Cider Digest #1728

Published in

· 9 Apr 2024

Subject: Cider Digest #1728, 21 August 2012 
From: cider-request@talisman.com 

Cider Digest #1728                                         21 August 2012 

                 Cider and Perry Discussion Forum 

Contents: 
  pectic enzyme (Dick Dunn) 

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Digest Janitor: Dick Dunn 
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Subject: pectic enzyme 
From: Dick Dunn <rcd@talisman.com> 
Date: Sun, 19 Aug 2012 14:00:41 -0600 

Stephen Wood <swood@farnumhillciders.com> wrote: 
> Feeling pretty humble here, but I'm not sure I've ever understood the 
> 'pectin issue.'  We don't use pectic enzymes at all, and are maybe too 
> stupid to understand why others do (we tried them years ago, over and again 
> - -- couldn't find the benefit)... 

Steve - I had not used them either until on one batch the pectin developed 
in-bottle after a couple months.  After having to open, decant very 
carefully, and re-cap too many cases, I decided it was better to use a 
precautionary dose of pectinase. 

The triggers for pectin haze formation are dessert fruit, over-ripe fruit, 
lack of tannic fruit, and I suppose impatience.  I don't know just what 
caught us that once. 

The trouble is that if you actually need the pectinase, you may not find 
out until it's kinda-too-late:  Once fermentation is done, it's an uphill 
battle to get the pectinase to work, because of the alcohol.  We were 
caught off-guard because the cider had been very clear for quite some 
time before bottling, and didn't even show up a problem in the bottles 
right away. 

Side note:  I know you use dark bottles, and we use clear.  You could 
argue that the clear bottle makes the pectin fluff way more obvious, but 
in the case I mentioned there was enough of it that it would be noticeable 
even in a dark bottle and obvious at pouring. 
- --  
Dick Dunn          rcd@talisman.com          Hygiene, Colorado  USA 

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End of Cider Digest #1728 
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