Do You Filter?

[muse435]

Do you ever filter your brews?

 

[bigbeergeek]

Gelatin. Renders filtration obsolete, IMHO (as far as clarity goes)... and waaaay easier/cheaper.

 

[jusware]

^ +1 to what he said. I borrowed a plate filter from a friend, but when I saw how well gelatin worked I didn't see the point. I've never had a problem with beer that wasn't clear enough.

 

[TomSD]

No and never tried. Might try gelatin after I see how big a difference all grain (BIAB) is from extract but not really planning on it.

 

[Golddiggie]

Never done it, feel no need to. Never used gelatin either. I typically go 4+ weeks in primary before going to keg. I then use the two week carbonation method.

Last batch of mead that I bottled, I put into a keg and left in the brew fridge for a few weeks before bottling from the keg (directly). All the sediment was left in the bottom of the keg. I MIGHT cold crash occasional brews in the future, when I have a keezer. Until then, I'll just keep on doing as I am, enjoying really clear brews in glass with no extra effort needed. :rockin:

 

[muse435]

I'm trying it for the purpose of a hard cider and back sweetening without having to use chemicals. I doubt I'll use it for beer. Most of my beers clear up naturally ( I'm a slow drinker )

 

[Calichusetts]

I use a strainer before I put it into a fermenter...does that count?

 

[Revvy]

Only through my kidneys.

After a month in primary, my beer is crystal clear, so there's not need.

 

[g-love]

Only through my kidneys.

This made me lol! Nice!

 

[OG2620]

[/QUOTE] After a month in primary, my beer is crystal clear, so there's not need.[/QUOTE]

Crystal clear in less than that so there is no need for me to filter or use gelatin. One less step is nice too.

 

[aiptasia]

Not necessary, but I still do. Old habits die hard, and I like this gigantic carbouy funnel I have with a built in micro strainer. By using it, it not only filters out the trub from my wort, but it also helps aerate my wort going into the primary.

 

[TomSD]

Not necessary, but I still do. Old habits die hard, and I like this gigantic carbouy funnel I have with a built in micro strainer. By using it, it not only filters out the trub from my wort, but it also helps aerate my wort going into the primary.

Oh I do that to too. I thought we were talking post fermentation processing. The only thing I do then is, maybe (if I remember), cold crash.

 

[Porsche914]

I use a strainer before I put it into a fermenter...does that count?

I do the same thing, seems to produce a clearer beer.

 

[unionrdr]

I strain everything going into the fermenter. Less trub does seem to help make the beer clearer. That,& time & nature. No need for anything else,ime.

 

[Exbeerienced]

I bought a Mini-Jet filter many years ago, but was disappointed with the results. It produced beer that was far from sparkling clear, and now it's a dust collector. Gelatin these days, if needed.

 

[Malticulous]

I think the reason to filter is for quicker turn around and longer shelf stability. I don't have a problem with ether of those.

 

[A4J]

I was going to try gelatin at one point but whirfloc + long primary + cold crash = crystal clear beer.

 

[jester5120]

I think bell's brewery said it best "if god wanted us to filter our beer he wouldn't have given us livers"

 

[elvestinkle]

I use Irish moss if anything, mostly when I want a beer ready to go in a few weeks. All the gelatin talk gives me a though, 'cause I could never try all your delicious beers.

When I start kegging I might play with filtering. But that's a while yet

 

[IffyG]

Nope. 2 or 3 weeks in primary (cold crashed at the end) plus another 2 weeks in the keg, draw off the first pint and the rest is clear without filtering.

 

[H-ost]

I use Irish moss if anything, mostly when I want a beer ready to go in a few weeks. All the gelatin talk gives me a though

I'm an irish moss user too but it seems like that is the minority. Maybe I should try some gelatin or whirlfloc... Has anyone used them all and found one to be superior, is it just habit that makes you use one over the others, or do you just use what is most readilly available?

 

[DCBrewer]

Hey Revvy, judging by your profile pic, shouldn't the response be, "after a month in the primary, a need to filter there is not"?

 

[jgerard]

I use irish moss when I remembe. I do BIAB and I seem to get enough clarity out of the beers I need to, I don't really care about clarity though I just assume there are other benefits besides that.

Plus I paid 2 dollars for that jar, I'm gonna put a tsp in every boil until its gone =).

 

[elvestinkle]

I'm an irish moss user too but it seems like that is the minority. Maybe I should try some gelatin or whirlfloc... Has anyone used them all and found one to be superior, is it just habit that makes you use one over the others, or do you just use what is most readilly available?

Well, using gelatin (a.k.a. powdered bone slime) makes it unsuitable for vegetarians. Looks like whirlfloc is just tabletized Irish moss--my FLHS has both. When I run out I might pick it up and see if there's much difference in quality.

 

[Exbeerienced]

Those of us that have/do filter. Are you able to get perfectly clear beer with the filters? I tried once or twice and gave up. That little bit of haze was a disappointment.

 

[drhookmec]

I have done it and compared 2 samples one double filtered down to a .5micron
filter and the other not filtered at all.

Could not see a difference in the two samples both still had a haze to them.