ommited bentonite

[Flyer4u]

I have 2 30 bottle wines fermenting at the moment. I have bottled 2 previous 30 bottle kits in January and Feb. Looking through all the packets I have ome packet of bentonite left over. I am sure I have left it out of one of them but dont know which one. Any body any ideas what this means. Does it ruin the wine, the taste or is it just to clear the wine.
Any advice would be grateful.

 

[taxidiver]

The bentonite is just finings to help drop suspended particles out of the wine. If your wines have cleared without using them, don't worry about it.
:thumb:
Geoff

 

[GeorgeSalt]

I've finally opened the instructions for the pinot grigio kit I snapped up at the last Amazon lightning sale, and I'm puzzled why the bentonite goes into the FV at the start? - before anything else. The kit uses kieselsol and chitosan to clear at the end, but the bentonite addition is step 1.

 

[oldbloke]

That does sound odd. Try contacting the kit makers?

 

[Bogwitch]

Just quickly re-reading the instructions that came with my Beaverdale Merlot - the instructions are generic - they state quite clearly that the sachet of bentonite should be sprinkled on the surface of the grape juice (for white wine only) 15 minutes before the addition of the yeast.
It doesn't say what the purpose it!

 

[pedro68]

hi there , im currently brewing a carafe 21 kit and it was the same , bentonite added at the start before yeast.

Peter

 

[oldbloke]

OK, all I can think is that these kits are supposed to be quite quick and Bentonite can often be quite slow, and they rely on the yeast finding anything it needs that the Bentonite has grabbed when it reaches the bottom - which it always does.
Kinda glad I don't do kits now!

 

[GeorgeSalt]

Ah well.. this will be my first kit and I freed up the big FV yesterday so I might get it on later this week and see how it goes. The box has been sat waiting since the start of the year. I know it says it's a four week kit, but I don't plan on rushing it.

 

[alanywiseman.]

You can add bentonite at the start to provide a nucleation point for CO2 I think. This would add degassing meaning that the fines will work better when added.

Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[yellafella]

I had read somewhere about bentonite at the start and now for all my brews I add a tsb with the sugar before adding the juices, then shake until dissolved and add the rest.

All my wines now seem to settle clear after one rack without the need for excessive degassing or finings!! Not sure if its the bentonite but it seems to work so if its not broke don't fix it!!