WineXpert Kit Question

[Binkie Huckaback]

I have a WineXpert gewurztraminer kit on the go which was ready to bottle or rack last Friday. It was clear as a bell, but when I racked it off the lees, I managed to syphon back some of the lees. A week later, it's not cleared again. I've crash cooled beer a few times and as this helped with clearing, is it OK to do the same with wine? I've emailed the manufacturers, but have not received a reply (which these days seems increasingly common) and it appears the company I bought it fron is being wound up.

In case it's of any relevance, the fermenter in question is a Grainfather conical fermenter. When I drew some off from the sample/bottling port, the sample wasn't clear, so decided to rack it into another Grainfather conical fermenter using a hose attached to both bottling ports and gravity.

When the majority had transferred, I swapped the position of the fermenters, forgetting to turn off the valve on the first and transferred a lot of lees before I realised.

[soupdragon]

You could always fine again if it refuses to settle out in a few days?

Cheers Tom

[Binkie Huckaback]

Thanks Tom. It's been at 7°c for a few years now. If it hasn't cleared by tomorrow, I'll try finings. Any suggestions for a good brand?

[soupdragon]

To be fair, I'd consider winexpert as a good brand.
It depends on how forgiving your palate is really? I go for any of the kits that don't need additional sugar, so for me anything in the £30-40 mark produces a drinkable red. Generally, the more you spend on a kit, the more pure grape juice you get. It's a trade off, cost vs quality. Happily my taste buds have settled a little lower down the scale than others have.
All you can do is try different brands untill you find one you're happy with. Beaverdale do 6 bottle versions of their bigger £45 kits. I've done a few Beaverdale and enjoyed them. You could try one of those?

Cheers Tom

[Binkie Huckaback]

Thanks Soupdragon. I've got a WineXpert kit on the go that I managed to syphon a load of lees back into while racking. I'm looking for suggestions for brands of finings.

[soupdragon]

If you have a local home brew shop they'll have plenty but if not then

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-wine- ... /p/0253122

Same stuff as supplied with most wine kits

Cheers Tom

[WalesAles]

It's been at 7°c for a few years now. If it hasn't cleared by tomorrow, I'll try finings.

Binkie H,
A few years! It should be clear by now?

WA

[MashBag]

WA. You are a bad man
I resisted.

Joking aside, I would not fine. Just let it sit somewhere cool and it will clear. Wine is not beer, it REALLY benefits from time.

[Binkie Huckaback]

It's been at 7°c for a few years now. If it hasn't cleared by tomorrow, I'll try finings.

Binkie H,
A few years! It should be clear by now?

WA

Oops!

[WalesAles]

Can`t beat a bit of banter!

Unless you hit it with a stick or something

WA

[Binkie Huckaback]

By way of an update, I dropped the temperature to 5°c for a week or so and the wine cleared again. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.