White Labs Clarity Ferm

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sh00t

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Hello!
So after I chilled my wort I forgot to add White Labs Clarity Ferm. Of course its directions state:
Add to cooled wort at the beginning of fermentation
So does anyone have any experience with adding this after a week into primary? Or any advice, thoughts.. anything :)
I'm not broken up about it but it is a kolsch and when someone wants to try one of my beers, I do like it to be clear.
Thanks!
 
the brewing network had a sunday session a while back and they talked alot about clarity ferm with the whites.

its my understanding if I remember correctly, it works best if added prior to fermentation but will have positive effects as long as you add prior to cold crashing or chilling.
 
the brewing network had a sunday session a while back and they talked alot about clarity ferm with the whites.

its my understanding if I remember correctly, it works best if added prior to fermentation but will have positive effects as long as you add prior to cold crashing or chilling.

Do you know the date?
 
Maybe too late for clarity ferm, but you're right on schedule for some gelatin finings...

:)
 
Clarity ferm will work post fermentation it just takes a lot longer because it's not being churned around by the fermentation process. The trick for post fermentation is to keep the fermentor warm. I had a slightly hazy tripel two weeks ago in my coldish garage, I added a brewbelt to it and the beer was brilliantly clear when I bottled on sunday. So you can add it post ferm it just takes a little longer and needs some warmth. This is my experience at least.

Remember it's a protease enzyme that breaks down haze forming proteins which happens to include gluten to an extent. It doesn't need fermentation to work but it sure helps out because of the exothermic nature of the ferment making it easier for the enzyme to do it's thing.
 
hmmm... ok, so here's what is going on... I was out of town and just got back last night, the airlock was percolating slowly (a week in) but my place was a little chilly so I turned the heat up to 70F... the next morning I woke up to a see that the krausen had gotten so big it was blowing into my airlock and clogging it... of course i replaced it so I'm going to go ahead and add some clarity ferm as I am going to leave it in primary for 3 more weeks.....
 
Just make sure the beer is nice and clear looking before you bottle because it will clear in the bottle otherwise depositing all that chewed up protein at the bottom of the bottle.
 
To several batches, I added Clarity Ferm 7days after adding to the fermentor and got excellent results. The batch passes the gluten tester.

A couple of the batches were a mix of sorghum malt and barley malt and grains. The beer was very clear esp'ly considering that it is a Sorghum malt with roasted rice for flavoring. Normally these things are as cloudy as mud. I typically ferment for ~3weeks total and then bottle.
 
I realize this is an older thread. Since Clarity Ferm is still relatively new, and many search the forums for information....I thought it would be good to correct some info.

White Labs is very clear: clarity ferm works as a "preventive" measure to keep long chain proteins from forming during fermentation....it does not "break down" the proteins once they have formed. The directions call for the product to be added when the yeast is pitched...adding the product after fermentation will have very little benefit.
 
This statement makes no sense. The enzyme is a prolyl endoprotease. It acts to cleave proteins where proline is located. The enzyme has nothing to do with formation of proteins.

The question remains, "Why would it be required or best to be added at the time of pitching the yeast." Unless conditions for the enzyme are not as favorable after fermentation than before fermentation, there is no explanation of why the enzyme couldn't be effective after fermentation.
 
I think you just add it at pitching to give it a longer residence time in the beer at warmer temps; fermentation is usually the warmest you're going to store any beer for a reasonable length of time. Usually, once fermentation is over, people will chill the beer, and transfer it to kegs then store it cold. The enzyme probably doesn't work well at fridge temps. If you're bottle conditioning, though, I bet you could add it at bottling and be fine.

I've used it 3-4 times with pale lagers, and been very impressed. It gives a really clear beer, as advertised, without chill haze (I've had problems with that in the past).
 
Seems like a decent place to post my question.

What is clarity ferm made from? What are the chemicals in it that make it do what it does?

Can I make my own clarity ferm?
 

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