Fermenter Filter [new To Brewing]

[BeerBaron89]

Aye guys

I'm fairly new to Home brewing beer, I use to help brew some spirits with a mate. So i'm pretty much learning all i can about brewing beer!

My first problem is... I bottled my first brew 5 days ago, and i noticed that the yeast sticks to the top of the brew during fermentation, and some of the sediment from wort are at the bottom. So i find it very difficult to bottle the actual beer.

I am currently using a "kit wort" (Is that the correct term?)... "Coopers Draught"... And so far so good. I have had no problems so far. It looking like beer more and more each day. I've brewed it for my upcoming birthday.

I was looking for a filter of some kind to help stop the unnecessary sediment from being bottled. I am using a standard carboy fermenter, that came with a very old "coopers microbrewery kit" that up until now hasn't been used since i was very very young.

Any help you could give me would be much appreciated.

I tried searching the forum for posts relating my question, but due to my limited knowledge on the subject, i couldn't find anything.

Cheers
The Beer Baron

 

[BOG]

If your using a carboy then you'll need to siphon the beer off from just below the surface so as not to pick up any remaining yeast that hasn't settled to the bottom.

BOG

 

[BeerBaron89]

Thanks for the reply BOG .

The Carboy has a tap.. Which is in the standard location. I don't really like the idea of syphoning from the top of the carboy. It would be too messy or too much effort for me.

I've seen someone build there own filter type thing. Which is a copper pipe that attaches to the thread in the inside of the carboy/fermenter. At the end of the pipe is a homemade mesh pipe. It looked pretty cool and efficient.

Cheers
The Beer Baron

 

[Jase71]

Has anyone tried filtering through a fine stocking to reduce the yeast protiens, or perhaps coffee filter paper wedged into the filling/bottling tube ?

But please don''t do this on my suggestion, I haven't tried it (yet!)

 

[BeerBaron89]

I was thinking of using filter paper... But i think it would be too soggy to do the whole thing.

I was also thinking of going down to the plumbing store... and making a pvc pipe with thread.
And having one of those mesh screens that are on the end of faucets on the end of it. But i think that might make it more prone to clogging.

Cheers
The Beer Baron

 

[the_fuzz]

go to bunnings and buy a POPE irrigation fitlers and then some tubing - connect piece of tube to tap, other end to filter, other end of filter to another piece of tube and then into your "little bottler" thing - cost all up about $7 and works like a charm

Been doing this for about 2 years now

 

[BeerBaron89]

Thanks Whats_wrong_with_Hahns!

I will try that out. Bunnings is pretty much just around the corner.

Cheers
The Beer Baron

PS: So not happy... Just went to have a drink of one of my beers. Dropped it. Sediment all rushed up into the beer. I'll save the rest for a party im going to tomorrow.

 

[Crunched]

Read up about racking to secondary - this will help your beer clear up. Also, when you drink your beers, pour them into a glass, don't drink out of the bottle. This will help keep as much of the sediment in the bottle as possible and not in your glass.

And don't keep what's left of that beer you dropped - if you've already opened it, it will be flat!

 

[BeerBaron89]

kk will do.

Yeah i poured that beer down the sink. I tried a couple at a party on Saturday night. They went alright.

Quick Question: Is there anyway to fully remove or remove a majority of the sediment from the bottles? (I was actually thinking about prime bulking and letting the sediment drop there, than bottling... But there is no way to carbonate the beer than would it? And the beer would taste bad am i right?) I wasn't disregarding the racking idea. I will have a look at that when i get some spare time.

I look forward to the beers in another few weeks.

Cheers
The Beer Baron

 

[Crunched]

What you are talking about is pretty much racking to secondary (although when you rack to secondary, you don't add the priming sugar). So yes, racking to a secondary vessel will allow more of the sediment to drop out.

 

[Pennywise]

There is no way to bottle and have no sediment, priming the bottles with sugar or bulk priming will always give you sediment due to the yeast multiplying whilst eating those sugars, racking will help but wont get rid of all the sediment. As far as bulk priming goes, you need to bottle as ASAP so carbonation takes place. If you really dislike sediment that much I reckon you should start saving for a kegging system :icon_cheers: . I would love to keg but the minister of finance says no go :angry:

 

[buttersd70]

If you are carbonating in the bottle, then there is always going to be some sediment in the bottom, it's unavoidable. The trick is to get as little excess yeast in the bottle as possible. The carbonation itself requires a lot less yeast than the main fermentation. By racking and cold conditioning, all the excess yeast drops to the bottom, and the result appears very clear. Even though it looks clear, to the eye, there is still enough yeast left in suspension to do the job of carbonating in the bottle. So you then prime and bottle, and the yeast that is left will do the carbonation, and then fall out to the bottom. But because all the excess yeast was left behind in the cube, there is less sediment in the bottle itself, and it will possibly be firmer as well.

Using a yeast which is highly flocculating will also help with this. Some yeasts form a very compact sediment that doesn't stir up into the beer as much as others do.

 

[Sammus]

people also use those filters (like whats on craftbrewer) that gives you really clear beer. Apparently (not from experience, just reading) it leaves enough yeast in there to naturally carb in a bottle, it just takes a little longer, and you only get a really fine layer on the bottom once it drops out.

Also how it is at the moment, you should be able to transfer through the tap with minimal sediment, its just that there is yeast in suspensin that drops out of the brew once its carbed. If you are geting sediment transferred from your fermenter, you could try racking, or if you havent got one yet try using one of those little 'sediment reducer' thingies that go on the back of the tap. It's basically a little pastic thing with a slot cut in it that you point upwards to stop it drawing from the yeast layer directly beneath it.

 

[buttersd70]

people also use those filters (like whats on craftbrewer) that gives you really clear beer. Apparently (not from experience, just reading) it leaves enough yeast in there to naturally carb in a bottle, it just takes a little longer, and you only get a really fine layer on the bottom once it drops out.

True. I used to do this untill I got a tear in the damn filter.
It took (at least for me) about twice as long to effectively carbonate. At the time, I compared to bottles that had been racked and cold conditioned, and also to bottles that were straight out of primary. The ones that had been filtered had noticibly less sediment, cleared quicker if disturbed, and the sediment was firmer. That being said, for bottling, it was a pita.

 

[raven19]

+1 for racking.
grab another fermenter with airlock, etc, and some food grade tubing.
Cheers!

 

[bigholty]

After fermentation has finished, usually a week or two, chill the ferementer down to 3 or 4 degrees and leave for a few days, this slows the yeast down and helps them settle out. Then you 'rack' the beer into another fermenter or other vessel, leaving behind the majority of the yeast, trub, etc. At this time you can add finings to the beer, such as gelatin, isinglass, etc. Leave for a few more days at 3 degrees, the finings pull more yeast, proteins, etc out of the beer and settle to the bottom. When you're ready to bottle you can either rack the beer again into another vessel and bulk-prime, or just bottle straight out of the one it's in and put sugar each bottle. You can actully get a very bright beer this way. There will still be some sediment, as you need some yeast to gas-up the beer.

The only way to get an absolutely clear, sediment-free beer in the bottle is to sterile-filter it (less than 5 microns I think?) and remove all the yeast and everything and then fill bottles with a counter-pressure filler.

 

[Bribie G]

+1 with Butters about using a yeast that is highly 'flocculating'. I use 'Nottingham' yeast for most of my brews because it sticks to the bottoms of the bottles. Get a good beer jug and decant the beer into that and you shouldn't get any sediment in your glasses.

 

[BeerBaron89]

I would love to get a kegging system. But unfortunately i'm saving for other things atm.

I do have a sediment reducer, however i forgot to put it into the fermenter.

I have another fermenter aswell, however the lid is missing, so i'd prefer not too use it. I'll save up for another fermenter when i can... But i won't be brewing beer for a few more weeks. My next attempt before beer will be alcoholic lemonade. Just want to experiment and play around with the fermenter.

I understand there will always be sediment at the bottom, and that doesn't bother me... But the less sediment the better. I hate having to carefully handle the beers.

Alot of the stuff mentioned i already knew... (Not that there is any way for you guys to know what i do and don't know) But i am very impressed with the amount of information you guys give, apart from the basic information.

Something i hardly see on any other forum. Thanks for the information guys ^.^ You have been very helpful.

Cheers
The Beer Baron

 

[KGB]

You know a bit of sediment isn't going to kill you right? People pay good money for bottle conditioned beers like Coopers Pale Ale and many request the bottle be rolled or turned before opening to rouse the yeast and make the beer cloudy.

You can use your lid-less fermenter with glad wrap to cover the top.

 

[buttersd70]

People pay good money for bottle conditioned beers like Coopers Pale Ale and many request the bottle be rolled or turned before opening to rouse the yeast and make the beer cloudy.

Very common in SA. Barstaff will usually ask you if you want it rolled.