Adding Isenglass and oxidation

[Remos112]

Hello everybody, I recently bought some isenglass in an attempt to get my beers clearer, however I am confused how to use it, and if I should use it at all.

The direction on the bottle say chuck it in and stir it in the beer, let sit for a day or 3 and then rack to bottling/kegging. Wouldn't this oxidize my beer? Also I have read isenglass works best on cold beer. The beer is currently fermenting at 23C let's say I cold crash it to 4C before adding the Isenglass, wouldn't opening the lid alone oxidize me beer? Let alone some extra stirring!

I guess my question is, is it worth it? Or should I skip the isenglass all together and just accept a bit cloudier beer?

Any input is appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Remi

 

[thehaze]

If you are kegging, then you have C02, so that should make things easier. There is a possibility that your beer will oxidize and there is also a possibility that it will not.

If you bottle, there is a possibility that your beer will oxidize and there is also a possibility that it will not.

I add gelatine to cold crashed beer and I bottle. I have yet to taste oxidized beer from gelatine addition. ( my NEIPAs oxidize, but that is because I bottle and there is no gelatine there )

 

[Remos112]

I don’t keg So bottling is my only option. Thanks for your input

 

[Remos112]

After some more searching around I realised gelatin is better for bottled beer than isenglass. So I ordered some gelatin.
My plan for now is:
Primary for 3 weeks, the last 2 days add required amount of gelatin, cold crash to 3-4C.
Does this seem like a good process to you?

 

[day_trippr]

You should read up about how best to actually use gelatin as a fining, as it's advised to add the bloomed gelatin to cold beer...

Cheers!

 

[Remos112]

You should read up about how best to actually use gelatin as a fining, as it's advised to add the bloomed gelatin to cold beer...

Cheers!

I already did and most people do agree on that.
The thing holding me back thoug is if I cold crash my fermenter it is creating underpressure and as soon as I open the lid to chuck anything in the fermenter sucks in oxygen. Or am I over worrying the oxidation thing here?

 

[helibrewer]

I already did and most people do agree on that.
The thing holding me back thoug is if I cold crash my fermenter it is creating underpressure and as soon as I open the lid to chuck anything in the fermenter sucks in oxygen. Or am I over worrying the oxidation thing here?

You are kind of stuck unless you have the ability to introduce CO2 into the fermenter prior to opening to relieve the underpressure. You might find it beneficial to invest in a 5lb CO2 tank just for cellar work....even you are not kegging.

 

[Shwagger]

I use a glass funnel that fits into the airlock hole on my fermenter. Pour the gelatin in there and re attach hose or airlock. Very small hole. Does this make a difference? Is oxygen getting in? I dunno. I don't swirl it or anything either and I get great clear brew. I cold crash before adding, btw.

 

[Remos112]

I use a glass funnel that fits into the airlock hole on my fermenter. Pour the gelatin in there and re attach hose or airlock. Very small hole. Does this make a difference? Is oxygen getting in? I dunno. I don't swirl it or anything either and I get great clear brew. I cold crash before adding, btw.

I might give that one ago next week, wil let you know how that turns out!

 

[ESBrewer]

There is an even simpler and cheaper way to keep most of the oxygen away, but I'm not going to say it anymore cause people here (and there) generally don't like it cause they have been told The opposite Nothing special and easy to figure out!

 

[Remos112]

There is an even simpler and cheaper way to keep most of the oxygen away, but I'm not going to say it anymore cause people here (and there) generally don't like it cause they have been told The opposite Nothing special and easy to figure out!

Tell me anyway, I would love to hear it

 

[elreplica]

Tell me anyway, I would love to hear it

Too much paranoia here...I usually rack to secondary...glass carboy after fermenting in SS buckets, Fastferments or pails...then I cold crash and add 1/2 tsp. gelatin to 4 oz water at 150F and stir...I add this to my carboy and my beer is crystal clear...in winter I put the beer on the front deck but need to be careful I don't freeze it...more so worried about breaking carboy as frozen beer is still fine. In summer I have a lagering fridge so it goes there. Cheap digital thermometers have alarms that will notify you of freeze zone around 29-30F for 5%beers. I have not used my plate filter in years and I keg. If I was bottling I would simply bottle and age cold after priming the bottles at room temp for a couple weeks. No oxidation issues...

 

[Remos112]

If I was bottling I would simply bottle and age cold after priming the bottles at room temp for a couple weeks. No oxidation issues...

Thanks for your input, perhaps I am making bigger deal out of it than I should, hence the topic. I am bottling though, and I use irish moss at 15 minutes before flameout, I use a belgian 4 step mash, but I still get chill haze I can't get rid of even when cooling the beer for months. Thats why I am considering a finer.

 

[elreplica]

Thanks for your input, perhaps I am making bigger deal out of it than I should, hence the topic. I am bottling though, and I use irish moss at 15 minutes before flameout, I use a belgian 4 step mash, but I still get chill haze I can't get rid of even when cooling the beer for months. Thats why I am considering a finer.

I understand some beers are harder to clear than others, particularly when it comes to chill haze. Most Belgians I've had, eg. - Mons, La Fin Du Monde and Chimay Red and Blue are pretty clear. I have had hazy La Fin but I think largely it was because it was shook up off the lees. I do have a 750 mL of Mons sitting in the basement that I have to deal with lol but I'm sure it's quite clear and settled. Findings work well...I've used chitosan, keisosol, ischenglass, but gelatin seems to do the trick during cold crashing. Worst case scenario I plate filter when the beer really cold. I'm sure you'll sort it out with the gelly- good luck!

 

[Remos112]

sure you'll sort it out with the gelly- good luck!

Cheers! I will update with the result!

 

[Remos112]

So I ended up with using the Isenglass, I dumped in the recommended amount mixed thouroughly and crashed the beer from 23c to 4C. Bottled 1 week after that, the beer looked clear, and I had a very very compact yeast cake that was almost glued to the bottom of the fermenter, had to use a garden hose to get it clean after transferring. will update with a glass in a couple of weeks!