Brewtan B-Do Oxygen Scavenging Chemicals Change Beer?

[Denny]

Do Oxygen Scavenging Chemicals Change Beer Character?

https://www.experimentalbrew.com/ex...nging-chemicals-change-beer-character-updated

 

[Unicorn_Platypus]

Do you guys think whirlfloc is still needed if using Brewtan B in the boil?

 

[eric19312]

This was interesting "experiment" in 2017 and I used Brewtan B for a while after it was posted. Brulosophy also did a small trial and encouragingly found a significant difference between a pale ale brewed with and without Brewtan B. Whether you love or hate Brulosophy is not the point here...but if you follow them at all you know that is relatively unusual for them to actually get their tasting panels to detect any difference and suggests difference is not very difficult to see.

Despite early encouraging results I've not seen much actual adoption of this product and it remains challenging to source. I used to ask about it at LHBSs I'd visit when traveling and nobody at these stores had ever heard of the product. Brewcraft (is/was?) packaging it but still not available at any of the half dozen online suppliers I use including Morebeer, Brewerhardware, and Northernbrewer. Used to be able to get it from Ritebrew but seems they don't carry anymore either. A quick Google suggests might be available from Williams or Great Fermentations but clearly has not become a universal staple for the homebrewing community.

Curious and interested in thoughts why this might be the case. If my regular suppliers carried the product I'm sure I'd still be using it but not really interested in special orders just for Brewtan.

And @Unicorn_Platypus for what it's worth I did use whirlfloc in combination with Brewtan with assumption they were doing different things. I found instructions somewhere indicating that you should add the brewtan late in the boil, somewhat before the whirlfloc. I think I was adding brewtan with 10 min left in the boil and whirlfloc with 5 min left in the boil.

 

[MaxStout]

I started using BtB as part of the trifecta mash addition 2 years ago, and have used it since. I bottle, which makes LODO practices a challenge, so I do what I can to extend shelf life and delay the inevitable effects of oxidation. I can say that my beers have lasted longer than before I used the trifecta. Of course, there may be some confirmation bias, but the extended shelf life has been noticeable to me.

I have been able to buy it from William's, but it's not cheap--around $6/oz. But a little goes a long way--just a few grams per batch.

 

[hopjuice_71]

If I recall correctly, BtB does not scavenge oxygen or act as decoy for oxidation reactions. It scavenges free metals that if not removed would later be involved in oxidation reactions resulting in a less stable beer. So, it could still be used along with other oxidation mitigation (e.g. ascorbic acid and K/Na metabisulfite) and whirlfoc could be used as well, which has an entirely different purpose of course.

 

[jdauria]

I am a big proponent of using BrewTan B myself, after trying it while dabbling with low oxygen brewing. I use in mash and at 15 min mark in boil, then add whirfloc at 10 (they have to be added 5 minutes apart for BrewTan to really work). They combine to drop the wort crystal clear in the kettle after chilling and again after cold crashing post fermentation. As for the oxygen scrubbing, shelf life uses for it, sure it may work, but I use it more for having clear lagers quicker and not needing months of lagering for having to add gelatin. This is a sample of my Vienna brewed this weekend, pulled from kettle after cooling.

 

[Brooothru]

I am a big proponent of using BrewTan B myself, after trying it while dabbling with low oxygen brewing. I use in mash and at 15 min mark in boil, then add whirfloc at 10 (they have to be added 5 minutes apart for BrewTan to really work). They combine to drop the wort crystal clear in the kettle after chilling and again after cold crashing post fermentation. As for the oxygen scrubbing, shelf life uses for it, sure it may work, but I use it more for having clear lagers quicker and not needing months of lagering for having to add gelatin. This is a sample of my Vienna brewed this weekend, pulled from kettle after cooling.

View attachment 756818

I've been using BrewTan B 'Trifecta' in the mash and late addition boil for at least my last 20 brews and have had similar results. The mash wort going into the boil looks almost as clear as your pic. My average post boil wort has a fair amount of hot break, cold break and 'commando' hops floating around, but after chilling and whirlpooling for 20 minutes the wort once again looks like your pic. After fermentation and a few weeks conditioning and/or lagering, any suspended yeast or trub settles out generally to the near brilliance of your beer, usually without any filtering or fining. I've had a few beers that have maintained a haze longer, though basically all have cleared with extended keg time in the refrigerator. I like clear beer, and I cannot lie. Yours looks great!

 

[jdauria]

I like clear beer, and I cannot lie. Yours looks great!

HA! I like clear beer also! Thanks!