Users Of Polyclar

[ekul]

Can polyclar be added straight to the keg? So add a teaspoon (of rehydrated polyclar) to the keg, let carbonate for 2 weeks and then serve? I'd love clear beer but i don't want to hassle of a filter, it goes clear if i wait long enough, but who has the time in this drink-a-day world?

 

[Bribie G]

thanks tb, youve answered a few of my questions here in this thread, and then created some more. i usually chuck in about 5g polyclar
to corny, sometimes still getting some chill haze, upped it to 7g and knocked it on the head, therefore my conclusion, a fair bit of coldbreak present.
is there anything else that could be done to reduce these tannins/protiens. protein rests? longer boil? whirflock? wort filter?

You can also hit it at "first base" by adding a PVPP / caragheenan mixture towards the end of boiling. CraftBrewer don't sell it as yet (I believe Ross was going to experiment with packaging options to ensure the product stayed viable after repacking). I bought half a kilo about 2 years ago (as part of a bulk buy) which I've gone through and I now get it from Marks Home Brew Shop Newcastle under the name of BrewBright, comes in sealed tubs and should be kept fridged.

You mix it to a runny paste and chuck it into the boil, and get instant breadcrumb soup forming before your very eyes :icon_cheers:
The clarity of my beers is often, kindly, commented on at club meetings, visitors to my fonts etc. :super:

Edit: this also avoids having to add clearing agents either to secondary or to the keg.

 

[argon]

yep you can add it to the keg... after a bit of time to allow it to settle it'll just end up in the first glass or 2.

For me i don't consider a filter and Polyclar interchangeable. Filter for yeast and debris... Polyclar for chill haze only.
- You can still get hazy beer if you filter
- You can still get hazy beer if you use Polyclar
- Very, very rarely do i get any haze if using both.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

The haze that presented in the secondary at 1c after gelatin?

Ahh - fair enough. Did i read your post properly? - plainly not. Sorry.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

You can also hit it at "first base" by adding a PVPP / caragheenan mixture towards the end of boiling. CraftBrewer don't sell it as yet (I believe Ross was going to experiment with packaging options to ensure the product stayed viable after repacking). I bought half a kilo about 2 years ago (as part of a bulk buy) which I've gone through and I now get it from Marks Home Brew Shop Newcastle under the name of BrewBright, comes in sealed tubs and should be kept fridged.

You mix it to a runny paste and chuck it into the boil, and get instant breadcrumb soup forming before your very eyes :icon_cheers:
The clarity of my beers is often, kindly, commented on at club meetings, visitors to my fonts etc. :super:

Edit: this also avoids having to add clearing agents either to secondary or to the keg.

What dose of brewbright are you using Bribie? I've been using it and quite like it, its a really good kettle finings, and i much prefer to not have to add stuff to my fermenter/keg.... But i found that it wasn't quite doing the job for the chill haze. Much reduced for certain, but not completely knocked on the head as it is when i use it in the fermenter/keg.

Maybe i'm just not tossing in enough of the stuff?

 

[Bribie G]

I use two rounded teaspoons and mix to a runny paste. I look at if from the point of view that the one tub of product replaces two other purchases, so no point in being too stingy. As you say it's excellent kettle finings - absolutely instant in most cases. I also have a pack of plain old Polyclar and use that in CC as an insurance policy if I'm doing a beer that I particularly want to be clear when very cold. However generally I don't use it every time. Like you I find that there can be a bit of chill haze, especially in my all malt brews. But it's hit or miss. Generally they come out nice and clear (I'll be posting my latest Irish Red in "what's in the glass" this afternoon. That was just BrewBright, didn't get CCd (straight into keg from primary) and didn't use gelatine or anything either.

 

[dr K]

I use two rounded teaspoons and mix to a runny paste. I look at if from the point of view that the one tub of product replaces two other purchases, so no point in being too stingy. As you say it's excellent kettle finings - absolutely instant in most cases. I also have a pack of plain old Polyclar and use that in CC as an insurance policy if I'm doing a beer that I particularly want to be clear when very cold. However generally I don't use it every time. Like you I find that there can be a bit of chill haze, especially in my all malt brews. But it's hit or miss. Generally they come out nice and clear (I'll be posting my latest Irish Red in "what's in the glass" this afternoon. That was just BrewBright, didn't get CCd (straight into keg from primary) and didn't use gelatine or anything either.

I use Brewbrite, and have been for some time.
Of course I sell the stuff so be warned.
It is essentially a micronised PVPP mixed a carageenan like compund. It should be made into a slurry and added towards the end of the boil. The idea is that the kettle fining component does its bit and the micronised PVPP is carried onstream, where I guess it eventually drops out !
Warning it it is almost mistlike (possibly a reason why it should be slurried, not certain). MSDS are readily available.

K

 

[mfeighan]

i just noticed t.w.o.c are selling brewbrite now, next time i go there will give it a shot. So from what i gather it is a replacement for whirlfloc which also helps with chill haze? sold in 100g/500g how many double batches would 100g last?

 

[Bribie G]

Whirlfloc helps to flocculate out the hot break, but doesn't do a whole lot for chill haze, which comes more from Polyphenols that get carried over as part of the cold break. However Brewbrite and BrewBright contain carageenan similar to Whirlfloc so they substitute for that, and do it very well. I reckon I get a far superior break to my old Whirlfloc days.


Edit:
According to the instructions on my tubs it should be typically used at the rate of 15g per hectolitre, which come out to around a rounded tsp per 25L. I use a bit more personally but if you follow instructions you would get around 14 double batches out of 100g.

 

[TidalPete]

I use a bit more personally but if you follow instructions you would get around 14 double batches out of 100g.

I'm happy with 10g in 25 litres Bribie so 100g would see me through 10 brews.
Saw a post somewhere on AHB that gave info on how to mix BrewBrite without getting lumps. Something to do with water temp IIRC? Don't suppose anyone can guide me in the right direction?

TP

 

[dr K]

If added 10 minutes before the end of boil ...hydration and mixing are achieved by the vigorous boiling action in the kettle ...quoted from the spec sheet.
email me if want a copy
K

 

[TidalPete]

If added 10 minutes before the end of boil ...hydration and mixing are achieved by the vigorous boiling action in the kettle ...quoted from the spec sheet.
email me if want a copy
K

Thanks for that dr K. :icon_cheers:
All lumps are dissolved after adding at 15 minutes here but was just hoping to get another look at the post I mentioned to avoid getting the lumps in the first place.

TP

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Whirlfloc is actually mostly about cold break bribie - and as a result it does in fact help with chill haze, but its not a complete chill haze solution.

TP - I always mix my brewbright with cold water and just go at it with a teaspoon till the slurry is smooth, then kind of like a custard, I whisk a litre of boiling wort into that, then add the litre back to the main kettle... certainly produces immediate results and no lumps of the stuff floating around in the kettle.

What's your experience with it Dr K? Is it able to be a complete chill haze solution? or is it just OK to knock out the evils if you normally only get a light haze - but not quite up to the job if you usually have a bit of a nasty CH problem?

I'm not sure where I am with it at the moment, I am transiting away from a fairly high protein base malt that I think was the main reason I was getting a decent whack of CH - so perhaps with "better" malt the brew bright will be enough on its own, it wasn't really before.

 

[manticle]

Is it true that very quick chilling removes chill haze at the root cause or is that a palmer created furphy?

Mostly I don't worry about it as it's rare that I drink/serve a beer cold enough to get any haze but I'm interested.

I used polyclar a few times and noticed it does help with chilled beer but I only serve that to non-brewing friends in summer and get clear beer these days with time and cold.

Someone offered me some brew-brite at BB type prices recently so I thought I'd give it a crack (if and when it happens)

 

[Dazza88]

At the risk of exposing my newbness, could I add polyclar vt with whirlpool towards the end of the boil? And get the polyclar to do its thing.

 

[dr K]

as to chill haze..I am of the belief that chill haze is best combated pre fermentation, a full on rolling boil and as fast a chill as possible are easy to achieve and make the work of finings easier, I really do think that even the best post fermentation fining in the world is not going to be completely effective for a beer that has had a simmering boil and slow, or heaven forbid, no chilling ( I am not saying that no chill will give you milky beers or kill you OK, its a choice thing).
brew brite is good, its convenient and its not expensive, its not a silver bullet though
a good ale malt, a rolling boil and quick chill,a flocculant ale yeast and sensible drinking temperatures = clear beer with no finings at all

K

 

[Nick JD]

http://online1.ispcorp.com/en-US/Media/Art...20Brewbrite.pdf

 

[MHB]

Not a bad article on how PVPP works Nick
Unfortunately haze is far from a single part problem with a one answer fix, I use BrewBright and at need Polyclar 70/30, both are combined products containing PVPP and k-Carrageenan in the first and PVPP with Silica Xerogel in the second.
This is a great over view of most aspects of what causes haze and how to tackle it, part of the study material provided by the IBD
View attachment 01___Beer_Stabilisation_part_1_1_.pdfView attachment 04___Beer_stabilisation_part_2_1_.pdf
Ultimately the onus is on the brewer to make good high quality wort that resists haze formation, one point that often gets over looked is the role of Iron (Fe) and Copper (Cu) as a catalyst for haze formation. Everything you can do to minimise exposure to these two from the kettle on downstream is a big assist. But a true fix is a whole of brewery approach optimising the wort for stability, without degrading head forming potential too much.
M

 

[Dazza88]

By the way 2.5 teaspoons of polyclar = 5 grams.

Second attempt at polyclar

 

[Bribie G]

So was Pilsner Urquell chill hazed in the days when they used gradual cooling via a coolship?