Homemade wine does not always become clear after fermentation is complete. To solve the problem, the drink is processed to absorb unwanted particles of wort and yeast. One option is to clarify wine with a cloudy consistency with egg white.
How to understand that it is necessary to do lightening?
When preparing wine yourself, it is infused for 3-5 months, after which the degree of transparency is checked.The need to clarify an alcoholic drink arises in situations where it remains as cloudy as before aging.
The clarification procedure, which is also often called fining, is not necessary, since unsettled particles do not affect the taste characteristics of the wine. At the same time, filtration has the following positive aspects:
- the drink acquires a good appearance and does not differ from the products produced in wineries;
- the duration of permissible storage increases.
The principle of clarification of wine with egg white
Even long aging does not always lead to the fact that all particles of yeast, wort and cream of tartar precipitate. The process of binding unwanted particles and their subsequent falling to the bottom of the container is carried out by adding special products containing protein and tannin compounds to alcohol. The best option is to add egg white.
When in contact with wine, the protein forms large flakes from small particles, and a kind of purification of the wine is carried out. The protein containing albumin attracts impurities to itself, binds them and makes them heavier, as a result of which they smoothly descend. Within a couple of days after the interaction, the formed flakes begin to settle to the bottom of the container, and the drink gradually becomes clarified.
Preparation of raw materials before starting the process
Before you clarify the wine, you need to make sure that it has matured sufficiently. For this purpose, place the sealed container in a warm place. If after a few days bubbles form in it, it means the drink is not ripe. It is necessary to forcibly clarify the wine only in situations where the alcohol has matured, but the cloudiness still remains.
For cleansing, prepare several fresh eggs at the rate of 1 white per 35 liters of liquid.
How to use egg white to clarify a drink at home?
Egg whites as a clarifier are effective for clarifying any homemade wines, but are most often used for drinks made from red grape varieties. To get rid of unwanted particles and remove them into sediment, you need to separate several whites from chicken eggs from the yolks, add a little clean water and beat the mixture to a foamy consistency. Then the whipped whites are diluted with a glass of wine and then poured into the container where the main part of the drink is poured. It will be possible to visually notice how effective the cleansing was after 18-25 days.
Having completed the process, you need to carefully pour the purified drink into another container. In this way, it is possible to separate the wine from the sediment so that it does not fall into the glasses during further consumption.
Basic mistakes
When trying to clarify wine, many people make mistakes due to lack of practical experience or inattentive reading of the instructions. Common mistakes include:
- Clarification of the drink in large volumes at once. To effectively clean wine, it is better to take several small portions and carry out the process experimentally, changing the dosage and concentration of egg white.
- Incorrect amount of brightener. Adding a small amount of egg white will result in a suspension remaining in the liquid, and in the opposite situation, the wine will spoil.
- One-time cleansing for severe turbidity. Getting rid of many particles of yeast and wort is only possible through several stages of clarification.
- Adding egg whites at inappropriate stages of beverage production.The clarifier can be used only before the start of fermentation (before the fermentation process), when stabilizing the drink and before direct bottling.
- Using the whites of stale eggs. The only way to avoid spoiling the taste of wine is by adding fresh protein, preferably from domestic eggs. Otherwise, the risk of a negative reaction of the product to contact with protein increases.
Following the basic rules for purifying a drink will help you avoid these mistakes. The result will be homemade wine with a long shelf life and attractive appearance.
