Maximum Clarification Without Adding Time to Bottle Carb?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by stb08007, Oct 17, 2014.

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  1. stb08007

    stb08007 Initiate (0) May 28, 2014 Connecticut

    Hi all, I've brewed a few all-grain batches at this point, and after feeling like I've got most of the basics down, I've started to care a little bit more about the clarity of my beer. Now, I'm not ready to make the $/equipment investment in kegging and force-carbing just yet, so I'll be bottle carbing for a while.

    I was hoping some of the more seasoned folks on here might be able to give me some wisdom on this:

    What practices, be they the use of technique, temperature, fining agents, or some combination of the three, can I use to get clear(er) beer with the least amount of added time from complete fermentation to glass?

    I realize this may come off as an annoying noob question, because it's beer, and you don't rush good beer, but I think there are some instances where it's preferable to have a beer carbed up quickly and ready to drink. Have you guys got any thoughts on clarification methods, and some of their pros and cons? Thanks as always, in advance for your help!
     
  2. scurvy311

    scurvy311 Savant (1,135) Dec 3, 2005 Louisiana

    #1 Use highly flocculant yeast, Wyeast 1968 as a starter looks like big chunks of cottage cheese it's so floculant
    #2 Cooling quickly allows for the hot break to drop. Getting as little of that as possible into the fermenter contributes to clearer beer down stream
    #3 healthy boil helps proteins coagulate so they can drop out as in #2.
     
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  3. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    • Proper water chemistry
    • Re-circulated mash runnings produce clearer worts
    • 90" boils
    • Add Irish moss / Whirlfloc to the boil's last 15"
    • Rapid chilling to produce a strong 'cold' break
    • Avoid dry hopping
    • Cold crash before bottling
    • Add gelatin to the bottling bucket
    • Two weeks (minimum) cold-conditioning
     
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  4. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    My preferred process for creating clear beer is a vigorous boil, adding rehydrated Irish Moss flakes for the last 15 minutes of the boil and a rapid cooling of the wort.

    Here is a link for additional steps which can be taken to create clear beer: http://byo.com/recipes-tag/item/645-fining-your-beer-techniques

    Cheers!
     
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  5. premierpro

    premierpro Savant (1,060) Mar 21, 2009 Michigan

    The difference in using Irish Moss or not is night and day. I am drinking on a keg of ESB where I ran out of Irish Moss. My beer is very cloudy where it is normally clear.
     
  6. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah


    If you bottle, you can let the beer sit in the fridge for a couple of extra days. This helps lock the sediment to the bottom of the bottle. Pour conservatively.
     
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  7. bgjohnston

    bgjohnston Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2009 Connecticut

    I know you asked for how to do this quickly, but unless you want to start filtering your beer, time is absolutely the best thing to add to it. Irish Moss will help if you are not already using that.
     
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  8. stb08007

    stb08007 Initiate (0) May 28, 2014 Connecticut

    Thanks! Had a very efficient ice bath with rock salt and stirring and got down to temp in about 12-15 mins. And as for the boil, I let it roll along all the way through.

    I recirculated 4 large pitchers worth slowly, and got very nice clear runnings into the kettle. Did rehydrated Irish Moss at 15 min. Chilled it really quick!

    I am curious about filtering. How does one go about doing that?
     
  9. scurvy311

    scurvy311 Savant (1,135) Dec 3, 2005 Louisiana

    Great. Keep collected data and refining your process. I have 0% experience with filtering, but I have 100% experience with not filtering and since I've really established a solid successful repeatable process, I've never once observed a beer that would have benefited from filtering. But home brewers do it so there is a place for it.
     
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  10. MLucky

    MLucky Initiate (0) Jul 31, 2010 California

    I'd say that about covers it, except: I'd also include choice of yeast and grist composition.
     
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  11. bgjohnston

    bgjohnston Initiate (0) Jan 14, 2009 Connecticut

    The filtration media is much like a very fine coffee filter material, in the one example I have seen in person. Picture something like that, made of a lot of layers, and the requisite tubing and a pump to force the liquid through. It's a pretty equipment-intensive endeavor by itself, unless you already run a pump on your system.

    I have not seen any home brewing systems that do it, but I know of two microbreweries in my area, 1 that does, and 1 that should. Specifically related to your question, it gets clear beer on the line faster, as you don't have to wait for the yeast to drop quite as much before packaging.
     
    #11 bgjohnston, Oct 20, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2014
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  12. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    I've used one before and it was actually pretty hard to get it to work right. None of the beers that went through the filter became much clearer for some reason. My beer placed 3rd in the comp and the judges said it would've been 1st if it was clearer. Lots and equipment and effort for nothing. Still, its not realistic for a homebrewer to have one anyway.
    Why is that?
     
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  13. MLucky

    MLucky Initiate (0) Jul 31, 2010 California

    Well, one thing to keep in mind is that filtering removes yeast, so it's really not what you want to do if you're bottle conditioning. And once you're kegging, clarity shouldn't be an issue. I find that even beers that could be expected to be cloudy--those that are heavily dry hopped or have a large percentage of wheat in the grist--pour clear enough from the keg after the first few pints, and by halfway through, they are as clear or clearer than commercial beers in those styles.

    My two cents would be that it is almost always a mistake to look for ways to rush the process. If it's hard to be patient while you wait for one batch to clear, just brew another batch.
     
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  14. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    "If it's hard to be patient while you wait for one batch to clear, just brew another batch."

    There is THE answer right there!!

    Cheers to @MLucky!!!!!!
     
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  15. JrGtr

    JrGtr Pooh-Bah (1,775) Apr 13, 2006 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    I've had good luck with super-simple methods: a healthy pinch of Irish Moss at 15 left in the boil, allowing plenty of time in fermenter for things to finish and drop of, then being careful not to disturb it when moving to rack to bottling bucket. Once in place on the counter, I leave it be for an hour or 2 to let even that disturbed settle back. When racking I try to keep the end of the cane at the trub level, the cap picks from above its level. Never any complaints. Also chill and be careful pouring from bottle, btw.
     
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  16. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    90" boils
    90 minute boils ==> better break material development ==> more better clarity.
     
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  17. ssam

    ssam Pundit (997) Dec 2, 2008 California

    This is basically the best single tip on this thread. A proper pour out of a properly chilled hombrew can make all the difference with clarity.
     
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  18. pweis909

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

    I skimmed and saw good advice. I'll add something I didn't see or missed: don't get greedy. Don't be afraid to leave a little beer behind if it is full of particulate bits that will mess up your clarity. I do all my transfers with a racking cane, from kettle to fermenter and from fermenter to keg (or bottling bucket). One of the advantages is I can adjust the height of the cane so it is above the trub (kettle) and yeast and other residues (fermenter). If I see some particulates steaming through my tubing, I just raise the racking can a half a cm or so until I'm no longer collecting those bits.
     
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