Cloudy Keg Cure

[bounce]

Problem: The first third of my kegs are cloudy from sucking up sediment from the bottom. Once a clear spot is created at the bottom of the draught tube the beer runs clear. I try an minimize sediment by leaving brew in the fermenter for 4 weeks including conditioning for 2 however there is still a small amount sediment that falls out. In the ales it is tolerable but the sediment detracts from the lagers.

Is the cure to install a u-bend piece to the bottom of keg draught tube - if so can these be purchased?

Is using poly-clar to solidify this last sediment the go?

Any other thoughts?

Happy to be pointed to a previous thread that explores this issue.

Thanks

 

[slcmorro]

Cold condition? Gelatine? Store kegs at a low temp and don't move them? Shorten/bend dip tube?

 

[JDW81]

AG or extract brewing?

Do you use finings in your brewing process?

Do you cold crash in the fermenter, or just conditioning in the keg and are you lagering your lagers?

Sorry for all the questions, but knowing your processes will help answer your query.

JD

 

[brendo]

Are you cold crashing your fermenters prior to keg transfer? This will drop a lot out. You can use cold side findings prior to transfer - gelatine/isinglass help drop yeast out of suspension. Polyclar is more for permanent haze then yeast.

If you cold crash the fermentor, you can also prop the fermentor up so that the yeast settles away from the tap outlet which will minimise the amount of yeast into the fermentor in the first place.

If you are still getting sediment issues, you can always shorten the dip tube by cutting it so it draws slightly higher, leaving more of the sediment.

Otherwise, grit your teeth and consider the vitamin B you are getting with each cloudy pour ;0)

 

[TheBigD]

do you prime your kegs? if so try force carbing instead to reduce the amount of yeast that's produced from this secondary fermentation.

and as said, cold crash with gelatine, refrigerate before force carb then let it sit for a week before you tap it and smash it. I usually get a couple of cloudy schooners then its crystal clear.

 

[bounce]

Thanks All

My regime is as follows:

All grain brew with whirlfloc
After ferment cold crash for 2 weeks for ales, 6+ weeks for lagers
Not using fining - although I appreciate the advice on gelatin/ isinglass
Storage in a cool (15-18 degree) but non-refrigerated closet for 4-6 weeks between kegging and drinking - no room in my fridge-type kegerator
Forced carbonation

 

[BlueMutt]

I've just tapped my first lager (faux lager) and went with the filter to have it as clear as possible.
Normally with ales I cold condition for a week after fermenting is done and transfer to keg and leave for another week, if possible, after a force carb.

 

[Dave70]

Posted this elsewhere a couple of weeks back somewhere. But here it is again.
I had great results with beers only crashed for a week, no kettle finings or trickery. Just do like he says and you cant go wrong.
See if I lie.


http://youtu.be/cYaVaCyT2yY



I might add, I used the gelatin in the sachets, so presumably more than a teaspoon.
And shook the keg end to end a little after.

 

[WitWonder]

Thanks All

My regime is as follows:

All grain brew with whirlfloc
After ferment cold crash for 2 weeks for ales, 6+ weeks for lagers
Not using fining - although I appreciate the advice on gelatin/ isinglass
Storage in a cool (15-18 degree) but non-refrigerated closet for 4-6 weeks between kegging and drinking - no room in my fridge-type kegerator
Forced carbonation

6 weeks on the yeast cake is a lot. Consider cold conditioning after transferring to secondary fermenter. Also consider other finings like brewbrite - i've had good results with this. Also your 4-6 weeks in the closet wont really do anything to drop out material from suspension - you want it as close to freezing as possible. When you move your keg, all the trub is stirred up again anyway, no matter how careful you are.

I tried filtering but it never worked for me. Absolute PITA stuffing around cleaning things and transferring from one vessel to another only to end up with coudy beer at the end. Brewbrite gets it pretty close.

 

[tallie]

If you're looking for an equipment solution (as opposed to process solution), do an internet search for "cask floating dip tube". It's a pickup that connects to the end of a flexible tube that you use in place of the standard rigid dip tube. The pickup floats near the surface of the beer in the keg and drops with the beer as the keg empties. Apparently they're designed for casks that won't necessarily have dropped clear at the time of tapping.

Ross from Craftbrewer demonstrated one at a BABBs meeting a couple of years ago, so they might still stock them. No idea about cost.

 

[manticle]

Posted this elsewhere a couple of weeks back somewhere. But here it is again.
I had great results with beers only crashed for a week, no kettle finings or trickery. Just do like he says and you cant go wrong.
See if I lie.


http://youtu.be/cYaVaCyT2yY



I might add, I used the gelatin in the sachets, so presumably more than a teaspoon.
And shook the keg end to end a little after.

Not sure if it's my device or something else but demons appear to have taken possession of that man.

 

[bounce]

Thanks All

I have added 10g of gelatin in solution to a 2/3 full keg of lager that was failing to clear - I'll leave 3 days and see how it goes. I like the floating dip tube idea as well.

 

[Dan Pratt]

Gelatine will clear it out solid. I also went a step further and used a pipe cutter removing 10mm from the bottom of my dip tubes,