Clearing your brew

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by alemakesmestrong, May 22, 2016.

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  1. alemakesmestrong

    alemakesmestrong Initiate (0) Oct 23, 2005 Oklahoma

    Just pulled some pale ale off the keg. Forgot to add whirlfloc in the boil, pretty muddy beer (1 year break and u forget things) Threw in some gelatin and hoping. What do yall find effective for clearing up your product?
     
  2. fuzzbalz

    fuzzbalz Pundit (953) Apr 13, 2002 Georgia

    Time, pretty much and maybe dropping the temp in the fridge a bit more.
     
  3. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I use whirlfloc on about 50% of my beers. I forget it a lot. I try to avoid transferring break matter from the kettle to the fermenter. This means not transferring every last drop. I avoid transferring sediments from the fermenter to the keg. This means not transferring every last drop. I haven't used chemical finings for a while, but have used gelatin and Biofine clear in the past. Typically, I just rely on several weeks in the keg to do the remainder of the work, as it carbonates (I use the set it and forget approach to force carbonating). I sometimes have chill haze but for the most part, I have pretty clear beers.
     
  4. Beejay

    Beejay Pooh-Bah (2,559) Dec 29, 2008 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    All I ever do is whirlfloc and cold crash. Sometimes I skip the whirlfloc for darker beers, wheat, or belgian.. but most the time I chuck it in. Seems to work for me, and most my beers look just fine, I also do have them on keg, so the additional cold time doesn't hurt.

    I'm generally not too concerned about appearance..
     
  5. suavo

    suavo Initiate (0) Oct 29, 2014

    I do tend to like a clear brew and fine most of my brews...we just spent the night in downtown Houston and drank some nice pale ales and IPA's. Our fav from the night out was a Lone Pine...Yellow Rose IPA...SMASH IPA with Mosaic and murky good...
     
  6. daem3384

    daem3384 Zealot (691) Nov 24, 2015 California

    I transfer the beer into a clearing carboy on top of a couple droppers full of Biofine Clear for like 5 days. It's a cheap and easy way to clear out the brew that I've had some really good experiences with.
     
  7. OldBrewer

    OldBrewer Maven (1,385) Jan 13, 2016 Canada (ON)

    Out of old habit, I always add 1 tsp. of Irish Moss 15 minutes before the end of the boil. I also lager almost all of my beers, and they come out crystal clear - no need for filtering.

    I have a related question. The above works for almost all beers, except that recently I made a Witbier (with wheat), and it has remained cloudy (It's still in the fermenter after 3-1/2 weeks in a room that is at 60F). How can I clear this beer at this time? I was hoping to keg it soon.
     
  8. MostlyNorwegian

    MostlyNorwegian Pooh-Bah (2,236) Feb 5, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah

    I'm spoilt with a conical, so I yeast off the bottom port pretty thoroughly once primary fermentation has ceased. Beyond that and with different equipment. Rack it off the yeast, and also dropping the temp to 31 - 34ºf and ignore it are my other two methods.
    Old brewer what kind of yeast did you use. They may not be dropping out. Some strains are bastards that way.
     
  9. OldBrewer

    OldBrewer Maven (1,385) Jan 13, 2016 Canada (ON)

    I thought it had to do with the wheat (I added 5 lb of flaked wheat - also added 1.13 lb flaked oats) but perhaps it's the yeast as you suggest. I used Wyeast 3944 Belgian Witbier yeast.
     
  10. MostlyNorwegian

    MostlyNorwegian Pooh-Bah (2,236) Feb 5, 2013 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah

    Well, damn 6 pounds of those flaked characters? No wonder it's not going to clear up.
    Also: This is from Wyeasts site.
    Appearance: Very pale straw to very light gold in color. The beer will be very cloudy from starch haze and/or yeast, which gives it a milky, whitish-yellow appearance. Dense, white, moussy head. Head retention should be quite good.
     
  11. OldBrewer

    OldBrewer Maven (1,385) Jan 13, 2016 Canada (ON)

    I guess that says it all - it likely won't clear.
     
  12. Scumbag81

    Scumbag81 Initiate (0) Sep 10, 2014 California
    Trader

    Biofine +/- PVPP should clear it.
     
  13. OldBrewer

    OldBrewer Maven (1,385) Jan 13, 2016 Canada (ON)

    Thanks! I might give that a try if I can find it.
     
  14. ryane

    ryane Initiate (0) Nov 21, 2007 Washington

    why would you want a clear witbier anyway? hazy is part of the style
     
  15. OldBrewer

    OldBrewer Maven (1,385) Jan 13, 2016 Canada (ON)

    Right now, it's far more than just hazy :-)
     
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