CellarScience Kieselsol for Wine, Cider, and Mead Clarification CellarScience Kieselsol is a liquid silica-sol fining agent used after fermentation to help clear still wine, cider, mead, and degassed alcoholic bases. Kieselsol carries a negative charge and is commonly used before Chitosan in a two-step fining process. Use kieselsol when a finished batch is stable and tastes right, but still looks cloudy from proteins, fine suspended solids, or other haze-forming material. It is most effective after the beverage has been racked off heavy sediment and fully degassed. Carbon dioxide left in solution can keep haze particles moving and slow the clearing process. How kieselsol works Fining role: negatively charged liquid silica clarifier for post-fermentation clearing. Best fit: still wine, cider, mead, and degassed fermented bases that need a clearer, more polished appearance. Pairing: commonly used first in the CellarScience kieselsol and chitosan fining sequence. Typical rate: CellarScience directions list 1/4 fl oz per 5-6 gallons; follow the current product label for your batch size. How to use it Degas the batch first, then stir kieselsol in gently but thoroughly so it is evenly distributed. If you are using the paired CellarScience clarification method, add kieselsol first and follow with chitosan as the second fining. Clearing often begins within 12-48 hours, but give the sediment enough time to compact before racking. Bench trials are a good habit for valuable batches, unusual fruit wines, heavily oaked wines, tannic meads, or any beverage where you want to confirm the effect before treating the full volume. Refrigeration is not required for this product, but it should not be frozen. Related clarification supplies For the paired fining method, use this product with CellarScience Chitosan. You can also browse our full clarifiers and finings collection for other wine, cider, mead, and beer clarification options.
