Filtering & Turnaround time

Hey all - I'm about to try my hand at filtering my beer.

Long story short, my dad has gotten some major blowouts because of the yeast in my homebrew wreaking havoc on his intestines. So I'm going to try to strip out as much as possible and hope he doesn't **** a bus everytime he drinks my beer.

After a 10 day ferment and 4 day chilling, I'm planning on filtering (essentially 2 weeks after brew day). How soon after filtering will most beers hit prime? Right away or does it still need some aging?

Any recommendations on the process? Thanks all!

14 days is way too early! Fermentation may be done, but your beer is not. If you filter out your yeast at this point you will be disappointed. All my beers get 1 month in primary, then cold crash for one day, then add gelatin and continue to cold crash for 3-4 more days before racking to keg. This clears the beer up real nice. The extended time in primary alone will make a dramatic difference in the clarity and taste of your beer. 10day IMO for the majority of beers, is too fast.

Ditto on the longer fermentation.

If you let it sit 3-4 weeks most of the yeast will drop out on it's own. Just be careful not to disturb the turb when you rack it out of the fermenter. you may not need to filter at all.

Special Hops said:

Ditto on the longer fermentation.

If you let it sit 3-4 weeks most of the yeast will drop out on it's own. Just be careful not to disturb the turb when you rack it out of the fermenter. you may not need to filter at all.

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nah, that's my process now and there's still a ton in there. Beer looks very clear - maybe not brilliant - but very clear. I want to speed up my process and get them in kegs for transport ASAP.

Filtering is gonna happen, I have all the gear already.

The only way to know for sure is to give it a try on EACH beer you brew since each beer is different. The simpler beers will ferment out faster and thus will show better results filtering at 10-14 days.

RevIP said:

14 days is way too early!

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Not in my experience. I rack and filter 80% of my beers (ales < 1.065) in 14 days. The only beers I delay racking and filtering are high gravity (> 1.065) ales and lagers (rack but do not filter).

Once the yeast have completed their post fermentation "cleanup" work and flocculated out of solution, there is no reason to keep them in contact with the [now mature] beer.

RevIP said:

14 days is way too early! Fermentation may be done, but your beer is not. If you filter out your yeast at this point you will be disappointed. All my beers get 1 month in primary, then cold crash for one day, then add gelatin and continue to cold crash for 3-4 more days before racking to keg. This clears the beer up real nice. The extended time in primary alone will make a dramatic difference in the clarity and taste of your beer. 10day IMO for the majority of beers, is too fast.

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can you define what you consider cold crash??(Temps and durations) also you do no secondary clarifying? just extend the first stage fermenting?

I like the process less work with improved results

Stevorino said:

nah, that's my process now and there's still a ton in there. Beer looks very clear - maybe not brilliant - but very clear. I want to speed up my process and get them in kegs for transport ASAP.

Filtering is gonna happen, I have all the gear already.

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my bad. I read your OP as you currently do 14 days without filtering.

It won't reduce the time for the beer to condition, if that's what you are asking.

Do you have a sub-micron filter, like a 0.5 or 0.3 micron? Anything larger than that will leave a fair amount of yeast in the beer. The best approach is to run the beer through a 2-5 micron filter, then a fine one.

according to Fix, a 3 micron absolute filter will get you an order of magnitude reduction in yeast and it is preferentially removing larger cells so the impact on yeast mass is even larger. Fix's lab results suggested that this was the finest level that did not have a significant impact on beer flavor and color and this was what he recommended for home brewers or craft brewers with regional distribution.

Anecdotally, people using 5 and 7 micron filters report dramatically less mass in the keg.

But yeah, if you are trying to get sterile beer, sub-micron is necessary and that will take some color and flavor and bitterness with it too (you can make up for this in the recipe though).

remilard said:

according to Fix, a 3 micron absolute filter will get you an order of magnitude reduction in yeast and it is preferentially removing larger cells so the impact on yeast mass is even larger. Fix's lab results suggested that this was the finest level that did not have a significant impact on beer flavor and color and this was what he recommended for home brewers or craft brewers with regional distribution.

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Just to elaborate, Fix stated that 1 - 3 micron (absolute) filtration is "ideal" in terms of percentage of yeast removed without stripping excessive flavor. He also stated that ice stabilization + filtration is superior.

FWIW, I've had good success with 30F ice stabilization for 24 hours and 1 micron (absolute) filtration. When I bottle condition, I use a 5 micron (nominal) filter.

lamarguy said:

Just to elaborate, Fix stated that 1 - 3 micron (absolute) filtration is "ideal" in terms of percentage of yeast removed without stripping excessive flavor. He also stated that ice stabilization + filtration is superior.

FWIW, I've had good success with 30F ice stabilization for 24 hours and 1 micron (absolute) filtration. When I bottle condition, I use a 5 micron (nominal) filter.

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You got me, I should be less lazy when I quote.

Have you noticed substantially more stable beer with this regimen? I've though about adding filtration but I need a reason other than clarity as I can get bright beer without it.

What do you all mean by 'ice stabilization'?

I think I have a mix of 5 micron, 3 micron and 1 micron - I was planning on using 5 & 3 micron for darker ales and pale ales and using the 1 micron on my lagers and lighter ales.

Stevorino said:

What do you all mean by 'ice stabilization'?

I think I have a mix of 5 micron, 3 micron and 1 micron - I was planning on using 5 & 3 micron for darker ales and pale ales and using the 1 micron on my lagers and lighter ales.

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Fix describes it well in Analysis of Brewing Techniques, the idea is to get a beer right at the freezing point where very small ice crystals will form. These icy crystals preferentially contain haze forming proteins and polyphenols. You then separate the beer from the ice crystals and you get better chill proofing than via normal filtering or fining. This is the method used to produce macro "ice" beers but contrary to popular belief, it is not at all a gimmick, it really works.

Lamarguy is the first homebrewer I have heard claim to use it successfully.

remilard said:

Have you noticed substantially more stable beer with this regimen? I've though about adding filtration but I need a reason other than clarity as I can get bright beer without it.

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I've used the "ice stabilization" technique four times, so the verdict is still out. I've bottled several beers from those batches, so time will tell how well they age.

The theory makes sense (what you summarized above) and practice supports the method based on the number of commercial breweries who utilize it. The primary benefits are:

1. Removes almost all haze forming proteins and polyphenals (5% higher efficacy than finings).
2. Reduces susceptibility to oxidation and staling by removing most of the "nonenal" (i.e. cardboard flavor) precursors. This supports the "improved" flavor stability argument.

lamarguy said:

Not in my experience. I rack and filter 80% of my beers (ales < 1.065) in 14 days. The only beers I delay racking and filtering are high gravity (> 1.065) ales and lagers (rack but do not filter).

Once the yeast have completed their post fermentation "cleanup" work and flocculated out of solution, there is no reason to keep them in contact with the [now mature] beer.

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I've not noticed a beer that didn't taste better after it did at 14 days except maybe the Wit that I do in the summer. Everything else I've brewed definitley seems to improve after the 2 week tasting. It could very well be that the beer will still age to teh same level without being on the yeast as well. I'm a very "relaxed brewer". I don't get into the sciences behind it all. I Brew for the outcome and the relaxation of brew day. I keep it simple and that's the reason I just let everything go 3-4 weeks then rack.

Bartsbrew01 said:

can you define what you consider cold crash??(Temps and durations) also you do no secondary clarifying? just extend the first stage fermenting?

I like the process less work with improved results

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Just turn the temps down to 35 give or take for a a few days. I usually plan 3 days, but sometimes it ends up more. Just depends when I get the chance/feel like racking it to a keg. And yes, I no longer use secondaries.

Special Hops said:

my bad. I read your OP as you currently do 14 days without filtering.

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same here

RevIP said:

I've not noticed a beer that didn't taste better after it did at 14 days except maybe the Wit that I do in the summer. Everything else I've brewed definitley seems to improve after the 2 week tasting.

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It really depends on the process, e.g. yeast health, pitching rate, temperature control, aeration level, etc. I think we can agree that a less than stellar process will require more conditioning time.

I pressure ferment (0.5 - 12 psi over 7 days for an ale) and I sample the beer everyday (via a picnic tap). By the end of primary fermentation, the beer has ~2 volumes of CO2 @ 68F so I have a very good basis to judge its flavor and aroma. If the beer isn't ready, I will leave it on the yeast. But, in my experience, 80% of the beers have achieved excellent conditioning by day 14. After "ice stabilization", filtration, and additional carbonation (depending on style), the beer will taste very well rounded ~7 days later.

So, on average, 3 weeks from grain to "optimum" flavor/aroma on the tap.

Lamarguy,
Since the beer is partially carbonated, do you use a canister filter? If so, what filters do you use, and where do you get them (what micron)? Can you get 10 gallons through 1 filter? Did you cut off any of the sanke dip tube to avoid picking up the yeast?

Sorry for all the questions, but your process is what I'm modeling mine after.

aarondrich said:

Since the beer is partially carbonated, do you use a canister filter? If so, what filters do you use, and where do you get them (what micron)? Can you get 10 gallons through 1 filter?

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Yes, canister filter. I flush the housing and lines with CO2 and use a 1 micron (absolute) or 5 micron (nominal) filter, depending on whether I want to bottle condition.

Yes, after cold crashing, I could probably filter 30 gallons with a single 1 micron filter (more with the 5 micron). Without cold crashing, I have no idea, but I suspect around 10 gallons.

aarondrich said:

Did you cut off any of the sanke dip tube to avoid picking up the yeast?

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I use Derrin's rig, so no. I attach a racking cane tip to the diptube which, after cold crashing, leaves a very compact trub layer and avoids almost all sediment pickup.

With those filters, do you back flush them and use them more than once?

Also, have you noticed any quality degradation with fermenting under pressure?

aarondrich said:

With those filters, do you back flush them and use them more than once?

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Backflush, soak (PBW), sanitize (quat), and reuse.

aarondrich said:

Also, have you noticed any quality degradation with fermenting under pressure?

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Short answer is it's something you'll have to experiment with to nail down the temperatures and pressures. Long answer is read this thread.

lamarguy said:

Backflush, soak (PBW), sanitize (quat), and reuse.

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Wow. So, how many times can you reuse? Never had a contamination prob?

SankePankey said:

So, how many times can you reuse?

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Unsure at this point. I've filtered one batch with the 5 micron and three with the 1 micron. I plan to use them until there is a loss of flow or the polyester fibers begin to show visible wear.

SankePankey said:

Never had a contamination prob?

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I don't foresee having a problem with contamination but it's certainly possible. FWIW, it's obvious when the filter media is clean, it changes from light brown (trub/hop/yeast stains) to bright white.

Here's a shot of a 16 day old porter being filtered with a 5 micron cartridge.

Stevorino said:

Hey all - I'm about to try my hand at filtering my beer.

Long story short, my dad has gotten some major blowouts because of the yeast in my homebrew wreaking havoc on his intestines. So I'm going to try to strip out as much as possible and hope he doesn't **** a bus everytime he drinks my beer.

After a 10 day ferment and 4 day chilling, I'm planning on filtering (essentially 2 weeks after brew day). How soon after filtering will most beers hit prime? Right away or does it still need some aging?

Any recommendations on the process? Thanks all!

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This is what I do almost to a T. My ferments take about 3-4 days to complete, let sit on the yeast for about another week, put it on ice for 24-36 hours filter, carb, and drink After I through it into the kegarator it takes a good 3-4 days for the Co2 levels to even out and really start tasting right. So to answer your question. Yes, let it sit on the gas for few days. Better yet, sample a pint or 4 every day till it taste the best, then fill a growler and take it to your dad