Help With Fining a Kolsch

"Do other experience the same results with this yeast?"

I use Wyeast 2565 to ferment my Kolsch beers. It is indeed a yeast that does not flocculate readily. I personally choose to not use finings in my homebrewery so I just lager for 4-5 weeks to encourage the yeast (and proteins/polyphenols) to settle out of suspension. This works for me.

Cheers!

 

Gelatin should settle out all the yeast in 24-48 hours. One key question I have:

What's the distance of your keg's dip tube to the bottom of the keg? Could you be sucking all the crap from the bottom? Maybe you just need to pour off a half dozen pints before it clears up.

 

This is a tough yeast to floc. I know @dmtaylor mentioned gelatin working in 24 to 48 hours, but from personal experience I've had it take 5 days before to really settle clear. If I were you, I would give it another week before I touched it, and then pour a pint or two before giving up hope. Your gelatin use procedure is exactly what I do, fyi.

 

The trub/junk is probably about 1.5-2 inches deep. Might take a couple more pints before it's clear.

 

Do you use Irish moss? Although clear beer looks pretty some of the best beers I have ever had were hazy. I would never dump beer because it was hazy. Take care.

 

Does anyone have experience with Biofine compared with gelatin (other than cost)? thanks.

 

My experience has been similar to @JackHorzempa's. Given sufficient lagering time, it cleared right up. So clear that I've received comments like "obviously filtered" on scoresheets. The only fining I have used with 2565 is whirlfloc.

 

I use this yeast a lot. Time is my best friend. I usually let the keg sit around for two months before I tap it. Most of the yeast flocs to the bottom of my keg by then. The beer will clear after the next few pours. It should be crystal clear soon. My bigger concerns is that the beer really starts to get tasty around 4 months of age. I've recently been drinking a few from my cellar that are 2 - 2/12 years old. They're pretty good too.

 

Hmm. It's worked for me. I guess you could try other agents like Polyclar. Maybe some yummy fish bladders (isinglass). And maybe for the future, trim 5 mm off the dip tube. Sincerely trying to help.

Heck.... maybe it's not even yeast in suspension. Gelatin removes yeast, but I'm not certain if it will remove starch or protein hazes quite as well. Or it could be a chill haze. Warm up a pint. Does the haze disappear with warmer temperatures? This could be a different animal or combination of two or more things.

 

Couple questions - I brewed a Kolsch with WY2565, hit FG at 3 weeks ~55 ambient, and it's sitting in the primary with a massive Krausen-float still on top. I plan to cool condition in garage ~48 degrees (no special equipment) to try to condition and clear it. Should I rack underneath to secondary carboy first to escape the trub and krausen float, or just move the primary to cooler conditions (i.e, will it make a difference?)? Other question - how long do you all think it should hang before bottling? Thanks

 

My kolsch has been fermenting 20 days today so far, it has a bit of krausen and bubbles 10 times per min. It is fermenting at 60 F, it is a 1060 OG beer.

 

Longer lagering times have worked for me. I did used to fine with gelatin, but mostly I brew for myself, and I don't let clarity issues interfere with my personal enjoyment. I use kettle finings (whirl floc) when I remember, and when I don't, I feel stupid for 10 seconds, shrug my shoulders, and then pour myself a pint.