Dealing with low Flocc'ing Yeast

[KCBrew]

This is my first Belgian (WLP 570) and I've had it fermenting for 13 days now. It is a 1.050 OG, I kicked it off at 72, dropped to 64-66 after 40 hours and then slowly ramped it back up to 72 over the next 6-8 days.

I haven't checked the FG yet, and I'm not even really worried about it being fermented out yet. The reason for this post is this:

I have so far used Nottingham, WLP001 and WYeast American Ale, which are all highly flocculating, and I've often gone with the 'darken and drop' guage of fermentation before even checking in my hydrometer. So after 12 days I looked at my Belgian and it had darked and cleared at the top, but I could see a nice gradient of (s)lowly flocullating yeast starting about 4/5 of the way up till it was a cloud 1/5 from the bottom.

I have read that some low flocculating strains have to be filtered to get cleared, is this the case? Will I still have suspended yeast at the end of fermentation? And I am in the habit of 2ndary's and am planning on dry hopping this little guy anyway, should I cold crash to drop the yeast out?

Thoughts would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Cold wil drop them pesky suckers.

 

[gubby]

Wyeast American Ale (1056 I assume) is highly flocculent? Not in my experience. Its low flocculation is the only issue I have with that yeast. The bottle conditioning yeast especially gets into suspension easily and creates astringent mouthfeel if not handled carefully.

 

[KCBrew]

Well to be fair, Wyeat 1056 was the first batch I ever brewed, and it came in a kit with both Irish Moss and gelatin, and I secondaried for a dry hop, but that beer turned very clear for me. But it was my first so my recollection of how/when it cleared may well be off.

As for the Belgian, I checked it when I got home yesterday, and it is all fermented out (and delicious, IMHO) down to 1.010, but still a little cloudy. I'm going to dry hop soon and will probably rack to do that, then maybe cold crash it after a week.

 

[2bluewagons]

I also have a batch going with WLP 570 right now and am having a heck of a time getting it to clear. It was 15 days in the fermenter with a temp ramp and got great fermentation, the FG was steady for a week. I put it in the fridge at 34 or so degrees 5 days ago and only the top 1/5 of the carboy is clear.

How long has this yeast been know to take to get decently clear? I may have to remove it from the fridge soon due to other concerns, will it continue to clear at 60 degrees or so?

Sorry if hijacking, but I think we're on the same vein here.

 

[KCBrew]

I'm gonna rack to secondary tonight to dry hop. I'll keep you updated on how the clearing is going. As of right now: After finding that I had hit at my desired FG I moved it to about 58-62F and I think it's cleared about 1/3 of the way to the top (2/3 still cloudy). Hopefully the secondary will help it clear...

 

[remilard]

001/1056 is more like medium flocculant, I think a true low flocculant strain is like some of the kolsch strains and the powdery lager strains.

Should expect chico beers to take a while to clear without help. Cold will drop it, cold and gelatin will drop it.

 

[smashed4]

Patience, Cold, Gelatin, Filter.

Pick two of these and you will have very clear beer.

 

[KCBrew]

Patience and cold it is!

//cheap

 

[Houblon]

This beer is 6wks old with 4 wks @34f, wlp570 yeast takes alot of time drop clear so if its really important to you then use some gelatin.

click 4 bigger pic

 

[2bluewagons]

That is some crazy Duvel-grade head you have there! How did you manage that?

 

[Houblon]

I brew beer not rocket fuel, unlike Re....
Pilsner & sugar

 

[petep1980]

I just drink cloudy beer most of the time.