Fining Agents

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SmoothSmoke

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From my understanding fining agents are used to help clear the beer. I do not have a secondary. So can I still put some fining agents into my primary that will make a difference? If so, which agents are best?
 
Irish moss and whirlfloc have to be added to the boil, which is what I usually do. Post fermentation you can use gelatin, which I used once. Try searching for exact directions but I basically cold crashed my primary then added the prepared gelatin directly to that instead of transferring to a secondary. It worked well but I've also found that giving them time clears most beers up pretty darn good.
 
Are you having a problem with beer clarity, or are you just staging a preemptive strike? Different fining agents act differently and target different things.
 
The best combination I have found for clarity is Putting 1 tablespoon of Irish moss in the last 15 minutes of the boil, then at the end of fermentation, Cold crash your primary container for about 3 to 4 days. I basically fill a basin tub with cold water and put my primary container into it. I have a bout six water bottles that are frozen and I alternate them out every day, to keep the water in the mid to upper 30s. The idea is to make your beer as cold as possible without freezing it. All of the sediment will drop out to the bottom and you can siphon the clear beer off the top.
 
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