I have had my kegorator for about a month now two beers down and a whiskey barrel aged chocolate stout going on in a few days. Lost a tank of co2 to some beginner leaks but learned quick how to avoid that now I'm to the part where I'd like to clarify my beers betther. Help with this would be great
New to kegging questions
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Puddlethumper
Well-Known Member
How do you handle the beer you've made to date? Filter? Use fining agents? Cold crash?
kcmobrewer
Well-Known Member
All I do is use whirlfloc or irish moss and cold crash. I notice after approx 2 weeks in the kegerator the beer starts coming out super clear.
bredle
Well-Known Member
For my lighter beers I like to add gelatin to the keg and it does a really good job of clearing the beer. Here's a quick read on how to do it:
http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/06/how-to-clear-your-beer-with-gelatin.html
http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/06/how-to-clear-your-beer-with-gelatin.html
kcmobrewer
Well-Known Member
Yeah my bad I take that back, I do use gelatin also. I just started actually, works great.
I use irish moss... and that's all I know. what do i need to do to cold crash? Can i filter for cheap and not loose body? I like the thick mouthfeel stouts and brown ales. But i brew blonde ales and want the clean. I have thought about trying lagering also
Puddlethumper
Well-Known Member
I've heard that filtering can affect mouthfeel but most of the microbreweries do it to turn out really clear beer.
Cold crashing is, from my experience, the best way to clarify your beer, whether you are bottling or kegging. I've just started kegging myself and also just read David Miller's latest book on making pub style beer at home. As a result of reading his book I've made several changes in my routine and the beer has been much clearer as a result.
My typical routine now for a medium-gravity beer such as an APA would be to hold it in primary for 8-14 days. Rack off the yeast cake/trub to a 5 gal. settling tank (secondary) and move that to my kegerator or adjust the fermentation chamber down to 40F +/- (cold crash). Hold at that temp for 3 - 5 days then keg or bottle. Most of the chill haze proteins will drop and careful racking will leave them on the bottom of the secondary vessel.
Also, I do not force carbonate by kegs. I figure another week waiting to carb up will allow whatever is left in suspension to settle out. That first blast from the tap is going to have some crud in it, but after that the beer will be about as clear as it is going to get.
Cold crashing is, from my experience, the best way to clarify your beer, whether you are bottling or kegging. I've just started kegging myself and also just read David Miller's latest book on making pub style beer at home. As a result of reading his book I've made several changes in my routine and the beer has been much clearer as a result.
My typical routine now for a medium-gravity beer such as an APA would be to hold it in primary for 8-14 days. Rack off the yeast cake/trub to a 5 gal. settling tank (secondary) and move that to my kegerator or adjust the fermentation chamber down to 40F +/- (cold crash). Hold at that temp for 3 - 5 days then keg or bottle. Most of the chill haze proteins will drop and careful racking will leave them on the bottom of the secondary vessel.
Also, I do not force carbonate by kegs. I figure another week waiting to carb up will allow whatever is left in suspension to settle out. That first blast from the tap is going to have some crud in it, but after that the beer will be about as clear as it is going to get.
Puddlethumper
Well-Known Member
Just another comment on the boil:
I use Irish moss and plan to continue. I have also stopped pouring the wort out of the boil kettle through a strainer into the fermenter. After cooling I now will allow the hot break and trub to settle before moving the wort to the fermenter. Initially I simply racked the beer to the fermenter with an autoshiphon (sanitized) being careful to avoid picking up the hot break and hops trub in the bottom of the kettle. Last week I drilled and installed a weldless bulkhead in my boil kettle so I can drain it off. Both methods work well and have cut down on the amount of trub in the fermenter.
I use Irish moss and plan to continue. I have also stopped pouring the wort out of the boil kettle through a strainer into the fermenter. After cooling I now will allow the hot break and trub to settle before moving the wort to the fermenter. Initially I simply racked the beer to the fermenter with an autoshiphon (sanitized) being careful to avoid picking up the hot break and hops trub in the bottom of the kettle. Last week I drilled and installed a weldless bulkhead in my boil kettle so I can drain it off. Both methods work well and have cut down on the amount of trub in the fermenter.
