Finings: Necessary?

[Jason_brews_beer]

So what does the glad wrap do?? why use it over an airlock?

 

[manticle]

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/articles/article131.html

 

[HardEight]

So ferment... (about a week)
add finings (gelatine) then rack to secondary... (about a week)
Then either bottle (2 weeks)... or rack to keg.. chill ... carb... (a few days)

Tell the sister "Its Pure Clear Beer!!! Enjoy!"

 

[Yob]

Uncool to use gelatine and not disclose its been in there in contact with the beer, a vegan wont have a bar of it

 

[mckenry]

I ferment in the primary for a week ... then add (1/2Tbsp gelatine with 1Tbsp of raw sugar (or any sugar) in 1 cup of hot water) to the primary
Then decant to a secondary fermenter for another week... then bottle...

You can add finings to the primary... then wait a few days... then bottle... but try not to disrupt the fermenter much while you bottle...
14 days in the primary is overkill for a new brewer imo...

What is this about? Why add more sugar? Youll start another ferment (small I know, but still...) which is counter to why/when you add finings.

FWIW, finings work post fermentation, at any stage. (PFV, SFV, keg) etc but dont bottle with it. Colder the better.

My method, which is one of many that work, is to ferment, cold crash, finings all in the PFV, then filter and keg. I used to go to SFV for CC and finings, just on advice, but a few here mentioned doing all that in the PFV. I tried it and the results were exactly the same as using a SFV, except there was more beer to keg as losses were only encountered once. Just the one FV to clean, less chance of exposure to nasties and less work!
Lately I've really been trying to point out that there are genuine reasons for using a secondary FV, but just to clear beer, especially ales, doesnt seem to be one as far as I can tell. Lagering longer term may well be worth going to secondary when yeast health is a consideration, but knocking out quick ales - not required IMHO.
To the OP, a CC in primary will still clear the beer up without finings, it'll just take longer.

 

[chemfish]

Try agar, usually not as effective as gelatine in cooking but I don't see why it wouldn't serve the same purpose.

 

[Jason_brews_beer]

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/articles/article131.html

So no particular reason other than seeing whats going on and fridge space... May give it a go at some stage

 

[manticle]

And it's easy, doesn't involve extra cleaning and no-one freaks out when it doesn't bubble.

 

[Parks]

So no particular reason other than seeing whats going on and fridge space... May give it a go at some stage

And if you have a yeast explosion you can whip it off and put some new stuff on!


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[Parks]

Back to the OP:

Ferment for 2 weeks
Chill for 1 week
Bottle

Don't use a secondary just for clearing. As others have said it's just more cleaning and chance of infection.


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[Donske]

So no particular reason other than seeing whats going on and fridge space... May give it a go at some stage

Just keep in mind that there are some yeasts you want a lid and air lock, just so it's easier to fit a blow off tube, there is no way on earth I'd use gladwrap with 3787, hell I've currently got some US-05 trying to climb out the fermenter, I'd be much happier leaving it for the day if I could fit a blow off tube.

 

[Yob]

by way of explanation, if you aren't sure what the blow off tube is or does, sometimes the yeast go a bit mental, as Donske says, you need to find a way to let them do what they are going to do anyway, below is an image of how I set mine up in those instances. I find the addition of a cut off funnel through the airlock hols is a great was of increasing the collection area and maintaining a good seal through the grommet.



:icon_cheers:

 

[Mardoo]

Now that funnel is just a lovely bit of thinkin'!

 

[Back Yard Brewer]

Uncool to use gelatine and not disclose its been in there in contact with the beer, a vegan wont have a bar of it

Lucky that I don't know any beer drinking Vegans then :beerdrink:

 

[Yob]

OP's sister is what I was referring to in response to HardEight's suggestions... which are valid, my only point really is that if you use Gelatine, you need to tell vegans about it and not just serve it to them, would they know? Unlikely but that isnt the point, it's respecting their life choices and being honest about your process...

:icon_cheers:

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Does anyone know if gelatin or isinglass finings are used in any commercial beers and also, how would a consumer know if they were?

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

Back to the OP:

Ferment for 2 weeks
Chill for 1 week
Bottle

Don't use a secondary just for clearing. As others have said it's just more cleaning and chance of infection.


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I don't get it. Only reason you get a infection is unclean equipment. To say a procedure is invalid because of a chance of infection is at best a side step away from " Best Practice" .We are dealing with a food stuff HYGIENE is the only golden rule.

As to giving a vegan Gelatine forget it. They may not know or even find out,but you will. Its a respect thing.

Flame suit on.

 

[manticle]

Does anyone know if gelatin or isinglass finings are used in any commercial beers and also, how would a consumer know if they were?

Beers like Sam Smith's specify that they are gelatine free. Most vegans will avoid wine or beer unless they know for sure that it is animal product free.

 

[Black Devil Dog]

In my experience, there is no way that 1 or 2 weeks of cold conditioning clears the beer up like finings do.

Sure, it clears the beer up more than doing nothing, but compared to the job finings does, it falls way short. There many low flocculating yeasts that take an eternity to fall out of suspension and even with cold conditioning you would still need at least a month.

If you want really clear beer, without having to wait weeks and you have vegan friends, (bless their little tortured souls)​, you might need to invest in a filter.

 

[Scooby Tha Newbie]

In my experience, there is no way that 1 or 2 weeks of cold conditioning clears the beer up like finings do.

Sure, it clears the beer up more than doing nothing, but compared to the job finings does, it falls way short. There many low flocculating yeasts that take an eternity to fall out of suspension and even with cold conditioning you would still need at least a month.

If you want really clear beer, without having to wait weeks and you have vegan friends, (bless their little tortured souls)​, you might need to invest in a filter.

+1 or if it's acceptable drink it all natural no harm no foul. Cloudy isn't a crime it's a state of mind. Guaranteed 150 Years ago they couldn't filter to the same degree we do now.