The effectiveness of dry hopping is apparently temperature dependent which is why I do it at the primary fermentation temperature. If you cooled down it would take longer to get the same effect. I took the advice from a number of commercial brewers on the Can You Brew It podcasts.
Fresh isinglass isn't that hard to find in the UK. The easiest option is to use the Triple concentrate but only one HB store sell that and it has a limited life. Then you have the make it up yourself options. The flakes are a bit of a pain in the arse to be honest but the isinglass paste works quite well. I recently tried out some for Rob at the Malt Miller and they were a lot easier to make up than the flakes. The paste keeps for six months. Some Brupacks stockists also carry it. It's originally a Murphys product called caskleer.
Finings
-
Fallen
Re: Finings
I've been using a gelatin method suggested by floydmeddler. Never used Isinglass so can't comment. What I would say about gelatin is that it's easy, cheap and available at your local supermarket.
I'm transferring to secondary after 7 days (instead of the 14 suggested below). It's worked every time. You can also add any dry hops at the same time as the gelatin.
Re: Using bottles - Does anyone else
Postby floydmeddler » Wed May 12, 2010 7:17 pm
I've only recently managed crystal clear beer and here's how I've done it.
Primary ferment for 14 days even though fermentation usually completes within 7.
Take 3 sheets of gelatin or half a sachet (6 grams) of the powdered stuff and place in a saucepan with 100ml of cold water. Leave 10 mins then swithc on heat. Slowly bring up to 85c. Turn off heat and cover saucepan with a tea towel for 10 mins. Place saucepan in a sink of cold water to bring temp down to 50c. Wipe sauce pan with towel. Add this solution to a secondary vessel. Transfer beer from primary on top of this solution.
5 - 7 days later, bottle. It should be crystal clear. You can either bottle directly with 1/3tsp of sugar per 500ml bottle or transfer to a bottling bucket with 40g of sugar per 23L (if you want to resemble cask style ales) or up to 70g if you like fizzy ale.
This will work. My mate did just this recently too and his beer is crystal.
Have a go or you'll never know!
I'm transferring to secondary after 7 days (instead of the 14 suggested below). It's worked every time. You can also add any dry hops at the same time as the gelatin.
Re: Using bottles - Does anyone else
Postby floydmeddler » Wed May 12, 2010 7:17 pm
I've only recently managed crystal clear beer and here's how I've done it.
Primary ferment for 14 days even though fermentation usually completes within 7.
Take 3 sheets of gelatin or half a sachet (6 grams) of the powdered stuff and place in a saucepan with 100ml of cold water. Leave 10 mins then swithc on heat. Slowly bring up to 85c. Turn off heat and cover saucepan with a tea towel for 10 mins. Place saucepan in a sink of cold water to bring temp down to 50c. Wipe sauce pan with towel. Add this solution to a secondary vessel. Transfer beer from primary on top of this solution.
5 - 7 days later, bottle. It should be crystal clear. You can either bottle directly with 1/3tsp of sugar per 500ml bottle or transfer to a bottling bucket with 40g of sugar per 23L (if you want to resemble cask style ales) or up to 70g if you like fizzy ale.
This will work. My mate did just this recently too and his beer is crystal.
Have a go or you'll never know!
-
steve_flack
Re: Finings
That's why I wanted it to work. It's certainly an attractive option if it works for you. As I said, most of the time it has for me but on others it hasn't.Fallen wrote:I've been using a gelatin method suggested by floydmeddler. Never used Isinglass so can't comment. What I would say about gelatin is that it's easy, cheap and available at your local supermarket.
-
Fallen
Re: Finings
This being the key I assume. Graham's rants on the subject on his practical brewing website suggest that a lot of the isinglass supplied to homebrewers is of inferior quality.Chris-x1 wrote:good quality issinglass
I've only used gelatin a few times and only when I've had to get the beer bright in a short space of time. If I wasn't in a hurry I wouldn't use finings at all........then I could claim to be producing 'vegan/veggie friendly' beer
-
Ray Mason
Re: Finings
Just thought I’d stick my ‘two penneth’ in here, for what it’s worth. I use the same system every time. Protofloc tab in the boil,(fifteen minutes from the end), ferment at 20c using Nottingham yeast for 4 to 5 days, into barrel with a packet of Davis or Dr Oetker gelatine, and 3 or 4 day’s later crystal clear beer. I must be just lucky, I guess.
By the way, whoever suggested that controlling the temperature of the fermentation would reduce ‘strange’ flavours in the finished beer was ‘spot on’. Since I bought an old fridge and an ATC800 my beer has improved dramatically. Ray.
By the way, whoever suggested that controlling the temperature of the fermentation would reduce ‘strange’ flavours in the finished beer was ‘spot on’. Since I bought an old fridge and an ATC800 my beer has improved dramatically. Ray.