# Does Polyclar affect slurry?



## TBird (5/8/14)

Hi all

I'm considering adding polyclar to a brew currently in my fermenter. I also want to pitch the yeast slurry into my next brew.

Does anybody have any thoughts on whether the polyclar will affect the performance of the yeast slurry in the next brew?

I can get around this I think by decanting the brew into a cube and the add the polyclar to the cube, leaving me to harvest the slurry polyclar free. 

However I'd rather cut back on double handling of the beer .

Thanks


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## mckenry (5/8/14)

Pitching without washing means you'll have to decant first. Separating yeast from polyclar is going to be tough as well.
I prefer to decant first just to keep the yeast as 'pure' as possible.Pitching yeast with any yeast floccer already in it seems like youre asking for trouble. I dont have evidence, just sounds wrong.

When my conical arrives, I'll be fermenting fully, collecting yeast and only then chilling and fining and dry hopping if required. Once this phase is finished, clear beer from the racking arm.

Basically I'll be removing the yeast from the beer, to use later, you'll be removing the beer from the yeast, to use straight away.

mckenry


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## TBird (5/8/14)

mckenry said:


> Pitching without washing means you'll have to decant first. Separating yeast from polyclar is going to be tough as well.
> I prefer to decant first just to keep the yeast as 'pure' as possible.Pitching yeast with any yeast floccer already in it seems like youre asking for trouble. I dont have evidence, just sounds wrong.
> 
> When my conical arrives, I'll be fermenting fully, collecting yeast and only then chilling and fining and dry hopping if required. Once this phase is finished, clear beer from the racking arm.
> ...


Thanks mckenry

After giving it some more thought I agree and will rack the beer off to a keg and add the polyclar to the keg.

That will give me the slurry in the fermenter without the added complication of the polyclar in the slurry.

Cheers


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## TSMill (5/8/14)

I think you will be fine, the polyclar uses electrostatic charge to attract suspended yeast, but it will only flocculate so much yeast. The charge I believe is generated when you stir the polyclar in water prior to pitching, so when you re-pitch you have an excess of yeast and no free charged polyclar.


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## Black n Tan (5/8/14)

It is my understanding that Polyclar is best at removing tannins rather than yeast. So if your objective is to remove yeast then gelatine may be a better option. I recently followed some advice from somewhere on this forum and cold crashed a german pils for 24 hours before adding gelatine and then after a further 48 hours added the polyclar VT. Amazing clear beer within a week. I then re-used some of the yeast cake in a bo pils and every things is progressing absolutely as planned. So I understand the theoretical concerns, but in reality most of the yeast in the cake was there before the finings were added so I don't think you should have any concerns. The problem with adding the polyclar to the keg is that you will likely end up drinking some of it (not that polyclar is toxic), but I would prefer to use it as a process aid and then leave it behind in the fermenter trub.


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## verysupple (5/8/14)

As Black n Tan said, Polyclar (PVPP) doesn't work on yeast because it has the wrong charge. It's aimed at binding with polyphenols (tannins) to prevent chill haze etc.

Also, this is a product aimed at commercial scale brewing (they wouldn't make much money out of only homebrewers). It's unlikely that many commercial breweries would use a product that then meant they couldn't harvest yeast, as that's one of the biggest savings they can make.

So I'd say that it's fine to use Polyclar and then repitch some of the slurry.


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## mckenry (5/8/14)

The few breweries I've seen dump the yeast via the cone, often cone to cone for a timed period, then add poly to the remaining beer. The yeast doesn't come into contact with poly. Megas might be different.


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## Gosling (5/8/14)

mckenry said:


> Pitching without washing means you'll have to decant first.



Ok. please explain WTF this means


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## Black n Tan (5/8/14)

Gosling said:


> Ok. please explain WTF this means


I imagine he is saying to rack to a secondary before adding the polyclar, so you can use the yeast cake from the primary. I personally don't think it is necessary.


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## TidalPete (5/8/14)

I must admit that I've farmed\split yeasts from the primary (containing Polyclar\BrewBrite + gelatine) for years without any apparent adverse affects to my next starters & fermentations. Nobody's complained yet. 
Usually farm for 3 or 4 generations before getting a new yeast.
Each to their own though.


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## dicko (6/8/14)

From the usage instructions

Add 5 – 10gms polyclar (23L batch) to half a cup of freshly boiled water. (For maximum efficiency the polyclar slurry should be stirred for minimum 15 minutes, preferably 60 minutes & kept agitated until used)
Add slurry to cold conditioning beer. (The colder the beer the better).
Minimum contact time of 5 to 10 minutes is desirable (if filtering), however there is no negative impact on the beer with extended times. If not filtering, leave for 2 to 3 days to settle, then rack off the lees.
Bottle or keg.

Note the second last sentence.

If I use polyclar I only ever use it in the cube after I have racked the beer off the yeast in the primary.
I then add it to the cube and filer or just keg it, but I always leave it for a few days in the fridge to clear up.
I wouldn't add it into the keg unless I was using the keg as a secondary cube for pumping through a filter.


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## bradsbrew (6/8/14)

TidalPete said:


> . Nobody's complained yet.


That's because you didn't hear them Pete. :lol:  Only jokes mate.

Definitely agree wit Dicko. I would not be adding it to the keg I was pouring from.


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## TBird (6/8/14)

Sorry all

I should have added that I wasn't serving beer from the keg containing Polyclor . I planned to filter from this keg to another.

BTW how long can you leave beer on Polyclor before filtering it?

Thanks


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## NewtownClown (6/8/14)

TBird said:


> BTW how long can you leave beer on Polyclor before filtering it?
> 
> Thanks




as long as you want




dicko said:


> From the usage instructions
> 
> Add 5 – 10gms polyclar (23L batch) to half a cup of freshly boiled water. (For maximum efficiency the polyclar slurry should be stirred for minimum 15 minutes, preferably 60 minutes & kept agitated until used)
> Add slurry to cold conditioning beer. (The colder the beer the better).
> ...


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## bradsbrew (6/8/14)

TBird said:


> Sorry all
> I should have added that I wasn't serving beer from the keg containing Polyclor . I planned to filter from this keg to another.
> BTW how long can you leave beer on Polyclor before filtering it?
> Thanks





NewtownClown said:


> as long as you want


I was told that can strip malt character if left too long. This could be totally wrong.


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