Hi guys, I'm new at the site. I signed up because I just entered the homebrewing world. I am from Venezuela but currently living in Santiago de Chile. So far my first experience homebrewing has been good, but I have a few questions I need help with. 1) I don't have any keg or fridge to cold crash the beer after the 1st fermentation. I have Isinglass and someone recommended me to use it for one or two weeks as a replacement for the cold crashing process. Could this be done? I mean, I don't want to loose the beer nor its flavor. What would you recommend me to do instead? (Currently I don't have money to buy a fridge) 2) If I use the Isinglass for that time I'm afraid there won't be sufficient yeast in the fermented wort to carbonate the beer. Am I right or wrong? I don't really know! I would be very happy if someone helps me with these sort of problems I have with homebrewing. The wort it's still fermenting. I'm guessing it's not going to stop until a couple of days. Please take into account I'm brewing a Scottish Ale. Thanks a lot!!!! The site is awesome!!
Here's a couple of good articles about clearing your beer that might help: http://byo.com/malt/item/645-fining-your-beer-techniques and http://byo.com/mead/item/1655-would...-adverse-effect-on-naturally-conditioned-beer There should still be lots of yeast left over for bottle conditioning. Cheers!
Chances are you don't need finings to get clear beer. You also don't need to use a secondary. What yeast are you using?
Thanks! I'll check it out right away! Hi! I'm using Munton's premium gold yeast. So, what do you suggest me? Thank you a lot for replying!
A little extra time in the primary fermentor will clear most beers to a nice level of clarity, so I suggest that you not be in a hurry to package the beer until you're satisfied with how clear the beer is while in the fermentor. I'll guess that you should like what you see after 4 weeks.
So, what you're saying is that I shouldn't use the Isinglass, but let the beer stand alone in the fermentor for 3-4 weeks and then package it to carbonate? I'm sorry if you feel me a bit slower, I still don't get too much of this last process. Thank you!
It's best to leave the beer on the yeast in the primary for at least 2-3 weeks. There might be no need to use a fining agent at all since most beers (depending on various factors such as yeast, amount of residue starch, proteins, etc.) will clear on their own. So, rather than be in a hurry to fine and bottle, take your time, let it sit for up to 4 weeks in the coldest place of your home, and see if the beer will clear. You can wrap a wet towel around the fermenter, which will reduce the temperature of the beer a degree or two (the evaporation of the water in the towel will result in a slight reduction of temperature). After fermentation is complete (wait at least 2 weeks), you could also keep it in a sink or bucket of ice water for a time to help the nasties settle. If it doesn't clear at the end of three or four weeks, then you can use a fining agent, if clear beer is important to you. A little cloudiness often doesn't affect the taste too much.
Correct, I wouldn't use the Isinglass. Once you've allowed the beer to ferment and to sit for extra time if you're not happy with the clarity once fermentation is complete, you can proceed with bottling. Once it is carbonated in the bottle and is then chilled, then anything still in suspension will drop out while in the refrigerator. You'll just need to pour carefully so as not to disturb the sediment at the bottom of the bottle. By the way, welcome to the BA site and to this wonderful hobby of homebrewing.
In addition to the good advice offered above; don't be worried about not having enough yeast for bottle carbing. I regularly let the primary go 2 - 3 weeks, cold crash for a week+, add gelatin while cc'ing. I've never had a problem with bottle carbing, even beer that has commercial-quality clarity will still have enough yeast in suspension to do the job. Only if you keep it cold for a couple of months will you have a problem. The night before you rack, position your fermenter where you'll be working. You'll normally tilt it to one side . . . do this also in advance before actually racking to your bottling bucket. The trub will be disturbed when you move the fermenter, the idea is to give it a day or so to settle down as you really want to keep that stuff out of your beer. Once properly carb'ed (1-3 weeks), your bottles will clear in the fridge same as if you cc'ed earlier . . . the slower you drink 'em the clear'er they get. Finally, if you stand around long enough looking like you need a spare fridge you might be surprised how easily they pop up. How is the selection of craft beers in Santiago?
Thanks a lot Mothergoose, OldBrewer and Brew Betty, you helped me quite a lot! I'll follow your advices and post the results after my beer is fully done. Thank you again! You guys are awesome. Cheers!
That's some hell of advice, too! I talked to some people earlier and they told me practically the same, that there would be no problem if I use the fining agent and the carbonate, but I wasn't as sure as they because I've told that the Isinglass wasn't compatible with carbonation. Thanks a lot for clearing it for me! Well, Chile in general has a lot of wonderful craft beers made with crystaline water. Santiago de Chile isn't as popular as other cities in the country regarding crafted beers because of the water quality. But, as I'm telling you, there are a lot of good quality craft beers in the country, the Kunstmann being the most popular, I really like it, but there are a lot more like the Austral beer. I would recommend anyone to come to Chile to taste their wonderful selection of beers and wine. Of course, the wine culture is a lot more developed than beer culture, but the market it's growing very fast! You should come to check it out yourself, hahaha. Anyway, the city of Santiago and the country itself are beautiful, so even if you don't like the beer here, the trip would not be a waste of time whatsoever. Cool! Thanks again!
I use paint strainer bags on the auto siphon when i move beer to secondary and also when i move it to the bottling bucket. It makes almost perfect clear beer. Siphon from the top of the beer and follow it down. Leave a good 1" above the trub. Sanitize the bag really good.
