What Is Best Way To Reduce Sediment

[manticle]

I didn't mean you but I am slightly better than you*


* in terms of general handsomeness and being able to negotiate with terrorists.

 

[Brewman_]

it's homebrew. It has sediment.

Your home brew does not have to have any sediment. This depends entirely on your process, and sediment can be completely removed. I make some beers this way and it really surprises people who expect the beer to look like river water.

Some good info above.

Personally I find the biggest improvement in clearing beer came with crash chilling for a period of time to allow the finings, gelatine, polyclar or what ever you choose to use, to work. Also critical to beer that is clear and stable - clarity wise, is that your crash chill must be at a lower temperature than your serving temperature. So if you serve at 3 Deg.C, then the chill must be less. I go for at least 3 degrees less, to allow some warming while I keg and so that it does not get above 3 Deg.C. Reason is if you are removing any chill haze you must form it below your serving temperature if you are to ensure it does not generate at serving temps.

Fear_n_Loath

 

[jbowers]

Clear beer is overrated. Nearly all of my favourite commercial beers have been impossible to see through.

 

[Brewman_]

Clear beer is overrated. Nearly all of my favourite commercial beers have been impossible to see through.

Hey, I tend to agree.

I do know where posters are coming from with these questions though. I know I have put effort into clearing beer, improving Hop tastes, aromas, blends, use of various ,malts etc. I now find clearing beer is far less important once I have understand it and can control in how I want depending on what I am making.

Fear_n_Loath

 

[jbowers]

To be honest, I was just stirring. Most of my favourite beers are styles that dont need to be clear. That being said, I wouldnt like to drink a murky pilsener.

 

[user 10246]

The so called 20L Willow cube actually holds 23 litres when full and makes a perfect cold conditioning tank.

Hey BribieG, I've been wondering about this. So those are good for transferring a 23L batch into for secondary, brilliant!!

They have a smaller footprint than the normal round fermenter, will give me more brewing room

 

[rendo]

Hi BribieG and others,

These 20/23L willow containers, have me sold.

How do you bottle out of these? There isnt a tap is there? Do you fit one? Do you transfer out and bulk prime in another vessel. I bottle, so kegging is out for me

Please enlighten me, then i will frantically rush to bunnings and buy one or six

Hey BribieG, I've been wondering about this. So those are good for transferring a 23L batch into for secondary, brilliant!!

They have a smaller footprint than the normal round fermenter, will give me more brewing room

 

[manticle]

There's a thread, same diameter as average fermenters. Easy to fit a tap.


You can use it for no chill, secondary and even fermenting if you loosen the lid ever so slightly.

 

[user 10246]

You can use it for no chill, secondary and even fermenting if you loosen the lid ever so slightly.

You could probably put an airlock in the lid of that 20L container you reckon?

 

[manticle]

You could but it's kind of pointless. The beauty of a cube with an intact lid is you can no chill in it, house in secondary for an extended period and ferment in it. I'd put a piece of glad wrap over the aperture with a rubber band, then pop the lid on. Do it up so it's just finger tight, then back it off a touch. This is what I've done several times previously (doing it again tomorrow) with no issues. If the container gets completely full you will get krausen spillage so watch the volume and make the fermentation usage yeast dependent.

 

[user 10246]

Cool, thanks mate

 

[rendo]

Just sent BribieG this PM...

anyone else like to chime in on these 20L willow containers. (well 23L). They look like they were a gift from god to aussie home brewers. Go Willow!

Hi BG,

I just bought a 20l willow container....i often rack to secondary, but i have just scored a tempmate and a fridge, so I am keen to use this vessel to cold crash...or should I just use the primary?

WOuld it be good for lagering lagers? eg 6 weeks at 4-6degrees???

I am brewing ale at the moment, Little creatures bright ale, will be in primary for about 10 days or 2 weeks, then I was going to xfer to this new 20L willow container and chuck it in the brew fridge to cold crash.

What degrees do you recommend? and for how long? 10 days...is longer not a good idea re:yeast?

PS...I bottle only...so i will need SOME yeast

Also, whats your tips on cleaning the new willow container? Am excited about it....although I cant help shake the feeling that I am putting beer in what looks like a petrol container!!! haha

Sorry for the PM...but I know u have one and can help me

Yes US -05 is a great little yeast but can be hard to clear compared to others.

I brew AG and my Method, with any yeast:

Ferment in primary for around 10 days in the case of an ale.
Rack to a 23 litre Willow Cube along with a dose of gelatine finings, and cold crash for another 10 days
Two days before kegging or bottling add Polyclar to reduce chill haze.

Keg or bottle.

The beer may appear crystal clear on bottling and you wonder how it is ever going to carb up, but it does - it does :icon_cheers:

The so called 20L Willow cube actually holds 23 litres when full and makes a perfect cold conditioning tank.

You should end up with minimal sediment. edit: NME beat me to it

 

[manticle]

Just sent BribieG this PM...

anyone else like to chime in on these 20L willow containers. (well 23L). They look like they were a gift from god to aussie home brewers. Go Willow!

Hi BG,

I just bought a 20l willow container....i often rack to secondary, but i have just scored a tempmate and a fridge, so I am keen to use this vessel to cold crash...or should I just use the primary?

WOuld it be good for lagering lagers? eg 6 weeks at 4-6degrees???

I am brewing ale at the moment, Little creatures bright ale, will be in primary for about 10 days or 2 weeks, then I was going to xfer to this new 20L willow container and chuck it in the brew fridge to cold crash.

What degrees do you recommend? and for how long? 10 days...is longer not a good idea re:yeast?

PS...I bottle only...so i will need SOME yeast

Also, whats your tips on cleaning the new willow container? Am excited about it....although I cant help shake the feeling that I am putting beer in what looks like a petrol container!!! haha

Sorry for the PM...but I know u have one and can help me

Those containers will be fine for lagering and cold conditioning. I cold condition all my ales for around 1 week. Longer is fine. There still will be enough yeast to carb up unless you start leaving your beer in the fridge for months rather than weeks.

To clean, just rinse out straight away then give a good soak with sodium percarbonate and hot water. Overnight is best. Rinse well and use the water on the garden or to clean your bathroom or something. Then sanitise as normal before use.

 

[rendo]

Thanks Manticle,

What temp approx do you use for cold conditioning???

I will read the many threads in CC here in the next few days. I have read them before, but it was a long time ago

Those containers will be fine for lagering and cold conditioning. I cold condition all my ales for around 1 week. Longer is fine. There still will be enough yeast to carb up unless you start leaving your beer in the fridge for months rather than weeks.

To clean, just rinse out straight away then give a good soak with sodium percarbonate and hot water. Overnight is best. Rinse well and use the water on the garden or to clean your bathroom or something. Then sanitise as normal before use.

 

[warra48]

The OP asked for the "best" way to reduce sediment.

All of the methods mentioned in the earlier posts will work and are good, but the "best" way is "time". It's also the easiest!

Opened up my first longneck yesterday of an APA brewed on 2 Jan this year. It sat at 18C for 9 days. I dry hopped it and dropped the temp to 3C for another 19 days. I bottled straight from primary on 30 Jan.

The beer is one of the clearest I've ever brewed.

 

[rendo]

Hi Manticle,

Am going to use my new willow cube to brew the 9L grand cru brew....but...

I understand why you would put glad wrap and rubber band (i dont know how the gas escapes though?) I am about to make the "glad wrap leap"

But why would you put the lid back on (loosely)?

Just trying to learn from the master Do tell...

I'd put a piece of glad wrap over the aperture with a rubber band, then pop the lid on. Do it up so it's just finger tight, then back it off a touch.

 

[manticle]

Firstly I'm far from a master. I'm still learning and hope to be for many years.

Secondly a lot of people use glad and rubber over their fermenters (I have done as well) with no issue. Believe me the gas escapes. Plastic is oxygen permeable so it's not unfathomable that it might be carbon dioxide permeable.

The reason I like to wack the lid back on is that the lid is much more of a protective layer than plastic wrap. I mean protective from a physical point of view like when you fall over and put your hand out to stop yourself and stick your hand in or a rat visists your brewery while you're out.

To be honest, I don't really use the glad much anymore - just the lid and slightly backed off.

You could get away wih any combination - glad/rubber, glad/rubber plus lid or just lid.