[wobdee]

I haven't found much on this topic since most either use time, fining or don't really care if they have crystal clear beer but I think I'm going to give this a try mostly to remove as much yeast as possible before kegging. Ive read yeast isn't too good for people with gout and since I get an occasional bout I thought this may help my symptoms a bit.

I've read a couple threads on other forums as well as videos on YouTube using whole house water filter housing and various sized micon filters. Seems pretty simple to just use gravity from your fermenter down through the filter and to the keg. Some things I'm worried about is oxidation and not enough umff from gravity to push it through the filter.

My plan is to use one of these whole house canisters and a 5 micron poly spun filter with about a 7' drop from my 3 gal Speidel fermenter into my keg. I've read someone else doing this but they use a 1 mircon to really clear up the beer. According to Wyeast the size of yeast is 5-10 micron so I'll give the 5 a try first.

Any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks

[hopfenundmalz]

Can you chill the beer to low temps? Lager it for weeks and you will get clear beer with little yeast. If you brew ales try 40 to 50F. For lagers I like 30F. The yeast strain will have some influence as to how long you need the cold conditioning.

[wobdee]

Pretty much all I brew are lagers with Wyeast 2124. I ferment at 50 for a week, raise to 60 for D rest then cold crash for 3 days before racking to keg. The beer is clear during racking but its still sucking some yeast in because when I empty a keg and look inside there is still sediment on the bottom.

There is some yeast type flakes or something on top when I rack, I don't know exactly how to explain it but by the time I get down to the bottom during racking some of it gets sucked in and some of it sticks to the side of the fermenter.

Usually the first 2-3 pints  have floaties then its clear. When you brew 2.5 gal its kind of a waste to pour 1-2 pints down the drain before I can drink. I'm sure there are a few  yeasties getting sucked up throughout the whole keg even though I can't see them and have relatively clear beer.

[wobdee]

I also lager for 6 weeks before tapping.

[Stevie]

Crash longer before racking and use gelatin or another fining agent in the fermenter.

[HoosierBrew]

Crash longer before racking and use gelatin or another fining agent in the fermenter.

Yep

[a10t2]

Based on your process I agree the best solution would be finings. Added once the beer is cold and left for a 3-day cold rest you should be racking very clear beer over. No need to lager 6 weeks after that treatment either. 1-2 weeks is usually enough.

Anyway, I think your plan is sound. Keep up with the sanitation on the filter, since that will probably be the weak link. 5 micron nominal won't get all your yeast for powdery strains, so don't expect it to be a silver bullet.

[wobdee]

I've thought about gelitan but heard you usually lose a couple pints of jello muck before it clears?

Maybe I'm rushing and need to cold crash longer but I like to brew every other weekend so I have it timed to keg on day 13, harvest slurry and brew another batch the next day. If I filter maybe I could keep my same timeline?

[HoosierBrew]

I've thought about gelitan but heard you usually lose a couple pints of jello muck before it clears?

Nope, more like 1/2 a pint. Easily worth it.

[Stevie]

If you crash in the fermenter and give it time to settle in a tight pack, you shouldn't need to worry too much about yeast carry over. Another trick is to start the siphon in the middle of the fermenter and move it down as needed to maintain the siphon. This will eliminate stabbing and disturbing the cake.

[wobdee]

Thanks for all the info and recommendations. I think I still like the idea of filtering. Has anyone tried gravity filtering? What about micron size, should I go lower than 5 micron?

[kramerog]

Thanks for all the info and recommendations. I think I still like the idea of filtering. Has anyone tried gravity filtering? What about micron size, should I go lower than 5 micron?

No specific experience but I would start high and go smaller if you results are not acceptable and flow rate is OK.  The flow rate may be a hell of a lot lower for finer filters.

[Stevie]

Unless I missed it, why aren't you pushing with co2?

[erockrph]

Unless I missed it, why aren't you pushing with co2?

+1 - if you're kegging, then the typical filtration practice I've heard of is to jump the beer from one keg to another through the filter. That takes gravity out of the equation, and oxidation as well.

[wobdee]

I just thought I'd try gravity first for simplicity's sake but if I see a O2 problem with this I'll probably go the 2 keg Co2 route.