Pectin Haze & Mead - Your Thoughts Please

[MarshmallowBlue]

Hey All

I just published an article on my site regarding pectin haze and mead. You can read it here if you wish. http://hivemindmead.com/curious-case-pectin-haze-mead/

However the main reason I'm posting, is I'd like to get your feedback on YOUR experiences with pectin haze in your batches. You can fill this form out as many times as you've had pectin haze.

** https://goo.gl/forms/1ICIjNr42PYdH29Y2 **

Thank you very much for your help! I'll be publishing results / findings back to the community.

 

[growlrr]

I'll be looking forward to this. I have a Perry that I used Anjou Pears in the primary (for aroma) and Bosc pears in the secondary (flavor and sweetness). It's been racked three times in two months. Nothing is falling out of suspension - the bottom of the carboy is clear, but I can't lose the haze. I hit it with Pectic Enzyme a few days ago and will give that a week or two. If that doesn't work, would bentonite be a good idea? I know you can use it in primary, but can it be used post fermentation? The Perry has already been stabilized...

 

[Maylar]

Your form assumes fruit mead (melomel). I haven't made one but I do a lot of cysers - apple cider and honey - and have to deal with pectin haze. I think your survey should include juice or cider as the fruit addition. You might also ask how the brewer dealt with the issue (time, pectic enzyme, fining agents etc).

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I'll be looking forward to this. I have a Perry that I used Anjou Pears in the primary (for aroma) and Bosc pears in the secondary (flavor and sweetness). It's been racked three times in two months. Nothing is falling out of suspension - the bottom of the carboy is clear, but I can't lose the haze. I hit it with Pectic Enzyme a few days ago and will give that a week or two. If that doesn't work, would bentonite be a good idea? I know you can use it in primary, but can it be used post fermentation? The Perry has already been stabilized...

Please fill out the form above so it gets tracked.

Not many responses yet

Your form assumes fruit mead (melomel). I haven't made one but I do a lot of cysers - apple cider and honey - and have to deal with pectin haze. I think your survey should include juice or cider as the fruit addition. You might also ask how the brewer dealt with the issue (time, pectic enzyme, fining agents etc).

Updated to include apples, and "juice / cider" as a fruit form.

 

[Maylar]

I think a key element to this is how the brewer dealt with the issue. What good is it to know that people have experienced pectin haze without knowing what measures were taken to deal with it? That can range from "I don't care" to any number of treatments to alleviate the problem.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

I think a key element to this is how the brewer dealt with the issue. What good is it to know that people have experienced pectin haze without knowing what measures were taken to deal with it? That can range from "I don't care" to any number of treatments to alleviate the problem.

Add pectic enzyme. This will remove the haze if it's pectin related.

 

[Maylar]

Add pectic enzyme. This will remove the haze if it's pectin related.

Or... ignore it and allow your brew to be hazy. Or, use fining agents (take your pick). Or, just give it time and it clears itself. Lots of options out there.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Or... ignore it and allow your brew to be hazy. Or, use fining agents (take your pick). Or, just give it time and it clears itself. Lots of options out there.

To clarify here, bentonite / sparkeloid / time will not clear a pectin haze. All three will cause other proteins and things to drop out of suspension resulting in a clearer end product, but the pectin created portion would still exist.

 

[Baabaadoo]

Or... ignore it and allow your brew to be hazy. Or, use fining agents (take your pick). Or, just give it time and it clears itself. Lots of options out there.

This is my dilemma right now. I have a hazy traditional mead right now. I'm not sure if I care. If it falls out, yay. It'll look cool, but if not. Should I care? I mean I am assuming most of us aren't going to competitions with the stuff. So it's down to personal preference for most.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Well yeah, personal preference if you're not making for a competition.

I'm fine with drinking a cloudy mead, but I do hate sediment collecting in bottles while aging for long periods of time, so I try to prevent that as much as possible.

 

[Baabaadoo]

agreed. I want to avoid sediment.

 

[Maylar]

To clarify here, bentonite / sparkeloid / time will not clear a pectin haze. All three will cause other proteins and things to drop out of suspension resulting in a clearer end product, but the pectin created portion would still exist.

I'm not sure I agree with that statement. My experience with pectin haze is with cider, and time always has cleared the end product with or without pectic enzyme. There are commercial ciders that are bottled (or canned) as "scrumpy" or farmhouse styles that are cloudy on purpose, and the instructions on the label say to shake the product before drinking - because the sediment (pectins?) will fall out of suspension over time.

 

[Maylar]

This is my dilemma right now. I have a hazy traditional mead right now. I'm not sure if I care. If it falls out, yay. It'll look cool, but if not. Should I care? I mean I am assuming most of us aren't going to competitions with the stuff. So it's down to personal preference for most.

Honey doesn't have pectins. Fruits do. A cloudy traditional mead will not benefit from pectic enzyme. Bentonite, Sparkaloid, gelatin, Super Kleer etc can clear a cloudy mead. Personally, I don't bottle meads before 4 months and they always clear by then all by themselves.

 

[Baabaadoo]

Good to know. I'll let them sit longer. Their 4 month date is coming soon enough.

 

[CKuhns]

Interesting thread. Will be interested to see what your results are.

I have done a number of both Melomels and Cysers and sometimes Meloccyser?? (Is that a word? Fruit added to a Cyser.). The only time i have had a problem with pectin haze is when i damage the fruit in some way. If whole fruit frozen and thawed, placed in a mesh bag and careful to not squish it when removing from the Big Mouth Bubbler or bucket then only occasionally get a haze that will not clear with time, cold crash and Super Kleer.