Fermenting in Keg - finings useful or not?

[SanPancho]

just trying out fermenting in keg. wondering if there's a use for finings? typically i use clearzyme and/ or biofine, then rack off normally and keg. but wondering if that's even worth the trouble given that its all gonna sit in the bottom of the keg. will get stirred a bit when i move it, but once it goes into keezer it should all settle out again i assume, but something about it still just seems strange to me.

is it worth it or no? and if you're gonna spund, when the hell do you add it? seems like there isnt a straightforward way to do it

 

[Callacave]

Let it settle out. I've done Czech Lagers, Bitter, Altbier and served from the fermenting keg. With time they were brilliantly clear. It's time we stop worrying about beer sitting on the yeast cake. Especially in a homebrew environment. I had 4 beers this year all fermented and served from the same kegs. They were all great. No off tastes, and cleared amazingly well.

If I spund I just set it up at very beginning. Sometimes I'll add pressure right away, or I'll wait till fermentation gets going.

 

[moreb33rplz]

I ferment and serve all my beer from the same keg. Clarity doesn't seem different than it was when I was transferring and/or fermenting in carboys. Depends on yeast, time, dry hops, whirfloc, etc etc etc

I use gelatin sometimes it seems to make it clear faster. Usually I just let my beers age for a month or two in my keezer at cold temps

 

[odie]

I don't bother with finings. I tried gelatin a couple times but not really any difference from time and cold temps.

 

[seilenos]

It's time we stop worrying about beer sitting on the yeast cake. Especially in a homebrew environment.

 

[SanPancho]

NOBODY SAID ANYTHING ABOUT YEAST CAKES.

 

[SanPancho]

I use gelatin sometimes it seems to make it clear faster.

so no issues with extra large finings clouds on bottom? They seemed to work normally?

did you spund by any chance? If so when did you add finings?

 

[moreb33rplz]

so no issues with extra large finings clouds on bottom? They seemed to work normally?

did you spund by any chance? If so when did you add finings?

I didn't notice I've any issues with gelatin finings. I use a floating dip tube with a screen too though

I don't spund. I added finings after fermentation before cold crashing in my keezer. I open the lid for a second dump it in, put it on gas and purge

But. I add finings to like every fifth beer tops

 

[SanPancho]

I didn't notice I've any issues with gelatin finings. I use a floating dip tube with a screen too though

I don't spund. I added finings after fermentation before cold crashing in my keezer. I open the lid for a second dump it in, put it on gas and purge

But. I add finings to like every fifth beer tops

got it. ok, good to know there's no issue with their effectiveness in the "one keg" scenario.

i realize its a bit early as i've only done one full ferment-in-corny beer but the results are subpar. i'm not entirely sure the issue, but i initially wondered if flavors are muted since i didnt fine, and didnt rack, etc. etc.

but as i thought about it i realized its gonna be a ***** to work out a solution as the finings work when its cold, but you cant crash the beer if you're gonna spund as the yeast will (mostly) just fall out..

didnt really think this one through very well.

 

[moreb33rplz]

Bummer that your keg ferment experience so far hasn't been great. I'm a big proponent of it. fwiw I don't really like fining either, I find most my beers, except IPA, peak and get 'clear' about 6-10 weeks after brew day. You don't even need patience if you keep the pipeline going

Good luck

 

[SanPancho]

Yeah, I had high hopes but bit discouraged so far. I’ll try again, maybe I biffed something without realizing it. But I’ll be smart about it this time and start with “easy” beers.

I have a few easy beers that would probably work well, no dry hops, malt forward, etc.
but at least with the hoppier stuff I think I might stick with a serving keg, or at least putting the hops in the serving keg and then racking.

 

[BongoYodeler]

I fermented this wcipa in a keg, dry hopped and Biofine in a purged second keg, then left to go out of town for a week. When I returned the beer was pouring quite clear one week in the serving keg.

 

[SanPancho]

Yea

I fermented this wcipa in a keg, dry hopped and Biofine in a purged second keg, then left to go out of town for a week. When I returned the beer was pouring quite clear one week in the serving keg.

View attachment 829686

That was my usual process, always had similar results. Like I said I’ll probably revert back to it on hoppy stuff, although I might put the hops in the serving keg. Gonna save the non hoppy stuff for the “one keg” ferments.

 

[moreb33rplz]

That sounds solid. I think I have better results if I transfer to a serving keg for IPA because of the quantity of dry hop. 1-2oz or no dry hop I still prefer single keg.

 

[BongoYodeler]

Just another data point. Yesterday I enjoyed a HB Kolsch, picture here that I fermented and am serving from the same keg, no dry hops. I pitched the yeast on April 15th and it's been sitting in the keg, atop the yeast cake, since that date. As of yesterday no off flavors.

 

[Callacave]

Here you go. German Pils fermented and served from the same keg. 1 month lagering

 

[BongoYodeler]

View attachment 830254
Here you go. German Pils fermented and served from the same keg. 1 month lagering

Beautiful looking beer!!