To filter beer or not?

[Gerrit Wessels]

Hi guys, I will appreciate someone's help on this. So when I took a gravity reading after 2 weeks of fermentation (from the brewing bucket tap) I found large pieces floating around. I thought then to filter the beer somehow before bottling. I read up and saw that filtering is not reccomend as you will filter out the yeast you need in the bottel for conditioning. So how do I get rid of the large pieces of sediment? I read about cold crashing, but will that do the job? Thanks looking forward to your responses. Gerrit

 

[RM-MN]

It takes a very fine filter to remove yeast so you probably don't have to worry much about the filtering. I wrap part of a paint strainer bag around the siphon to keep the chunks out of the bottling bucket.

 

[micraftbeer]

Cold crashing gets rid of big chunks, for sure. Set it in a fridge or something at just above freezing for 2-3 days, then it will fall to the bottom. Depending on how you transfer afterwards, avoid disturbing the layer of sediment at the bottom (including when you pull it out of the fridge).

To move beyond the chunks and work at reducing the haze, add gelatin finings after a day or two of cold crashing and let them sit for 2 days. I used to use gelatin finings, now I just cold crash.

 

[Gerrit Wessels]

It takes a very fine filter to remove yeast so you probably don't have to worry much about the filtering. I wrap part of a paint strainer bag around the siphon to keep the chunks out of the bottling bucket.

Thanks, I saw a video of someone putting their hop spider inside the fermenter bucket and tapping from inside it. Is that too fine or not?

 

[Gerrit Wessels]

Cold crashing gets rid of big chunks, for sure. Set it in a fridge or something at just above freezing for 2-3 days, then it will fall to the bottom. Depending on how you transfer afterwards, avoid disturbing the layer of sediment at the bottom (including when you pull it out of the fridge).

To move beyond the chunks and work at reducing the haze, add gelatin finings after a day or two of cold crashing and let them sit for 2 days. I used to use gelatin finings, now I just cold crash.

Thank you. I'm defenitly gonna give cold crashing a go!

 

[hotbeer]

If they are big pieces and floating on top, you should be able to rack the beer from the fermenter without them even being an issue. At least no more an issue than the trub on the bottom.

You'll have to use something finer than a common paper coffee filter to strain all the yeast out. Though that paper filter will remove some.

I do quite often put a fine strainer basket in my priming pot and rack into that so any piece of hops or other stuff doesn't get in my bottles if I get too close to the trub. Those flat bottom permanent coffee filters and some loose tea baskets work great.

I've cold crashed twice. It did nothing for my beer that I can't do by just leaving it in the fermenter a week or so longer. Made more inconvenience for me. But if you get something out of it, go for it.

 

[cubalz]

Cold crashing over filtering every time.

 

[KeizerBrewr]

Cold crash in a fridge for a couple days to get most of it to drop clear, then you can package it how you need it.

 

[Gerrit Wessels]

Thanks for all the feedback guys, appreciate it