Finings

[citizensnips]

Just recently i've been looking into clearning up my beers but have been overloading with different techniques to use. I thought i got the hang of gelatine but now if been hearing of other methods. So i was wondering if someone could explain the differences between these methods
1) Irish Moss
2) Finnings
3) Gelatine and Polycar or are they the same thing?
there seems to be so many different ways. So can someone suggest what i need, my beers are always clear when there in the bottle (warm) however they always seem to get chill haze when in the fridge, so which one out of these three would be suitable for chill haze.

 

[reviled]

Polyclar's the one for you mate...

 

[boingk]

EDIT: There we go.

Cheers - boingk

 

[RetsamHsam]

Polyclar is the one you need if you are getting chill haze in your beers.

All of the others work on removing suspended yeast and other crap..

Whereas polyclar works on removing haze causing proteins.

 

[reviled]

Finnings/gelatin/polyclar are, as far as I know, all pretty mucht the same thing. So no stress there.

Irish moss is a kettle addition that lets things flocculate and coagulate somewhat into a central cone during the whirlpool, letting you drain off wort without disturbing the trub.

Cheers - boingk

Islinglass (finings) and gelatine arent for chill haze, its for making the yeast drop out.. Polyclar is for chill haze, and irish moss may help as well, or koppafloc/whirfloc (same thing really)

 

[brendo]

You should also note that Irish Moss (koppafloc/whirlfloc) is a kettle fining - added for the last 10-15 mins of the boil.

Brendo

 

[rich_lamb]

"Finings" is the generic term for "stuff you add to your beer to improve clarity" - this includes polyclar and gelatin. I don't use either so I'd be talking through my hat to recommend either one. Polyclar is plastic based, while gelatin is made from old horses :huh: . I expect they both do the same thing; someone will be able to tell you.

Now more of a question which may apply: are finings more effective against chill haze when the beer is cold? If the proteins re-dissolve as temperature increases, can you effectively floculate them?


Irish moss is a kettle additive (sometimes called "kettle fining") which helps coagulate hot break and suspended trub in your kettle. So it's actually a completely different thing, but works similarly.

 

[jayse]

Yes the beer should be cold, don't know how people are using gelatin but if the beer is very very cold then it should work on chill haze. Gelatin should be added to cold beer anyway.

 

[PostModern]

What a ridiculous thread title. I've edited it.

 

[Bribie G]

Yes the beer should be cold, don't know how people are using gelatin but if the beer is very very cold then it should work on chill haze. Gelatin should be added to cold beer anyway.

Gelatine can be added at any temperature. Here's one that I posted on another thread after 46 hours in the bottle (I added the gelatine at the same time as priming. At that stage the brew would have been around 24 degrees )



However Polyclar works best if added to cold beer as per instructions on the packet.

 

[jayse]

Gelatine can be added at any temperature. Here's one that I posted on another thread after 46 hours in the bottle (I added the gelatine at the same time as priming. At that stage the brew would have been around 24 degrees )

Yes is can be added at any temp, after all whats to stop you. Just it won't beable to remove any chill haze unless its cold enough for the haze to form in the first place.
Personally I don't drink beer at a temp cold enough to have chill haze B)

 

[citizensnips]

Oright thanks for the answers guys, that clears alot of confusion up

 

[citizensnips]

Gelatine can be added at any temperature. Here's one that I posted on another thread after 46 hours in the bottle (I added the gelatine at the same time as priming. At that stage the brew would have been around 24 degrees )

View attachment 25131

However Polyclar works best if added to cold beer as per instructions on the packet.

BribieG in your opinion did the gelatine affect the bottled beer in any way? and did it work as effectively as other methods using gelatine?

 

[chappo1970]

Eddy(VADER?)22,
I know it can get confusing and EVERYBODY has an opinion on the subject. Best thing is consider some the excellent advice that has been posted here. Do some more forum searching on "GELATINE+FINES+POLYCLAR". These are you best bet to obtaining a nice clear beer. I don't mind my beer a little cloudy but that's a personal taste.
Are you kegging or bottling?

EDIT: There we go.

Cheers - boingk

You know it boingk! :lol:

Gelatine can be added at any temperature. Here's one that I posted on another thread after 46 hours in the bottle (I added the gelatine at the same time as priming. At that stage the brew would have been around 24 degrees )

View attachment 25131

However Polyclar works best if added to cold beer as per instructions on the packet.

BribieG! Mate where are the 2lt PET goons? Oh I know that's the next mini comp winner isn't it? I am on to you Bribe-ster!

 

[Bribie G]

BribieG in your opinion did the gelatine affect the bottled beer in any way? and did it work as effectively as other methods using gelatine?

1. It made it a lot clearer.
2. Hard to say because adding the gelatine during cold conditioning doesn't give an immediate visual result and the beer could have been nice and clear in the bottle without gelatining. It's something one takes on trust.

Chappo:

 

[chappo1970]

Chappo:

View attachment 25132

There they are! :lol:

Didn't want you going all fancy on me Bribie

 

[Ade42]

Ive just made up my first batch, and when i was at Big W saw all the other packets of stuff for around 90c so bought some finninga snd more yeast,
I know most guys use a secondary conatiner to "clean" the beer, BUt i don't have anything fancy like that.

so my Question is
Can I add the finnings to the wurt? and if so when? do i have to add it to water 1st? and if i can add it how long should i wait before bottling

 

[whitegoose]

Ive just made up my first batch, and when i was at Big W saw all the other packets of stuff for around 90c so bought some finninga snd more yeast,
I know most guys use a secondary conatiner to "clean" the beer, BUt i don't have anything fancy like that.

so my Question is
Can I add the finnings to the wurt? and if so when? do i have to add it to water 1st? and if i can add it how long should i wait before bottling

I'm interested in the answers to these questions as well...

I've just done my first (mostly) extract brew with my first hop boil and first grain steeping and now 4 days after dropping the lot in the fermenter I've started to take hydrometer readings. It's reeeeeeeaaaally murky/cloudy. I pulled 4 tubes full to clear out the tap and it's still really murky. I know it has a long time to settle down in the bottle but when I was doing k&k brews it never looked this murky.

Is this a job for finings? Can I add finings to the wort without racking to a second fermenter? If so, which sort of finings?

 

[chappo1970]

I'm interested in the answers to these questions as well...

I've just done my first (mostly) extract brew with my first hop boil and first grain steeping and now 4 days after dropping the lot in the fermenter I've started to take hydrometer readings. It's reeeeeeeaaaally murky/cloudy. I pulled 4 tubes full to clear out the tap and it's still really murky. I know it has a long time to settle down in the bottle but when I was doing k&k brews it never looked this murky.

Is this a job for finings? Can I add finings to the wort without racking to a second fermenter? If so, which sort of finings?

In short yes it helps to brighten/clear your brew. Finings are generally just your garden variety gelatine. I buy the 5 sachet packs from coles, woolies etc... Not worth buying the stuff in the HB section as they gerally don't have enough gelatine in the there IMO plus 0.99c each vs $2 for 5. I buy the sachets so I don't forget reseal the packet. Brains like a bag of bricks yada yada.

Boil the jug and sanitize a measuring cup. Add gelatine sachet, boiling water and stir with a fork until dissolved. Pour into secondary fementer/vessel and rack brew on top. Let sit for 24, 48 and so on. You can crash chill afterward to clear the beer further. The gelatine clumps the yeast together and drops to the bottom of the fementer. From memory the gelatine is negatively charged and yeast is positive so they attract become dense and drop to the bottom, I am sure I will be corrected if wrong.

As for the kits and bits I can assure you it will clear up some. All my k&B's started that way and then dropped bright. Anyway search GELATINE and I am sure you will find some simular posts to helpyou out.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Any one tried egg whites, I worked in a brewery that used egg whites and it seemed to work ?They even thru in the egg shells.WTF? Apparently it was a secret Alco ginger beer recipe.SHHHH I didnt say a thing.
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