American IPA The New West Coast IPA

[Broothru]

All cold side fining agents will do it to some extent since it’s dropping out polyphenols and proteins that some compounds stick too. To help plan for that, I actually up my late boil and whirlpool, as that seems to help more character stick around.

I will also add that I personally like biofine as it seems to clear the beer better and seems leave you with a brighter hop character as well

Biofine is silicon dioxide, and does a very good job of quickly clearing a finished beer, especially if the beer is chilled below 48F. It seems like it doesn’t strip much in the way of taste or body like others sometimes do (like gelatin). But nothing beats time at cold temperatures, but I don’t usually have the patience for a multi-month lagering for my Continental beers.

 

[elproducto]

I've used Gelatin in the past, and was certain it stripped out hop character.

I just ordered an 8oz bottle of Biofine, I'll give it a try. When is the best time to add it? In the fermenter when cold crashing, or in the keg?

 

[Dgallo]

I've used Gelatin in the past, and was certain it stripped out hop character.

I just ordered an 8oz bottle of Biofine, I'll give it a try. When is the best time to add it? In the fermenter when cold crashing, or in the keg?

I add it to my purged keg right before I rack the cold beer beer into it. I’ll set the keg to about 2psi, fill a plastic syringe with the biofine dose, unscrew the PRV, put the syringe in the hole as the co2 is releasing through it (preventing o2), add the biofine and then screw the prv back in. After I rack the beer in I’ll roll the keg on the floor trying to mix it even more.

 

[Broothru]

I add it to my purged keg right before I rack the cold beer beer into it. I’ll set the keg to about 2psi, fill a plastic syringe with the biofine dose, unscrew the PRV, put the syringe in the hole as the co2 is releasing through it (preventing o2), add the biofine and then screw the prv back in. After I rack the beer in I’ll roll the keg on the floor trying to mix it even more.

I’ve found that the easiest and most efficient way of dosing is just like @Dgallo described, except I use a pressurized PET bottle and carbonation cap through the Gas In post on the purged Corny keg.

I spund and cold crash before transferring to the serving keg, so the beer is partially cleared prior to packaging. Since the beer going in is cold, the Biofine gets well distributed and usually clears extremely well within a day or two. First pull on the tap usually has gunk and gets tossed, but after that it’s cold, clear beer.

 

[beervoid]

I just add it with the dryhops, seem to work fine

 

[Dgallo]

I just add it with the dryhops, seem to work fine

That’s definitely interesting to know that works as it seems to go against the info biofine puts out on temperature the need to be harmoniously mixed.

What is your current dryhoping rate and at temp? If it works well I would much rather leave it in the fv instead of the serving keg

 

[wepeeler]

I've never used Biofine in the fermenter. I have perfect results in the keg. First pint is junk, then perfectly clear beer soon after.

 

[beervoid]

That’s definitely interesting to know that works as it seems to go against the info biofine puts out on temperature the need to be harmoniously mixed.

What is your current dryhoping rate and at temp? If it works well I would much rather leave it in the fv instead of the serving keg

I use it for a westcoast recipe, which I keep temps around 18-20c, I think the residual fermentation mixes it good enough.
I add it with the dry hops at end of fermentation at a rate of about 6ml per 5 gallons.
After cold crashing for 2 days and transferring off to serving keg it's still a little hazy, but you can see fingers through it, kind of chill haze level I would say. Then when I put it on tap within 2-3 days it will be completely clear. A few hazy ish pours later. I'm still dialing in the dosage, perhaps higher dose will work better.
Also perhaps worth noting that I use alot of cryo, so I might not have as much polyphenols to drop out to begin with.

 

[beervoid]

That’s definitely interesting to know that works as it seems to go against the info biofine puts out on temperature the need to be harmoniously mixed.

What is your current dryhoping rate and at temp? If it works well I would much rather leave it in the fv instead of the serving keg

Oh forgot to add dryhop rate would be roughly 8oz of cryo on 5 gal

 

[Dgallo]

My west coast ipa is clearing up really nicely. This beer is 8.93% ABV, 81 IBUS and was hopped with Mosaic, Strata, and Columbus.

Happy holidays y’all!

Grain Bill:
79%- 2row
13% - Vienna
4%- crystal 40L
4% - dextrose
OG: 1.078
FG: 1.010
IBU: 81

Hotside
Columbus t90 & Strata t90

Whirlpool
Mosaic t90 & Strata t90

Dryhop
Mosaic t90/cryo, Strata t90/CGX, and Columbus Lupomax

 

[DrGMG]

My west coast ipa is clearing up really nicely. This beer is 8.93% ABV, 81 IBUS and was hopped with Mosaic, Strata, and Columbus.

Happy holidays y’all!

Grain Bill:
79%- 2row
13% - Vienna
4%- crystal 40L
4% - dextrose
OG: 1.078
FG: 1.010
IBU: 81

Hotside
Columbus t90 & Strata t90

Whirlpool
Mosaic t90 & Strata t90

Dryhop
Mosaic t90/cryo, Strata t90/CGX, and Columbus Lupomax View attachment 864062

Looks good.

 

[RCope]

My west coast ipa is clearing up really nicely. This beer is 8.93% ABV, 81 IBUS and was hopped with Mosaic, Strata, and Columbus.

Is this the Colombus you posted above? Because, with your advice, I bought a bunch of that batch. I love "dank" and the CTZ I have recently tried, even Lupo Columbus has not delivered. If we ever have another FOTHB, someone will probably get a pound of it, since I had to order 11lbs. I have it, but haven't used it yet. I brew frequently, so no bother but looking forward to trying it out....Cheers! Rick

 

[Dgallo]

Is this the Colombus you posted above? Because, with your advice, I bought a bunch of that batch. I love "dank" and the CTZ I have recently tried, even Lupo Columbus has not delivered. If we ever have another FOTHB, someone will probably get a pound of it, since I had to order 11lbs. I have it, but haven't used it yet. I brew frequently, so no bother but looking forward to trying it out....Cheers! Rick

That’s the t90 I used. I didn’t use a lot of in this beer. Only about 2 oz in total but it’s in there. I was honestly afraid of it being too dank so I avoided using it in the dryhop. once you smell the hops you’ll know what I mean though. Smells just how Fiddle Head IPA or Bissel Bros Substance smells

 

[TBA]

My west coast ipa is clearing up really nicely. This beer is 8.93% ABV, 81 IBUS and was hopped with Mosaic, Strata, and Columbus.

Happy holidays y’all!

Grain Bill:
79%- 2row
13% - Vienna
4%- crystal 40L
4% - dextrose
OG: 1.078
FG: 1.010
IBU: 81

Hotside
Columbus t90 & Strata t90

Whirlpool
Mosaic t90 & Strata t90

Dryhop
Mosaic t90/cryo, Strata t90/CGX, and Columbus Lupomax View attachment 864062

Looks awesome. Did you fine with gelatin? What yeast and what temperature did you ferment at?

 

[Dgallo]

Looks awesome. Did you fine with gelatin? What yeast and what temperature did you ferment at?

I used biofine at 4 ml per gallon.

Fermented with us05 and drove the fermentation from 66-72, upping 2 degrees every 24 hours or so. Held at 72 until dryhoping

 

[TBA]

I used biofine at 4 ml per gallon.

Fermented with us05 and drove the fermentation from 66-72, upping 2 degrees every 24 hours or so. Held at 72 until dryhoping

I haven’t tried biofine yet. Is it better than gelatin? Do you drop the temp before dry hop or do you dry hop warm? Thanks!

 

[Dgallo]

I haven’t tried biofine yet. Is it better than gelatin? Do you drop the temp before dry hop or do you dry hop warm? Thanks!

I think it’s far superior. It’s also vegan friendly, not that I personally need it to be but I’ve had people ask me

I dryhoped at 58*f

 

[ihavenonickname]

I used biofine at 4 ml per gallon.

Fermented with us05 and drove the fermentation from 66-72, upping 2 degrees every 24 hours or so. Held at 72 until dryhoping

Well shoot I guess complete the thought…
Then soft crash to 58, dry hop for 2 days then crash to 38? Or do you do west coast different? There are still tons of great breweries out there fermenting warm for a long time - like Russian River lets it go 7-14 days (heard this in those more recent interviews he did) but they drop cone every day.

Edit: oops sorry now I see you already had a follow up post.

 

[elproducto]

Well I grabbed an 8oz bottle of Biofine. I just kegged another batch of West Coast IPA Is Dead and added 5ml in the keg. Excited to see how it works.

 

[Dgallo]

Well I grabbed an 8oz bottle of Biofine. I just kegged another batch of West Coast IPA Is Dead and added 5ml in the keg. Excited to see how it works.

You might need more than that. I’ve never had luck with 1 ml per gallon. I usually use 3-4 ml per gallon. But I also struggle with patience lol

Def keep us posted

 

[elproducto]

You might need more than that. I’ve never had luck with 1 ml per gallon. I usually use 3-4 ml per gallon. But I also struggle with patience lol

Def keep us posted

I thought I'd start there because I've had people mention as little as 3 ml.

 

[Broothru]

Well I grabbed an 8oz bottle of Biofine. I just kegged another batch of West Coast IPA Is Dead and added 5ml in the keg. Excited to see how it works.

"People also ask:

How much biofine should I use?

Dosage Rates: 1/4 Tbsp (3 ml or 1/10oz) to as much as 2 Tbsp (31 ml or 1 fluid oz.) per 5 gallon batch of beer. Store in cool, dry conditions above 41 degrees F and do not allow the product to freeze. Some beer styles don't react with certain dose rates."

As a point of reference, I usually add ~15 ml into a 'batch volume' 5 gallon keg just prior to doing a pressure transfer from the fermenter. The beer has already been spunded and cold crashed by then, so the biofine get well dispersed into the beer during the transfer. Settling only takes about a day.

 

[elproducto]

You might need more than that. I’ve never had luck with 1 ml per gallon. I usually use 3-4 ml per gallon. But I also struggle with patience lol

Def keep us posted

I'll add another 5ml, I'm impatient too, but also cheap. It's a bad combo.

 

[tdf]

Great thread, I always read it.
I use Cellar Science Silafine, which I think is pretty much the same as Biofine clear. 1ml per gallon works great for me. I also use whirlfloc in the boil and make sure my water has ~100ppm of Calcium.

My most recent WCIPA - 6.5% 70 IBU:

86% Brewer's Malt
5% Bonlander Munich 10L
5% Crystal 15
4% Dextrose

Magnum, Chinook, McKenzie hot side and Chinook, Mckenzie, Centennial dry hop


3 days post kegging:


And tonight:

 

[Dgallo]

Great thread, I always read it.
I use Cellar Science Silafine, which I think is pretty much the same as Biofine clear. 1ml per gallon works great for me. I also use whirlfloc in the boil and make sure my water has ~100ppm of Calcium.

My most recent WCIPA - 6.5% 70 IBU:

86% Brewer's Malt
5% Bonlander Munich 10L
5% Crystal 15
4% Dextrose

Magnum, Chinook, McKenzie hot side and Chinook, Mckenzie, Centennial dry hop


3 days post kegging:

View attachment 864220
And tonight:

View attachment 864222

What’s your dryhop rate and when are you adding them? During fermentation or post? . That will determine the ml/g you’ll need to use.

Beers looks great though

 

[tdf]

This beer

What’s your dryhop rate and when are you adding them? During fermentation or post? . That will determine the ml/g you’ll need to use.

Beers looks great though

This beer is 5.5 g/l (something like 1.4lbs/bbl) added post fermentation at 9c/49f

 

[Dgallo]

This beer

This beer is 5.5 g/l (something like 1.4lbs/bbl) added post fermentation at 9c/49f

That’s quite a low rate for us brewery standards. It’s typically 2lb/bbl whirlpool and 4lb/bbl dryhop. Definitely would explain why your able to have your beer clear at 1ml/gal.

This is not saying anything negative about your beer, it looks great, it’s only to indicate why you’re very successful at a lower rate

 

[tdf]

That’s quite a low rate for us brewery standards. It’s typically 2lb/bbl whirlpool and 4lb/bbl dryhop. Definitely would explain why your able to have your beer clear at 1ml/gal.

This is not saying anything negative about your beer, it looks great, it’s only to indicate why you’re very successful at a lower rate

Yeah there’s another 7g/l in whirlpool, to be fair. I definitely agree that the dry hop is lower than what we see commercially these days.

 

[TwitchellBrew]

I haven’t seen much about hop hash. I just put in a decent sized order at yvh and they threw in 4 oz of mosaic hop hash. Was considering using it along with 4 oz t90 mosaic on a west coast mosaic ipa I have coming up. Does anyone have experience with it?

 

[anteater8]

Kegged my Brujos style Citra/Krush hazy today. Ended at 7.6%, 1.020 with 0.5 lb maltodextrin, which will be my thickest IPA yet. Smelled crazy.