[flbrewer]

Forgot to throw in some Whirlfloc on my last brew...is there anything I can add during fermentation or after that would help clarify the beer in addition to cold crashing?

[BrewBama]

Maybe isinglass or gelatin.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

Forgot to throw in some Whirlfloc on my last brew...is there anything I can add during fermentation or after that would help clarify the beer in addition to cold crashing?

After fermentation, rack and chill then you can use gelatin. Others use biofine- haven't tried yet but hear it works well.


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[HoosierBrew]

I've posted a few times on this blog's procedure for using gelatin. Even though I've been using Biofine Clear lately, I've used this procedure MANY times. Works really well :

http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/06/how-to-clear-your-beer-with-gelatin.html

[Joe Sr.]

Or you can just wait.  I've only had a few stubborn beers that won't clear with time. In that case, gelatin works very well.

But for the most part, time and cold do wonders.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

I tend to agree with good old cold conditioning method. It's fine to use clarifies- won't say anything bad about it and I've used them when I'm in a hurry. Gelatin done as explained above works very well. These days, a good hot break and PH basically leaves me with just waiting for yeast to drop out to get really clear beer. I will put my ales at 33-34f for a couple weeks and it works well for me with most yeast strains. Like everything, there are exceptions and I'm not ashamed to say I use the gelatin to clear it up.


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[JT]

Or you can just wait.  I've only had a few stubborn beers that won't clear with time. In that case, gelatin works very well.

But for the most part, time and cold do wonders.

This.  Time and cold have cleared beers that would otherwise be cloudy, including saisons with champagne yeast added.  No need for additives really.  A bit of Irish moss in the boil is all I do any more, and not on all beers.

[ynotbrusum]

Time works - no doubt - on most beers, but dry hopped and persistently low flocking yeast can definitely be helped by gelatin or bio fine.  I had a friend who made an American Wheat for a party and it would not drop clear after two months in the keg.  He said his BMC crowd wouldn't go for the hazy beer, so I told him to hit it with the Knox gelatin.  He was pleased a few days later at his event when he served it "Kristal" to his guests.

[HoosierBrew]

+1 to time and cold - it's what I do for most beers. I would add good pH to the list as a factor in good clarity as well. I don't fine most beers because I feel these things work plenty well enough. But I usually will fine a lager and a few other styles if the mood strikes. I usually hesitate to fine hoppy/dry hopped styles because I feel the finings strip away a little bit of hop character, and hop character is sort of the point there. Or else I hop a little higher with late hops to compensate if I do choose to fine an APA/IPA. But as for the question of finings, gelatin or Biofine work as advertised.

[flbrewer]

There seems to be an aversion to using fining agents...is this the case?

[HoosierBrew]

There seems to be an aversion to using fining agents...is this the case?

I wouldn't say an aversion. More that if you did things right in your process that the beer will clear with cold temps and time. A lot of brewers use finings (myself included) on occasion though. No worries.

[Joe Sr.]

Not at all.  I have a box of Knox gelatin purchased specifically for fining.  I use it for beers for the reasons described by Ynotbrusum.

My point, and I think that of others, is that unless you're in a rush there is no real need to use finings to get clear beer.  Time and cold will do just fine in most cases.

There are also some (minor) downsides to fining.  Gelatin (I've never used biofine) will strip out some hop flavor, particularly if the beer was dry hopped.  Also, if you're vegan gelatin is not what you want to use.  I think biofine may be OK for vegans.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

There seems to be an aversion to using fining agents...is this the case?

AFAIC, no aversion. just an extra step and tinkering i don't usually do unless there's a stubborn yeast that just wont drop or i'm looking to rush the clarity.

[flbrewer]

I have a sample of my beer (pulled this morning to check gravity) and for shi%s and giggles I was going to do some gelatin in it. This is in the little 12" "test jar" that comes with many brewing kits.

Any clue how little I can use for this? I have 4 envelopes of the stuff.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

stuff i have doses at 1/2-1tsp teaspoon per 5-6 gals- that does the trick.