# When To Add Finnings?



## loot (18/2/11)

I have a question regarding finnings. As I understand it finnings are added to the fermenter towards the end of the fermentation process to clarify the brew and to help solidify the sediment. I have used a few different brands of finnings and they have differing instructions as to when and how to add them to the brew.

I have added the finnings in previous brews in the following ways:

1. dissolved in 1 cup of warm water and added to the brew towards the end of fermentation at around 1.010.
2. added directly to the brew once fermentation has ceased and allowed one day or so before bottling.

Both brews are still maturing and I have one going now. 
Could anyone assist in some advice as to the best method?

thanks


----------



## Charst (18/2/11)

Hey You dont really need finings to clarify the beer it'll just speed up a process that's already happening. But I still use it and I generally boil 250ml of water to kill anything in it. Once boiled, take it off the heat and once it's no longer rapidly boiling add a teaspoon of finings and stir till dissolved. then i Pour it in gently on top and stir the top a bit or Rack my beer onto it.
I generally ferment for about 2 weeks primary and add it about 4 days before bottling. if im secondarying it goes in when im racking the beer.




loot said:


> I have a question regarding finnings. As I understand it finnings are added to the fermenter towards the end of the fermentation process to clarify the brew and to help solidify the sediment. I have used a few different brands of finnings and they have differing instructions as to when and how to add them to the brew.
> 
> I have added the finnings in previous brews in the following ways:
> 
> ...


----------



## manticle (18/2/11)

loot said:


> I have a question regarding finnings. As I understand it finnings are added to the fermenter towards the end of the fermentation process to clarify the brew and to help solidify the sediment. I have used a few different brands of finnings and they have differing instructions as to when and how to add them to the brew.
> 
> I have added the finnings in previous brews in the following ways:
> 
> ...



Wait until you reach FG completely, not 'near' the end. Finings are added to drop out yeast so don't try and move them along while they're still busy working.

When you say directly do you mean undissolved? You may find little lumps of jelly (harmless but off putting) find their way into your bottles. Dissolve first, then add to brew a few days after final gravity. Water should also be boiled first then allowed to cool to whatever temp you are using - don't just use warm tap water.

There's a reasonable article in the articles section on how to use gelatine with tons of info and user experiences.


----------



## loot (18/2/11)

manticle said:


> Wait until you reach FG completely, not 'near' the end. Finings are added to drop out yeast so don't try and move them along while they're still busy working.
> 
> When you say directly do you mean undissolved? You may find little lumps of jelly (harmless but off putting) find their way into your bottles. Dissolve first, then add to brew a few days after final gravity. Water should also be boiled first then allowed to cool to whatever temp you are using - don't just use warm tap water.
> 
> There's a reasonable article in the articles section on how to use gelatine with tons of info and user experiences.




I have followed the instructions on the packet that say to add directly from the packet to the brew, not to dissolve. I thought this was a bit odd. The brand was Copper Tun.


----------



## manticle (18/2/11)

Many people use gelatin. You can get larger amounts of high quality bovine gelatine from home brew shops (good ones) probably cheaper than the individual packets you are buying.

Many use supermarket gelatin with reported success - definitely cheaper. Some would argue that you don't know what you're getting. You can also buy isinglass from home brew shops - can be a bugger to mix unless you buy the premix (eg cryofine).

I've been meaning to do a comparative test for some time between unfined, HB gelatine, supermarket gelatine and cryonfine but have recently been too busy and coincidentally have recently not been fining brews.

My busy-ness is subsiding so I hope to get the comparison done soon. Might need to buy some more cryofine in case the stuff I got has lessened in freshness and fining ability.

Anyway the upshot of all that is that individual packets of finings (copper tun, brigalow etc) are probably the least efficient way of spending money on finings.


----------

