Beer Clarity without finning

[Onkel_Udo]

I never use a finning agent or clarifier. I used one accidentally...once. 85 % of my beers that you can see through end up perfectly clear inside of two weeks from bottling or kegging. The other 15% tend to have a protein haze that I could care less about...it is about the same as light condensation on a glass.

So I have to ask, am I just lucky or am I not picky enough or are all the guys using one, two or even three (if you include cold crashing) method to clear their beer being overly cautious? Granted, I do not mind a cloudy beer if it tastes great but I so rarely have the issue, I think others might be solving a problem that does not exist.

 

[GenIke]

Most of mine clear on their own with a little time. I only use whirlflock.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Most of mine clear on their own with a little time. I only use whirlflock.

How does your beer look when you forget it?

 

[Onkel_Udo]

For example...this thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/finicky-finings-403083/

This guys used FOUR methods!

 

[scottballz]

As long as it tastes good, who cares?

 

[Onkel_Udo]

As long as it tastes good, who cares?

Idle curiosity.

 

[bobbrews]

You're not lucky; your processes are just good in terms of brewing clear beers.

Be proud that the majority of beginner and intermediate brewers do not have the same knowledge as you in that regard. However, there is always room for improvement.

 

[Maxkling]

As long as it tastes good, who cares?

Because its about brewing the best beer possible, if the style of beer you are brewing's class calls to be clear, and its not, then something is wrong to a certain extent.

That is why judges try to see if they can read the writing of a pencil through your beer or shine a light and look at the de-fusion.

Clarity should be the last concern, but still a concern. You can make an amazing beer and not be clear and knock out all other judge-able sections out the park, but clarity is still a judge-able section when it all boils down under appearance.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

However, there is always room for improvement.

Yep. For me, not so much the clarity, I guess. Those few that have chill/protein haze I guess I could use gelatin.

 

[GenIke]

How does your beer look when you forget it?

It's noticeable going into the fermenter. I cant say that I notice any real difference after it's all fermented and in the keg for a week or two.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Because its about brewing the best beer possible, if the style of beer you are brewing's class calls to be clear, and its not, then something is wrong to a certain extent.

That is why judges try to see if they can read the writing of a pencil through your beer or shine a light and look at the de-fusion.

Clarity should be the last concern, but still a concern. You can make an amazing beer and not be clear and knock out all other judge-able sections out the park, but clarity is still a judge-able section when it all boils down under appearance.

Who are these people you are allowing to judge you and your beer? They sound very...judgmental. Have you asked them politely to relax, and have a homebrew?

 

[watermelon83]

Onkel_Udo, I so do wish I could "like" that from the app.

 

[Maxkling]

Who are these people you are allowing to judge you and your beer? They sound very...judgmental. Have you asked them politely to relax, and have a homebrew?

Appearance is only 3 points out of the judging sheet, so even if it looked like crap, was cloudy, and way to dark or light, it could still be a great beer and reflect with the score. It's just all about making the best beer possible, no one likes a chill haze laden beer :cross:.

It doesn't mean you are gonna cut yourself and dump the batch, but you should strive to make better beer and progress in your hobby, and learn why my beer is cloudy and some aren't. Also the best thing you can do is get someone who knows what they hell they are talking about drink your beer and judge it. Friends who get free beer tend to say, yea its good, Ill have another. And well you, are going to be a little easy on your hard work.

No where does it say a cloudy beer is a bad beer, just like a rusted oxidized paint job on a car doesn't mean its slow and a POS, it's just less appealing.

 

[scottballz]

Because its about brewing the best beer possible, if the style of beer you are brewing's class calls to be clear, and its not, then something is wrong to a certain extent.

That is why judges try to see if they can read the writing of a pencil through your beer or shine a light and look at the de-fusion.

Clarity should be the last concern, but still a concern. You can make an amazing beer and not be clear and knock out all other judge-able sections out the park, but clarity is still a judge-able section when it all boils down under appearance.

I totally agree if we are talking about competition, but there was no mention of any competition in the original post.

 

[Onkel_Udo]

Appearance is only 3 points out of the judging sheet, so even if it looked like crap, was cloudy, and way to dark or light, it could still be a great beer and reflect with the score. It's just all about making the best beer possible, no one likes a chill haze laden beer :cross:.

Glad you took my comment in the spirit it was intended. That said, chill haze really does not bother me.

I have my biggest "challenge" of my no-finning process in front of me. I just transferred 10 gallons of a 5 SRM, low alcohol session ale to the kegs for dry hopping. One keg goes to the track to be served into Solo cups so clarity is not an issue. The other is being served late next week at the "Screw the USW" party I am throwing at my place for all my co-workers that lost their jobs last week due tot he strike...about half are BMC drinkers or think 312 is a complex beer.