Another one bites the dust

[halfastory]

The only homebrew shop in Cardiff has now closed. Fortunately, the owner has sold the business and it'll open in a more central location in the city within a few weeks.
I asked the current owner about purchasing a Vinbrite filter and she told me not to bother! It won't remove any haze and i'd be better off with finings. This has totally confused me now as the tutorial i've looked at suggests the opposite.
I've started using pectolase in all my wine and it is clearing nicely but there has been a slight haze to the last few batches. I was really hoping passing it through the Vinbrite would sort this problem.
Any ideas?

[NorthernWiner]

Actually, the brew shop owner is correct. Fining, and not filtering, is the proper way to remove haze.

Haze is most often caused by protein molecules trapped in suspension. I would first suggest trying a two-step clarifier (also sold by the brew shop).

90% of the time, that will clear up your wine.

If it doesn't, then you need to next try to identify the specific compound causing the haze. Pectin is a common problem, and is caused by applying heat somewhere in the winemaking process, for example boiling the must or pouring boiling water over fruit causes pectin in the fruit to "set" (same as if you are making preserves). If this is the problem you have, then Pectinase will usually clear it.

If you have a starch haze (plum is notorious for having a lot of starch, as are bananas), then you need to use an amylase clarifier.

Filtering is typically done to further clarify an otherwise clear wine, and should only be considered a last resort for other problems.

[kessler]

http://www.homebrewwales.co.uk/

That one?

I've phoned them a couple of times asking for this and that from their pdf catalogue but the chap on the other of the phone was bloody well rude.

I'm not suprised they've gone under.

[halfastory]

Yep...that's the shop. Never spoke to the fella but the lady running the place had a lot of attitude! I was also put off by the bad lighting and the random layout of the stock. Stuff was piled everywhere and for the last few months it just looked like a closing down sale.
When I asked the lady why she was closing when homebrew was surely enjoying a resurgence she gruffly told me that she had to retire at some time. Nice.
Fingers crossed the new owner at the Donald Street, Cardiff location is a bit more hands on. If he's anything like the fella in Blackwood then it'll be a pleasure to go there.

[cpfan]

I'm surprised that Steve (Northern Winer) didn't mention the use of bentonite to get rid of protein haze.

And, in my experience, filtering will definitely get rid of SOME hazes. But I much prefer filtering clear wine because then the filter pads don't get clogged up causing wine to spray around. And the resulting wine is sparkling clear.

Steve

[bobby]

with the country being on its **** i thought there would be more shops. the one near me Bolton Homebrew opened about a couple of month ago and they told me their market stall was so busy they had to open a shop.

[Richard S]

The number of people making their own wine and beers is deffo on the up. Some of the well established home brew shops are reporting 70% - 100% increases in turnover.