Polyclar After Gassed Up

[hockadays]

Hi Folks,

Made a German Pilsner a month a go and in the last week of fermenting it tasted very similiar to bitburger but when I racked to keg to lager ( one week Later) it had lost most of it's flavour. I decided to dry hop with 15g of hallertau pellets for a week. I then filtered but forgot to add polyclar before filtering. I gassed it up and it has significant haze still and is lacking the flavour I require. So now I have added a Hallertau plug to the keg for another week and then plan to transfer to another keg via zwickle method. My question is can I add the polyclar to the keg 2 days before I re-rack to drop out that remaining haze even though it is gassed up. And will this plan work?

thanks
hockers

 

[Thirsty Boy]

polyclar itself wont be affected by the fact that its gassed up - Are you using polyclar VT (or whatever its called) the one that has the larger particles and will settle rather than needs filtering?

I would be tempted to add the polyclar and let it sit for a good while to settle - then rack. Polyclar doesn't "drop" chill haze, it absorbs one of the chemical components that makes up the chill haze - it pretty much works instantly. What you are waiting for to drop, is the polyclar itself, and if its the fine stuff... it pretty much wont.

You can re-filter under pressure (works, but is painful to do) or you can just lager and rack - which will do the trick mostly. If you get a bit of polyclar into your beer, my understanding is that it will make you fart....

Also, its possible that your haze is as a result of the dry hopping, rather than being chill haze - worth a check before you go to all the trouble.

TB

 

[buttersd70]

If you get a bit of polyclar into your beer, my understanding is that it will make you fart....

Lol, don't know about that. I've had polyclar VT come through into finished beer when I split a filter and didn't realise. For me, at least, it caused a bit of a tickle in the throat. Finaly settled out over a couple of days, and then all was good again. (edit - the keg that is, not the throat. That was only a momentary tickle)

The only advice I can really give beyond what TB said, is if you are going to add to keg and transfer, don't add the polyclar to the recieving keg. Depressurise, and add it to the keg with the beer in it already. Let it settle out for about 4 days (I think it will take longer to settle because of it being carbed), and then transfer. Depending if you have your diptube up or down, either pour off a pint before transferring, or stop the transfer as soon as it starts sucking gas in the line.

 

[Bribie G]

To be sure, get your polyclar from Ross, it settles out nicely but you need to stir it to buggery for ages before adding to brew. I use it in bottling, not kegging (going to bottle one this arv).

Polyclar is totally neutral to the human body and is used as a filler in various pills and tablets, hair sprays and gels and shampoos and is even used, according to Wikipedia as a blood plasma extender.
Might go and make a polyclar sandwich right now

 

[Airgead]

The one thing to keep in mind is that you are dropping a whole bunch of fine particles (ie: nucleation sites) into a carbonated beverage. You are running the risk of making an awful mess. I'd plan on doing it outside...

 

[Thirsty Boy]

oooh, good point.

When I add polyclar to carbonated beer, I do so by injecting it into the gas in post with a plastic syringe body. Pressurise keg, clip relief valve into open position, suck up some polyclar into the syringe. Push the gas in poppet down with the end of the syringe and squeeze in the polyclar - repeat for full amount of polyclar.

Takes a bit longer but avoids opening the keg and letting oxygen in or beer fizz out

 

[hockadays]

Thanks guys for the response. I think I'll take off head pressure and add polyclar via gas in post. Let settle for four days then rack to another keg discarding the first pint or so. If I degassed completely and refiltered I'm guesing I would strip out all the flavour again . What do you think.??
Also polyclar was from Ross..

 

[buttersd70]

As long as the polyclar is left to settle out and then the dregs are discarded, no real reason to refilter it imho. The polyclar that ross sells is the polyclar VT, which is the larger particle one that can just be racked off.

 

[afromaiko]

I'm in a similar situation, and using Polyclar VT. I'm wondering if I can just add it to my keg, let settle and then discard a pint or so without racking to another keg?

 

[Darren]

No problems Afromaiko works a dream.

cheers

Darren

 

[buttersd70]

as long as your dip tube goes to the bottom otherwise, it will be the last pint that has all the crap in it.

 

[afromaiko]

Yes it almost touches, I've left my dip tubes as standard and they were brand new kegs. I'll chill the keg right down and add the Polyclar tomorrow. It should be all settled by Saturday, shouldn't it?

 

[buttersd70]

Yes it almost touches, I've left my dip tubes as standard and they were brand new kegs. I'll chill the keg right down and add the Polyclar tomorrow. It should be all settled by Saturday, shouldn't it?

most likely, I would have thought. It's non toxic anyway, and if you get a little come through in your beer, you'll probably be able to tell...most likely will give a little tickle in the back of the throat at worst.

 

[afromaiko]

It's a few days later now and since I added the Polyclar. There was a bit of crap that came out in the first few glasses, looked similar to yeast. This beer was previously run through a beer filter so it must be the Polyclar. I added 7gms, after doing the agitation procedure etc. I have used Polyclar before but forgot this time. Well the beer is clearer, but some haze still remains. I had chilled the keg down in the deep freeze for a few hours prior to adding the Polyclar. After discarding the first few glasses there is less Polyclar sediment, but still some in there. In the glass it settles out after a few minutes. Hopefully the next few glasses will be better. But I'll have to remember to add it prior to filtering next time as the results seem vastly better that way.

 

[Smashin]

When I initially trialed Polyclar VT I found little difference in chill haze in the finished beer especially considering the extreme amount needed compared to polyclar that is intended for beer, (VT is used to minimise wine pinking). If your going to filter your beer anyway then dont waste you rtime with VT, use Polyclar plus 730 or similar blends of PVPP and Silica xerogel which works on both sides of the chill haze equation (polyphenols and protiens). 4-6g will transform any beers clarity (less for beers with roast grains in the grist). I went through the process doseing and filtering for a long time before trialing Polyclar Brewbrite in the kettle in place of Koppafloc. I still use this to the day and find no need for post fermentation chill haze agents. As most would know when producing very pale beers 15g (per 20l batch) of roast barley in the grist will assist with chillhaze prevention.

As with most issues in brewing look at your current process before trying to fix it with more additives/agents.