Pectolase

To best understand the benefits of Pectolase, or Pectic Enzyme as it is also known, we need to first understand Pectin.

What Is Pectin?

Pectin is a type of carbohydrate called a polysaccharide.  It helps maintain the structure in a plant or fruit.  Pectin is a gelling agent.  Pectin is the key ingredient to set jam after being heated with sugar.  If you don’t have enough pectin in your fruit when making a jam it won’t set and stays runny.

There are some fruits that have higher amounts of Pectin than others.  Fruit such as pears, apples, plums, gooseberries and citrus fruit have high amounts of Pectin.  Softer fruits like strawberries, grapes and apricots have lower levels of Pectin.

Pectin is important when you are cooking and want something to set or gel together.

For the winemaker or brewer however, introducing fruit with high levels of Pectin can be problematic!

What Are The Effects Of Pectin On Wine Or Beer?

If you are making a fruit/vegetable wine or a beer with a lot of fruit in, then you are introducing Pectin to a liquid.  If you don’t take preventative measures, it is highly likely that there will be a permanent haze in the finished product.  This is fine in some styles of beer, however it is not good for wine.

The other problem caused by having Pectin in your wine is that if you intend to filter the wine prior to bottling, then it is very easy for the filter to get blocked.

Fortunately, it is easy to reduce the amount of Pectin in your wine or beer using a Pectic Enzyme which is also referred to as Pectolase.

Using Pectolase/Pectic Enzyme has the following effects.

It breaks down the fruit you are trying to extract juice and flavour from.  After you pulp or mash, a fruit, Pectin still acts as a structural member.  Using Pectic Enzyme or Pectolase breaks this structure down, getting more juice and flavour into the wine.

• It prevents Pectin forming a haze in the finished wine or beer.
• It aids filtering should this be part of the process.

How Much To Add & When To Add Pectolase

The typical dosage for Pectolase is 1 tsp per gallon.  It is added directly to the wine and stirred thoroughly before fermentation. If you forget to add it before fermentation you can add Pectic Enzyme later but you will have less juice extracted from the fruit. It will not inhibit yeast growth or activity if added later.

Google Questions Posed & Answered!

We like to summarise our findings to hopefully answer your questions!

Is Pectolase the same as pectin?

Pectolase is a Pectin destroying enzyme which is used when you are making fruit wines. Pectin is a natural gelling agent which can be found in fresh, ripe fruits. Pectin can cause a haze and stop the wine from clearing, therefore it needs to be destroyed.

Is Pectic Enzyme the same as Pectolase?

Pectic Enzyme (also known as Pectolase) for use in home wine making. A Pectin destroying enzyme use when using fresh fruit or vegetables in winemaking. Fresh fruit and vegetables have a high pectic enzyme content.

Can I add Pectolase after fermentation?

Adding Pectolase prior to the start of fermentation allows it more time to break down the pectin as the juice ferments. If you have not added any enzyme to your juice or discover your fermented wine is cloudy then go ahead and add it after fermentation.

Chris Marshall – brewathome.shop (Last Updated: 21st October, 2022)