Clarifying beer - who is using what and when

[Brewer3401]

I have been clarifying my ales in the primary if I will not dry hop.
Usually 7 days to end of fermentation around 67 F, then raise temp to around 74 F.
Using stainless open top fermenter, so I have open access to beer.
6 gm. gelatin prepared the customary way, then crash temp to around 34 F
In 6 weeks, the beer is brilliant.

Q - anyone doing different and getting brilliant beer in less time ?

Thanks - will be clarifying a blonde ale this Wednesday.

 

[kh54s10]

Super Moss in the last 10 minutes of the boil and time. I have never tried anything but Irish Moss and Super Moss. I really don't care if my beers are crystal clear or not.

I will probably try something else at some point.

 

[Yooper]

Whirlfloc at 10 minutes, and that's it. I never use gelatin or other finings.

I think hitting a proper mash pH, kettle pH, and getting a great hot break and cold break along with using the whirfloc mean a clear beer.

This beer is a dryhopped APA, at about 3 weeks old:

 

[Thedutchtouch]

1/2 tab whirfloc per 5 gal in last 5-10 min, cold crash in fermenter prior to transfer or in keg after, then add gelatin. clear beer.

 

[Life]

Whirlfloc at 10. I'm with Yooper, along with other good brewing practices, it's really all you need.

 

[jeffjm]

Yooper is right. Again

 

[Brewer3401]

I do 2 whirlfloc 15 minutes before flame out.
I have correct pH for water.
Make sure I get hot break, and it usually takes about 60 minutes after I have cooled to around 65 F in kettle to have crystal clear wort.

I have also tried 6 gm of each gelatin and dissolved whirlfloc to clarify fermented beer. I am not sure the whirlfloc does anything though - after 6 weeks, the beer is brilliant.

These are for contest beers.

Regular non-competition beers go about 1-2 weeks after crashing temp and they are extremely clear, but not "brilliant".

 

[ittybittykittycommittee]

In general I just use whirlfloc at 10 minutes and try for a good hot and cold break. I can get essentially crystal clear wort into the fermenter if I autosiphon after letting the break fall out for about 30 minutes and leave the last little bit.

Depending on the yeast or dry hopping, I sometimes get issues with yeast/hop dust debris. A little gelatin clears that right up though. I know US-05 gives me some troubles.

I don't think I added anything new to this thread, just reiterated what was said above.

 

[LLBeanJ]

Just Whirlfloc (1/2 tab @ 5 mins per 5g batch) and time. I strain the wort for hops going into the fermenter, but all the break material goes with the wort. Typically 10-14 days for primary then into the keg. Sometimes I cold crash, sometimes I don't. More often I don't. Once the keg is chilled and carbed, it's pretty clear in 2-3 weeks.

 

[hunter_le five]

Irish moss at 15 min. Cold crash for 2 days post-fermentation, add gelatin, and continue crashing 2 more days. Then keg and force carb via the "set-and-forget" method for 2 weeks, which acts as kind of a mini-lagering phase or extended cold-crash.

Crystal clear beer ever time. I won't say it's the best or correct method, but it works for me.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

 

[Brewer3401]

Irish moss at 15 min. Cold crash for 2 days post-fermentation, add gelatin, and continue crashing 2 more days. Then keg and force carb via the "set-and-forget" method for 2 weeks, which acts as kind of a mini-lagering phase or extended cold-crash.

Crystal clear beer ever time. I won't say it's the best or correct method, but it works for me.


Very close to what I do. Only thing different is I go 6 weeks after crashing and adding gelatin. This does yield crystal clear "brilliant" beer.
Was just wondering if isinglass instead of gelatin would work faster.

 

[Craigza]

Irish moss at last 15 minutes of the boil. Two weeks fermentation. Third week isinglass. Beer comes out clear.

Cheers

Craig

 

[Hello]

Just Irish moss at 15 and giving the yeast time to floccuate.

 

[frozennorth]

Why does it matter? I seem to prefer a somewhat cloudy beer, but that is just me.

 

[Yooper]

Why does it matter? I seem to prefer a somewhat cloudy beer, but that is just me.

I think that it matters because we eat (and drink) with our eyes first.

Just like when I go out for a nice dinner, the food is plated in an appetizing manner. I know it would taste the same if the chef just glomped it all onto the plate, but it sure is more pleasing to have a beautiful plate of food, properly garnished.

Same is true with beer- having a gorgeous glass of brew, with bubbles coming up from the bottom and an appealing head make it more aesthetically pleasing.

Of course, a clear beer that is well made is also more stable over the long term as well, but my beers don't tend to last that long.

I love a clear beer, and I don't want to wait weeks and weeks for one, as by that time the hoppy flavors and aromas would be changed and faded. I make more hoppy IPAs and APAs than any other styles, and I am generally drinking them at 15-21 one days from brewday.

 

[aspiffymofo]

I've used gelatin in the past on some lagers, it worked well, but it takes the same amount of time for the beer to mature as it takes for it to clear on it's own. So why put in the extra effort?

 

[frozennorth]

That does make sense, maybe I will give whirlfloc a try. Does it effect mouth feel?

 

[user 30639]

That does make sense, maybe I will give whirlfloc a try. Does it effect mouth feel?

I've never used whirlfloc tablets, but my understanding is they're just irish moss in tablet form. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I just use Irish Moss. Between that, a good hot break, and cold crashing in the keg, I've had clear beers. If it turns out cloudy, I just RDWHAHB.

Has anybody used the Clarity-Ferm from Wyeast before? I noticed it at the homebrew store today. Pricy compared to irish moss, but I'm curious now.

 

[RichBrewer]

I use 1 Whirlfloc tablet with 15 minutes remaining in the boil. The one procedure that has helped me the most though is cold crashing at about 39 degrees for a week. I then keg and force carb at which point I get one hazy pull. The rest of the keg is nice and clear.

 

[end]

I bottled my first batch of an EPA a few weeks ago. Cracking the first bottle I realized it didn't clarify as much as I thought it would in the bottle. In fact, it might be cloudier now than it was before I bottled it. It taste great, but it certainly doesn't look very palatable. Is this batch just going to stay ugly? Are there pre-bottling options to reduce cloudy beer in the future?

 

[JKaranka]

I bottled my first batch of an EPA a few weeks ago. Cracking the first bottle I realized it didn't clarify as much as I thought it would in the bottle. In fact, it might be cloudier now than it was before I bottled it. It taste great, but it certainly doesn't look very palatable. Is this batch just going to stay ugly? Are there pre-bottling options to reduce cloudy beer in the future?

Did you condition warm for a couple of weeks and then cool it down another couple of weeks? Bottle conditioned beer tends to drop clear after a while.

 

[end]

I bottled it and it sat in my basement for 2 weeks at about 64 degrees. I let them sit at 64 for another week and I am going to take a look today. Should they sit in the fridge now for a few weeks?

 

[JKaranka]

That's what I tend to do. Couple of weeks at fermentation temperature to prime and condition and another couple in the fridge for the CO2 to be absorbed by the beer and the leftover yeast to drop.

 

[Natdavis777]

I cold crash (dry hop or not), and after the beer reaches 33F, I add the gelatin mix, and rack to keg a few days later. Force carb and drink. Beer is crystal.

 

[shorestyle]

1 whirlfloc tablet (for 19L batch) 15 before flameout. Cold crash 2 days before bottling (bottle conditioning). With higher floc yeasts or stronger beers I make sure to pitch sufficient yeast before bottling

 

[MrPowers]

I actually don't use any clarifying agents as of right now. I just make sure to hit the proper PH, get good hot and cold breaks, and transfer almost all the trub to the fermenter (based on one of brulosophers experiments).

Then after fermentation, I cold crash to -1/0 (~32F) and let it sit until it clears on its own, which is usually less than a week for ale yeasts (except some Kolsch/Alt strains) and 3/4 weeks for lager yeasts.

 

[slym2none]

I will finally try gelatin for the first time on my next batch, more due to dry-hops than anything else. I've had to rack these to secondary due to all the trub I get & I have been dry-hopping there (because why not, right?) and the dry-hops don't stay all that compacted on their own. Plus, it's a red IPA and I want this floccer to be as clear as an @GavinScience beer!

 

[jcav]

I do a Whirfloc tablet (11 gallon batch) the last few minutes of the boil. I chill as fast as I can and after fermentation is over I cold crash for three days and then rack to kegs. I haven't used gelatin yet as my beers are very clear, but I wouldn't mind trying gelatin as an experiment to see if this is a better way to go. Just don't want a lot of sediment in my kegs. Curious to all you gelatin users, how much sediment does it create in the bottom of the keg, and does it come out with the first pour, or does it take several beers to dissipate?

John

 

[eadavis80]

Just Irish Moss here. IMO clarity is not real high on my priority list - it's nice, but for me it's all about flavor, aroma, mouthfeel and ABV. I think those are my "Final 4"

 

[Gavin C]

Curious to all you gelatin users, how much sediment does it create in the bottom of the keg, and does it come out with the first pour, or does it take several beers to dissipate?

John

No sediment in the keg. I add it gently to the beer in the FV when the beer is at 31°F. I package a day or two later.

Simple Gelatin Prep

It Clears Fast. Not gradual. First 4 oz I'd guess then crystal.

Here's a recent example. A German Pilsner

Also for the OP and anyone else who cares. There was a recent thread discussing this very topic. Here is my contribution

 

[slym2none]

Not that jcav was talking directly to me, but I bottle, and use the MrBeer LBK, so this has me wondering... since I bottle directly from the FV, might this actually not be a good idea? I don't want to bottle up any beer-jello with hops-matter in it.

Hmm, maybe a big DIPA isn't the best test for this...

*EDIT* @GavinScience makes me think more & more this isn't a good idea for me.

 

[jcav]

Excellent, thanks Gavin!

John

 

[Gavin C]

Not that jcav was talking directly to me, but I bottle, and use the MrBeer LBK, so this has me wondering... since I bottle directly from the FV, might this actually not be a good idea? I don't want to bottle up any beer-jello with hops-matter in it.

Hmm, maybe a big DIPA isn't the best test for this...

Using the correct amounts and with correct preparation this will be a non-issue. I can't envisage it adding any complications to your racking process.

 

[slym2none]

Using the correct amounts and with correct preparation this will be a non-issue. I can't envisage it adding any complications to your racking process.

OK, that gives me more confidence. The LBK has the spigot above the bottom, where they've designed the area to be a trub "trap" so hopefully it will all stay there.

I'm convinced - I will try gelatin on this beer!

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Whirlfloc at 10, then cold crash for two days when complete.

Crystal clear every time, even when I dry hop in the keg.

 

[berrywise]

Anyone else using Biofine? I have found the stuff to be pretty much magical in clearing beer but it a significant cost compared to gelatin at 3 or 4 bucks for a small bottle.