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

A novice winemaker often asks himself the question: when to drain the fermented wine from the sediment? As soon as sediment appeared at the bottom of the bottle with the wort, and the bubbles with carbon dioxide ceased to stand out, 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 produced.

Why filter?

Filtering fermented grape or berry wine is an essential step in making a homemade alcoholic drink. The taste, texture and aroma of wine, apple cider or other hand-made alcoholic products depend on the purity of the finished product.

Dead bacteria, fungi, which are actively involved in the fermentation process, sink to the bottom, so a precipitate forms, which must be removed from the bottle in a timely manner. If the filtration is late, the wine will acquire bitterness and an unpleasant odor and even become dangerous to human he alth. It will take several times to filter the drink at home.

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

If a person notices a sediment in the form of tartar in a bottle of closed wine, this does not mean that the quality of the drink is not good, on the contrary, a bottle with a noble drink has fallen into his hands, which will surprise him with exquisite taste.

When to do, how often and how many times?

When making homemade wine, filtration is a must. If the wine drink is based on fruits or berries, cleaning will need to be done several times.

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

Sedimentation at the bottom of the tank is the first signal of the end of the fermentation process. The thickness of the bottom layer can reach 5 or more centimeters. After the first cleaning, the wine is left in the bottle and waiting for a new sediment to fall, the procedure is repeated and done until the flakes cease to form.

The homemade drink is filtered for the first time immediately after precipitation, the second time is filtered after about 60 days, the final filtering is carried out 90 days after the first precipitation.

Types of wine filtration

Filter wine at home in various ways. The most common is filtering the drink through cheesecloth; it is not difficult to remove sedimentary flakes in this way. 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 the use of folk remedies, the wine must once again be infused and filtered through filters.

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

Types of filters

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;
• diatomaceous earth.

Using automated purifiers, you can filter 200 liters of homemade wine and get rid of sediment in just 1 hour.

From improvised filters, you can use filters for coffee, gauze, burlap or a separator.

In the shops of winemakers you can buy a modern absorbent - bentonite, which is able to collect the biological remains of bacteria.Bentonite not only cleans the wine, but also clarifies it, improves the 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 is white, red wine made from grapes or berries, it does not matter.

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

The precipitation 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 dispose of such sediment.

How to drain wine from the 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 precipitation, the drink must be quickly filtered, then the procedure is repeated after two months, and then after another month.

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

• The necessary tools are prepared in advance: a tube (at least one meter long, 1 centimeter in diameter), a container for draining sediment.
• 5 days before the expected date of precipitation 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.
• Pipe the drink slowly and carefully, without raising the turbidity from the bottom.

Experienced winemakers recommend using another proven trick.

As soon as the end of the tube sinks into the wine bottle, put 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 the sediment without a hose or tube

When using a tube for filtering a wine drink, a sufficiently large proportion of the finished product is inevitably lost, which merges with the turbidity. There is a more labor-intensive, but more gentle technology for removing wine from 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 the filter and poured into another sterilized container.

Pay attention to the fact 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 sediment removed.

Currently, household appliances are indispensable helpers in housekeeping. This trend is also outlined in home winemaking. You can simplify manual labor and remove wine from the sediment without unnecessary difficulties using an automated filter press, just purchase inexpensive replacement filters and study the instructions.

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