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Author Topic: Using a beer clearing product  (Read 1146 times)

Offline redrocker652002

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Using a beer clearing product
« on: December 23, 2022, 08:28:44 am »
I see a lot of folks using products to make the beer clearer.  I am more wondering, does this change the taste any?  I have not used any of these products and keg and drink my beers how they come out.  I try and limit the amount of trub and hop matter by using bags but I am sure some still gets thru.  I have a floating dip tube on my keg, so I am sure that helps as well.  But in reading a few posts, it seems some use products to clear the beer even more.  Is this more a personal preference?  Still new to the beer world and thought I would ask.  If this is a question that is out of line or not pertinent please feel free to close it.  Also, if it needs to be moved to another subforum, please do so.  I was not sure where it would best fit. 



Anyway, any input would be appreciated as this might be something to add to my list of things I should do. 



Thanks to all who read and replied.  RR

Offline goose

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #1 on: December 23, 2022, 08:46:17 am »
We used Biofine at the brewery that I worked at.  It did not add any flavors to the beers.  Small amounts are available to homebrewers online.  I saw 1 oz. bottles of it from More Beer and a few other places.  You might be able to get larger amounts online as well.

Polyclar is another clarifier, but I have never used it.  I normally just resort to using gelatin or let the beer set in the lagering freezer for a few weeks to clarify it. The first glass out will be murky but after that the beer pours clear.
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Offline HopDen

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #2 on: December 23, 2022, 09:07:19 am »
I have used both biofine and gelatin with great results. Gelatin is much cheaper in price than biofine. There are other options available too, I will paste. You can buy larger amounts of biofine but depending on your batch size and how often you brew you may want to consider how large of a container you need. Biofine has a shelf life, but I have kept in the refrigerator for months w/o issues. At this juncture in my brewing I have ceased using any clarifying agents including whirifloc. Boil kettle filtration, time and 35* works just as great as any clarifier IMHO.
 
https://www.morebeer.com/products/biofine-clear-clarifier.html
 https://www.morebeer.com/products/cellarscience-silafine-placeholder.html
Take a look at Morebeer, there are more options than what I pasted.

Good Luck!

Fire Rooster

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #3 on: December 23, 2022, 09:07:53 am »
Briefly used beer clearing methods and stopped.
I'm fine with beers that are a little hazy.  Bottled
(20 oz) beers are in fridge about 10 days before
drinking, some are a little hazy, some are clear.  I keep 9
beers in fridge at all times.  When i drink one it's
replaced by one from basement, and then goes to the back of the line.


Cheers 
« Last Edit: December 26, 2022, 07:42:31 am by Fire Rooster »

Offline majorvices

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #4 on: December 23, 2022, 10:09:58 am »
Biofine or other silicic acid finings agents work great. I've used them to fine 60 bbls of beer (1800 gallons) of beer perfectly bright! Gelatin also works well. I definitely agree it isn't necessary. Most hazes are flavorless and certain yeasts are able to drop bright all on their own. Time also will clear just about any beer to brilliantly clear.

It's doubtful you will have any off flavors from using fining agents if used at the correct dosage.

But if you want brilliantly clear beer in just a couple of weeks fining agents work well--they work best when the beer is cold (close to 32F/0C)
« Last Edit: December 23, 2022, 10:11:43 am by majorvices »

Offline tommymorris

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #5 on: December 23, 2022, 10:20:40 am »
I only have experience with gelatin. It works well and I don’t think it changes the flavor.

But, I rarely need it. I use whirlfloc in every batch. My beers clear on their own after about 1 week in the keg. I do use a floating dip tube. I also mainly brew with these yeasts; Bry-97, S04, Verdant, Diamond, 34/70, S23.

I also add salts to style and lactic acid and target 5.4 PH in the mash.

Offline jeffy

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2022, 01:24:09 pm »
I used to use gelatin, the packets from the grocery store, but haven’t done it on the last several batches.  On the plus side, it clears the haze caused by unfloculated yeast, which makes the beer taste as if it had been lagered, saving a lot of time.  The minus side is more about what’s in gelatin and whether that’s something you want in your beer.
If it changes the flavor at all it is probably for the better.
But, lately I haven’t used any finings other than whirlfloc in the boil.  I like to let the keg clear naturally as I consume it.  It’s always at its most beautiful just as the keg is about to kick.
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Offline EchoValley

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #7 on: December 26, 2022, 04:00:55 am »
Previously used gelatin (which worked fine/no flavor issues), but switched to Biofine out of respect for a few friends who are vegan.  No flavor issues from that either.  Sometimes I forget though so time and cold works as well as long as I don't jostle the kegs, but I use HopStopper screens also, so that helps.

Offline Kevin

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2022, 07:00:42 am »
I have tried gelatin in the past but found that the difference it made wasn't worth the effort.
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Offline denny

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2022, 08:02:14 am »
I have tried gelatin in the past but found that the difference it made wasn't worth the effort.

Same conclusion I reached.
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Offline hopfenundmalz

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #10 on: December 26, 2022, 08:21:33 am »
I've used most of the ones mentioned, including isinglass.

I wasn't going to chime in, but the topic of vegan and biofine came up. There are two products referred to as Biofine.

The one just called Biofine is not vegan.
https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/biofine-p019-1-lb/

The one called Biofine-clear is vegan.
https://bsgcraftbrewing.com/biofine-clear-1-kg/

Polyclar/PVPP is also vegan friendly, as it is a polymer. It drops out haze causing polyphenols. Polyphenols also cause astringency. I once read that Polyclar can be used to drop out astringency. I had an astringent lager that I tried it on, and it removed the astringency.
https://morewinemaking.com/products/polyclar-vt-pvpp.html

Time and gravity will remove most haze and even astringency if the time period is long enough.
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Offline BrewBama

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Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #11 on: December 26, 2022, 08:56:25 am »
I think the first step with clearing a hazy beer is figuring out the root cause. It could be biological (low floc yeast, contaminants, etc), protein-polyphenols, beta glucans (oats, wheat, etc), or water chemistry (calcium oxalate).

This could explain why certain products work on some beers but not others. I recall Ken was having an issue with some of the products on the market with some of his beers.

I have settled on Brewtan B in the strike liquor, mash pH control, 50+ ppm Ca in the mash,  lautering clear wort to the boil kettle, whirlflock in the boil, whirlpooling the bitter wort before transferring to the fermenter, pitching a lot of healthy flocculant yeast strains, cold temp and time post fermentation. This combination works well for me.

I also used to use gelatin routinely but rarely use it anymore. I tried it again recently on an Altbier I used K-97 on and it helped a little but that beer became brilliantly clear after is sat in the keg a while.
« Last Edit: December 26, 2022, 09:04:30 am by BrewBama »

Offline brewthru

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #12 on: December 26, 2022, 02:35:04 pm »
1st cold condition
2nd fine with plain gelatin

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Offline MDL

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2022, 03:48:19 am »
https://clearbeerdraughtsystem.com/

I love these! In combination with gelatin in the keg crystal clear beer the morning after kegging.

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Re: Using a beer clearing product
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2022, 08:25:44 am »
https://clearbeerdraughtsystem.com/

I love these! In combination with gelatin in the keg crystal clear beer the morning after kegging.

I use that Clear Beer Draught System device in the primary fermenter and rack clear to keg every time; doing it that way means less floating systems are needed for my kegging.  It is a great product.
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