Cider is opaque

Question

Cider is opaque

bizzehdee

2015年12月30日 23:23

My first cider has just gotten to 1.000 gravity on my hydrometer, and i plan on bottling it tomorrow, but i have just done a test to see how it looks, and even in a narrow container, it is pretty opaque, like i had poured red wax into the container...

The kit i used did not come with finings and claims not to need them.

Should i use them/do i need them, to clear up the brew and make it more transparent and more "cider like", or will it be ok as it is?

I have found an image on wikipedia that displays what i am getting (i have what is on the left, i was hoping of what is on the right): https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/60/Cider_and_apple_juice.jpg/400px-Cider_and_apple_juice.jpg

Topic finings cider homebrew

Category Mac

IvyMike · Accepted Answer · 2015年12月30日 23:23

To answer your question: in my experience, haze does not cause taste problems.

However, if it bugs you, that's a good enough reason to try to address the haze.

What kind of juice did you use--specifically, was it pasteurized or heated?

If so, you may be suffering from pectin haze. You might be able to clear it up by getting some pectinase. This is an enzyme that breaks down the pectin proteins and lets them settle.

It sounds like you've already bottled, but if not: Usual instructions call for pectinase to be added before fermentation but you might as well try adding it now, although it does take time to work. And keep it in mind for future ciders.

Escoce · Accepted Answer · 2015年11月17日 15:15

Apple wine always needs fining and/or filtration. It never clears (not in my experience anyway) on its own.

If you drink the apple soon, the opacity is just an appearance issue. If you plan on longer term storage, then you really want to clarify it before bottling or the wine can produce off flavors or even go bad in extreme cases.

Philippe · Accepted Answer · 2015年11月16日 22:51

Time will help to clear it a bit, let it rest and rack it again later. I find that most of the fining agents also strip off some of the flavor (specially in red wines), so I no longer use them, and same thing for filtration. I might be a bit paranoid but I find my wines are much better since.

If your goal is to have a clear cider, you may use the fining agent, no problem. But if it tastes good, it is also ok as it is.

Dave · Accepted Answer · 2015年11月16日 22:31

What do you want out of your cider? Do you want to show it off or enter it in competition, or is it more for your own enjoyment? Depending upon what is causing the cloudiness, in most cases it doesn't affect flavor. There are a number of options for you if you want to go for that brilliant clarity, but if you just want something tasty to drink, I don't consider it worth the extra effort. Again, it does depend upon what is causing the cloudiness.

Cider is opaque

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