Instructions on how to clarify wine with bentonite at home
Before filling bottles with wine after a long aging, it is recommended to clarify it. To do this, you can use not only tannin, gelatin, chicken egg white, but also bentonite. After fermentation, the drink is characterized by the presence of wort particles, tartar, yeast, which make the product unclear. This problem can be solved by clarifying the wine with bentonite, which absorbs unnecessary substances, forcing them to precipitate.
What is bentonite
Wine bentonite is a purified natural material that has absorbent properties. It is used for clarification, wort cleaning, as it is able to increase the sedimentation rate of turbid particles, absorb oxidative enzymes, remove microorganisms and reduce the volume of protein. A chemically neutral substance does not react with the material from which the container is made, where the wine is aged, as well as with its contents.
Advantages and disadvantages of bentonite in the clarification of wines
The main positive aspects of bentonite are determined by its increased absorbent properties, which:
- clean the wort from foreign impurities;
- reduce the iron index in the composition;
- eliminate all nasty odors;
- provide the taste and aftertaste that is characteristic of a particular grape variety;
- extend the shelf life of an alcoholic product.
The list of advantages also includes the low cost of the material and its low consumption: for pasting 1 liter of wine, you will need only 3 g of refined clay.
There are certain restrictions on the use of the product: when the mash is infused on fruits and grains, since excessive viscosity interferes with distillation. It is also important to properly dispose of the residue. To do this, pack it in a polyethylene bag, seal it tightly and throw it into the trash can to avoid blockage in the sewer.
Where can you buy and how to choose the right one
Online shops offer to order wine bentonite. It is a crushed fine-grained powder that is ready to use. You can find out how to use it by reading the instructions that come with the package.
You can also use white clay purchased from a pharmacy or beauty salon. Only when purchasing it is it important to choose a product that does not have a pronounced odor.
Winemakers also buy clay from pet stores, which is intended for cat litter. The product is less cleaned and has a masking smell that is unacceptable for a wine drink.Usually it is used to clarify the mash for simple moonshine brewing.
Advice! In order to cleanse the wine, while maintaining its taste and color, it is better to give preference to quality products bought in a specialized store.
Calculation of proportions
When buying a finished powder, you must strictly adhere to the step-by-step instructions:
- Dilute 10 grams of dry powder in 10 liters of water.
- Let it brew for 12 hours to swell.
- Dilute with water to make the composition liquid.
- Pour the finished solution into the funnel that appears.
- Set aside the wine for infusion for 7 days.
- Drain the drink without touching the sediment and pack it in bottles.
The product must be stored in dry rooms without third-party odors.
How to use bentonite for lightening at home
The high quality of an alcoholic beverage is judged by its exquisite taste, rich color and transparency. Turbidity is considered a sign that a product is not suitable for consumption. Therefore, clarification with bentonite will help to improve it at home, for this it is worth considering all the features and nuances of the procedure.
How to lighten the mash
To get high-quality moonshine without unnecessary impurities and fusel oils, the mash should be properly processed. Therefore, to cleanse it and make it transparent, you must follow the following step-by-step instructions:
- Take 1 tbsp. l. bentonite and pour 1 tbsp. water. Send the composition to the stove for heating, without bringing to a boil, constantly stirring.
- As soon as the consistency in the form of liquid sour cream has formed, remove from heat and let the solution cool for 15 minutes. It is important to make sure that there are no lumps, if any, use a blender.
- Stir the mash with a slotted spoon until a funnel appears and gently, without haste, add the absorbent mass to distribute it evenly. Leave for 24 hours at room conditions.
- Drain the mash from the sediment using a thin tube.
- Distill an alcoholic product.
The advantage of this cleaning option is naturalness, efficiency and ease of use.
Clarification of wine
Wine gluing is performed at any stage, this allows you to correct mistakes made during the preparation of the product.
The sequence of clarification of not only red but also white wines with bentonite:
- Combine white clay with water in a ratio of 1:10.
- Leave to infuse for 12 hours. During this time, the composition will take the form of lime.
- Before clarifying, it is recommended to add water to the bentonite so that the composition becomes liquidish.
- Add in a thin stream to the grape must.
- Drain without touching the sediment after 7 days and fill the bottles with wine.
Recommendation! After the completed processes, it is better to leave the wine for another 30-40 days. During this period, the drink will become even clearer and cleaner.
Possible problems
Only experienced winemakers can make an exquisite wine with a refined taste and unique aroma. Often, even adhering to all the rules, you can face certain difficulties. After clarification, the wine may remain cloudy, so that this does not happen, you need to know a few nuances:
- try to clear 300 ml of the drink so as not to spoil the whole product;
- use only high-quality raw materials for pasting wine;
- if after the procedure fermentation processes take place, it is recommended to lower the temperature indicators in the room where the wine is placed to 10 ˚C.
It is also important to correctly calculate the dose of the absorbent and properly dilute the composition so that it completely absorbs the particles of raw materials.
