What Fining Agent(s) do you use?

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What fining agent(s) do you primarily use

  • Irish Moss

  • Whirlfloc

  • Gelatin

  • Isinglass

  • Polyclar

  • Sparkolloid

  • White Labs - Clarity Ferm

  • Biofine

  • Super-kleer KC finings


Results are only viewable after voting.

Matt3989

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Hey guys, just a poll to see what the most popular ones are (besides irish moss and whirlfloc). And any posts with tips on how/when/what combination you use would be helpful too.
 
I've been using some gelatin and it works Ok but kind of slow. Also, Sparkelloid works great for clearing wine, cider, or FRUIT BEER. I found that out recently after using gelatin to try to clear an apricot ale I brewed. Cold crashed for 2 weeks, haze persisted. Used some Sparkelloid and everything dropped in a couple days.
 
Any tips on what to use in my Cream Ale? Brewed with DME, Caramel, Lactose, and Vanilla Extract, then pitched White Labs Kolsch WLP029.
 
Can fining agents do any harm? Some posts I've read said they can take too much yeast out and make it so bottles won't carb up. It's that true? Any thing else I have to worry about?
 
Can fining agents do any harm? Some posts I've read said they can take too much yeast out and make it so bottles won't carb up. It's that true? Any thing else I have to worry about?

No, that's not true. It may pull some excess yeast out of suspension, but certainly not enough to impact carbonation.
 
I'm with you Yooper. No reason to resort to Fish bladder and Animal gelatin when other products work very well and are also quite cheap. Though time, patience, and gravity also work wonders. Go figure!?
 
Irish moss mostly for me but have used Whirlfloc too. Otherwise I just use time and patience to get it to clear. Well, along with good flocculation rated yeast that is. The basement where I'm living now is in the 58-62F range. Will see what it is during the winter months.
 
I would have voted ICE.

I boil down to 4 gallons and use 1 gallon sanitized ice to chill in record time. CLEAR beer.
 
I have yet to use a fining agent. When I did my very first batch I rebelled at the idea of an unknown fining agent. The bag is simply labeled as fining agent. By the time the beer was fully bottle conditioned it was crystal clear, so I see no need to use a fining agent.
 
i dont bother with 15L or higher brews, tsp of irish moss in everything else. have had crystal clear brews in 5 days plus its so cheap so why not?
 
I use Irish moss in each boil. After a week or two I may use gelatin or polyclar depending on appearance and past experience.

bosco
 
+1 for irish moss and for cold crashing. I haven't had a beer come out cloudy in a long time, excepting of course styles (wheat beers for, ex.) that are supposed to. I use Irish moss, cool with an ice-bath and a wort chiller (usually less than 20 min. to below 75F), and rack to a secondary after 3-4 weeks on the primary. Cold crash for 3-4 days before bottling and the beer is pretty much always nice and clear.
 
I've been using some gelatin and it works Ok but kind of slow. Also, Sparkelloid works great for clearing wine, cider, or FRUIT BEER. I found that out recently after using gelatin to try to clear an apricot ale I brewed. Cold crashed for 2 weeks, haze persisted. Used some Sparkelloid and everything dropped in a couple days.

Interdasting....i just posted a question in another thread about this. My strawberry blonde is by far my cloudiest beer ever, it had whirlflock in boil and a 1/2tsp of primed gelatin that i racked on top of in the keg...5+ weeks later at keezer temps and its still super super super hazy.
 
Nothing for everything else....agreed. I use to use them, but now I just say NO thank you to lost beer....

How are you losing beer by using a fining agent? It's only pulling stuff out that you don't want anyway.

Personally, I use whirlfloc in the kettle and gelatin in the keg. I suppose I could wait a few more days when I cold crash, but it's cheap and I don't have any vegan friends. It doesn't stay in the final product anyway, so the way I see it, if you wear leather, you can handle having a beer that was animal product adjacent.
 
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