home winemakers often use coffee filters or double gauze to clean mature wine. The finished drink must be drained through a filter and poured into another sterilized container.

Pay attention that in this case it is necessary to filter the wine from the bottle into a smaller container, the volume of the drink will become smaller due to the removed sediment.

At present, household appliances are indispensable helpers in housekeeping. This trend is also seen in home winemaking. To simplify manual labor and remove wine from the sediment without unnecessary difficulties, you can use an automated press filter, just buy inexpensive replacement filters and study the instructions.