Finings in dark beer

[dhelegda]

I brewed a black IPA I was wondering if anyone adds finings to their dark beers?

 

[brewer_in_the_cap]

I just started using Irish moss and added it to my black IPA, though I don't think it's necessary on dark beers. I'd be interested in what others do.

 

[Takuie]

I don't add any finings in my porters or stouts. It's dark, black dark, you can't see through it anyways.

 

[Yooper]

I do. Even though you can't see it, the haze generally means other problems with the beer. Haziness generally has to do with colloidal stability, whether it's an appearance problem or not.

 

[dhelegda]

I do. Even though you can't see it, the haze generally means other problems with the beer. Haziness generally has to do with colloidal stability, whether it's an appearance problem or not.

So will the finings remove the problems? I have had the black IPA in the primary for about two weeks Fermentation is done. Should I add the gelatin now cold crash it a few days and add the finishing hops?

 

[Yooper]

So will the finings remove the problems? I have had the black IPA in the primary for about two weeks Fermentation is done. Should I add the gelatin now cold crash it a few days and add the finishing hops?

I've never used gelatin, so I don't know how/when to use that, sorry!

 

[dhelegda]

Ok, what do you use

 

[Yooper]

Ok, what do you use

I don't use anything, except whirlfloc in the kettle. I don't want plastic (polyclar) or animal products (gelatin, isinglass) in my beer. Most vegetarians, vegans wouldn't think that gelatin would be in beer, and I don't want to have to ask everybody who drinks my beer if they are ok with silicone, plastic, or animal products.

A good hot break, a great cold break, calcium to 75 ppm (more or less, except for lagers), with whirlfloc in the kettle, and my beer looks like this:

 

[dhelegda]

Nice

 

[seagondollar]

I don't use anything, except whirlfloc in the kettle. I don't want plastic (polyclar) or animal products (gelatin, isinglass) in my beer. Most vegetarians, vegans wouldn't think that gelatin would be in beer, and I don't want to have to ask everybody who drinks my beer if they are ok with silicone, plastic, or animal products.

A good hot break, a great cold break, calcium to 75 ppm (more or less, except for lagers), with whirlfloc in the kettle, and my beer looks like this:
View attachment 278583

I dont think whirfloc is any better. Whirfloc has carageenan in it. I think its actually worse than gelatin as far as health concerns. Thats what ive found in my research at least. At the end of the day both settle out with all the haze attached to it, but i feel better about gelatin in my body than carageenan. I use gelatin, with excellent results. 2/3 cup warm water to 1 tspn gelatin does the trick for me.

Carageenan
http://wellnessmama.com/2925/what-is-carrageenan/

Gelatin
http://wellnessmama.com/7419/gelatin-uses/

 

[dhelegda]

Yeah I use Irish moss during the brew and gelatin...I'm not worried about vegans. Not too be a jerk about it but it does a hell of a job clearing my lighter colored beers. Just never used it in a darker one.

 

[Yooper]

Is whirfloc better? I think its actually worse than gelatin. In my research at least. I use gelatin, with excellent results.
http://wellnessmama.com/2925/what-is-carrageenan/

http://wellnessmama.com/7419/gelatin-uses/

carrageenan comes from seaweed.

Gelatin is an animal products (hooves).

Both are (mostly) left behind, but I don't use animal products (or silicone) in my beer.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I'll use finings in dark beers... But I don't use finings in IPA...

 

[Qhrumphf]

I'll even go a step beyond gelatin and use isinglass in my cask ale, because isinglass is good at resettling when roused, where gelatin is not.

As far as I'm aware, little or no peer-reviewed evidence suggests a problem with carageenan, as opposed to bounds of peer-reviewed data suggesting it's safe. And opposition to that on that facet is the same alarmist pseudo-"natural" but really just anti-science stuff that is all to pervasive on Facebook. I'm always skeptical of any "health" blog's claims. But that's a different topic...

However, if you have vegetarian or vegan friends (or at least vegetarian or vegan friends who drink your beer), then both gelatin and isinglass are no-nos. Of course, I've known many a vegan who drinks Guinness and is rather upset when I inform them that many English/Irish/Scottish beers, including Guinness, are fined with isinglass.

That said, I use Whirfloc in absolutely everything BUT wheat beers. Including dark beers. Most styles, even if dark enough that you can't see through them, should be clear to a flashlight. Whirfloc is cheap and plentiful, so that's usually it for my dark beers. If I want super-super clear (such as my Kölsch), I'll hit with gelatin while cold crashing, and as I already said, dark or pale I often hit my cask ales with isinglass, but for most bottle conditioned beers it's just Whirlfoc and that's it.

 

[dhelegda]

I'll use finings in dark beers... But I don't use finings in IPA...

In my experience if you use the finings in Regular IPA first then drop then dry hop it ruins nothing!

 

[Brettomomyces]

2 tabs of whirlfoc in every batch (10g) except for hefeweizens/wits for me...even when it's a dark beer, you can still see some of that clarity around the edge of the glass or when held up to the light.