clearing techniques?

[Ty520]

apologies if this is the wrong section...

I have been venturing into using malts in my meads, so i felt it would be the better board to get advice from brewers on this matter.

I have started experimenting with using malts and grains in my meads, and they tend to have a ton of haze that my usual wine making techniques will not clear: typically, bentonite, and time - and very occasionally, chitosan and kiesolsol.

Are there any techniques or products more unique or common to beer making and grain use that i could utilize?

 

[hotbeer]

I only do beer. Other than using whirlfloc near the end of boil, I just wait it out. Some taking six weeks to clear up. Though lately I can count on 10 days to 3 weeks. Many others like to cold crash and use gelatin.

Don't know how appropriate that is for mead.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Which grains are you using?

Are you steeping? Mashing?

 

[Ty520]

Which grains are you using?

Are you steeping? Mashing?

pale malt and wheat so far in a 60 min mash, and oats in one, with no mash - used alpha amylase in all of them to try to maximize sugar extraction. also tried LME for ease/efficiency, but they also throw a haze, but not as bad.

 

[Kickass]

Maybe a combo of positive and negative charged fining agents to cover both side. Bentonite has a negative charge, I think. So maybe gelatin, sparkolloid, isinglass or the likes with a positive charge. Just spitballing here. I kind of don’t know what I’m talking about...

 

[hottpeper13]

I would add CaCl2 at 1 gram per gal of mashing liquor to bring the Ca above 50 ppm. Also whirlflok at 15 min left in the boil

 

[IslandLizard]

Technically, you're making a Braggot.
https://homebrewanswers.com/making-a-braggot-recipe/
What yeast are you using?
Are you fermenting honey and wort together, at the same time, in the same fermenter? Or add honey later, when the beer is halfway or mostly fermented?

pale malt and wheat so far in a 60 min mash

Flaked Wheat?
What are the quantities of each, temps, and mash time?
How do you lauter?
Do you then boil the wort, how long?

also tried LME for ease/efficiency, but they also throw a haze, but not as bad.

That's surprising.
Maybe the haze is pH related? Or lack of Calcium levels in your Braggot, as @hottpeper13 suggested.

I've had Braggots that were clear as a bell, but probably after a year or so of aging. Maybe it just needs that extra conditioning time.

 

[Ty520]

Technically, you're making a Braggot.
https://homebrewanswers.com/making-a-braggot-recipe/
What yeast are you using?
Are you fermenting honey and wort together, at the same time, in the same fermenter? Or add honey later, when the beer is halfway or mostly fermented?


Flaked Wheat?
What are the quantities of each, temps, and mash time?
How do you lauter?
Do you then boil the wort, how long?


That's surprising.
Maybe the haze is pH related? Or lack of Calcium levels in your Braggot, as @hottpeper13 suggested.

I've had Braggots that were clear as a bell, but probably after a year or so of aging. Maybe it just needs that extra conditioning time.

I am aware it is a braggot.

I cannot recall what yeast strains I used on all of them, would have been a wine strain, likely 1116 or 71B...possibly bm4x4 - i know i used Safale SO4 for a Malted Cider which is also very hazy.

when i used grains, they were flaked - held at about 150 deg F. Did not lauter, and did not boil the wort after. Does the second boil just help convert any remaining starches? does LME need to be boiled as well?

i fermented together, simultaneously.

never knew pH could affect haze? Ca2 will affect both pH and hardness simultaneously, correct? so higher acid and higher calcium helps with particulates?

If it becomes too complicated, I may just embrace the haze for the time being.

 

[DBhomebrew]

when i used grains, they were flaked - held at about 150 deg F. Did not lauter, and did not boil the wort after. Does the second boil just help convert any remaining starches? does LME need to be boiled as well?

The flaked grains were held in water at ~150 along with the pale malt?

How did you separate the grains from the wort?

After sitting at 150, the wort didn't hit 212 at all?

Second boil? When was the first?

LME need only be pasteurized, not boiled.