Filtering

[WTexan]

What is the best way to filter your beer, so you don't get sediment while bottling? Or is there such a thing?

 

[jaytizzle]

No need to filter. Cold crashing is the best thing you can do. Cold crash for 2-3 days then commence your bottling routine.

 

[iamtheq]

No need to filter. Cold crashing is the best thing you can do. Cold crash for 2-3 days then commence your bottling routine.

What is cold crashing? Dropping the temp below the minimum for fermentation? Sorry if this is a basic thing. I'm a noob.

 

[bleme]

Hi WTexan! Can you tell us what your process is like?
How many batches have you done?
What do you use to siphon?
How long do you ferment?
Have you used a secondary (bright tank)?
Have you used any clarifiers like whirlfloc or gelatin?

 

[jaytizzle]

What is cold crashing? Dropping the temp below the minimum for fermentation? Sorry if this is a basic thing. I'm a noob.

No worries. By cold crashing I mean chilling the beer down to refrigerator temps. I put my whole carboy in my refrigerator at 32F for 2 or 3 days then take it out and rack to secondary or rack to my keg (I don't bottle but you could rack straight to bottling bucket). This basically makes everything settle out and pack into a tight cake at the bottom of the fermenter. You get FAR less trub into your next vessel when using this method.

 

[homebrewdad]

Here's the thing - you can't TRULY filter your beer; some of that sediment in bottles is caused by yeast falling out of suspension. Unless you have a means of force carbing, you have to have that yeast to carb up your bottles for you.

Your best bets are to use something like whirflock or Irish moss in your boil, to go with a nice long primary (3-4 weeks), to consider a secondary, and to cold crash your beer (stick it in the fridge for a couple days before you rack it to the bottling bucket).

Eveen with all of the above, you will still have a little sediment in your bottles. This is part of a naturally carbed beer.

 

[iamtheq]

No worries. By cold crashing I mean chilling the beer down to refrigerator temps. I put my whole carboy in my refrigerator at 32F for 2 or 3 days then take it out and rack to secondary or rack to my keg (I don't bottle but you could rack straight to bottling bucket). This basically makes everything settle out and pack into a tight cake at the bottom of the fermenter. You get FAR less trub into your next vessel when using this method.

Awesome! Thanks for the info!

 

[WTexan]

Hi WTexan! Can you tell us what your process is like?
How many batches have you done?
What do you use to siphon?
How long do you ferment?
Have you used a secondary (bright tank)?
Have you used any clarifiers like whirlfloc or gelatin?

I have brewed somewhere around 5 batches. I finish fermenting when I get 3 consecutive reading from my hydrometer. I do use a secondary fermenter for an additional 6-7 days (probably not necessary but, I do it). I use Irish moss and add it 15 min before boil is finished.

 

[autobaun70]

Whirfloc can not be bragged about enough. Also, don't rush getting it out of the primary, especially on quick fermenting ales. Something to try, let them go a week or two beyond when you think they are done, cold crash, then bottle. The longer time in the primary combined with the cold crash will give you a nice tightly compacted slurry, which greatly improves clarity.

 

[bleme]

I have brewed somewhere around 5 batches. I finish fermenting when I get 3 consecutive reading from my hydrometer. I do use a secondary fermenter for an additional 6-7 days (probably not necessary but, I do it). I use Irish moss and add it 15 min before boil is finished.

Like homebrewdad said, you have to have some yeast or your beer won't carbonate. You can minimize the yeast by bulk conditioning longer, using a secondary and/or cold crashing. A side effect is that it will probably take your bottles a little longer to carb up.