Which brews benefit from finings?

[memainmon]

I know it will make them all ''pretty'' but which styles would it hurt or improve flavour?

 

[MHB]

Probably not a good idea to fine hefeweizen!
Depends on what you want to accomplish and when in the brewing cycle you are talking. Kettle finings are to my mind always a good idea, post ferment in a Lager/Pilsner for sure (if you choose the right fining) as these are really all about clarity and cleanness.

Really hoppy ales where a large fraction of the haze is from hops, probably not, but most people don't mind a bit of haze in an ale, thanks largely to generations of Coopers drinkers.
If the haze is from starch, most finings wont help, but all things considered if you want your beer to look and taste like its professionally made - fine it.
Mark

 

[manticle]

Depends a bit on the fining and desired result. Most post fermentation finings speed up what can be achieved with time, cold and some kind of racking. The main one that makes a difference to taste in my experience is anything that drops yeast out. A chill hazed beer tastes similar to a non-chill hazed beer but one swimming with yeast is quite different to a clear beer.
Since kegging, I've gone back to gelatin for most beers and that is mostly flavour related.
Thus, as above hefe and other beers that rely on suspended yeast for flavour profile - leave. Everything else - fine, condition or filter till reasonably clear.

 

[memainmon]

Depends a bit on the fining and desired result. Most post fermentation finings speed up what can be achieved with time, cold and some kind of racking. The main one that makes a difference to taste in my experience is anything that drops yeast out. A chill hazed beer tastes similar to a non-chill hazed beer but one swimming with yeast is quite different to a clear beer.
Since kegging, I've gone back to gelatin for most beers and that is mostly flavour related.
Thus, as above hefe and other beers that rely on suspended yeast for flavour profile - leave. Everything else - fine, condition or filter till reasonably clear.

Hi mate what do you think of gelatin finings in a stout (esb to be specific) good idea or not?

 

[Moad]

If you can taste yeast and its undesirable then go for it. If it doesn't taste bad and you can't see cloudiness then why bother?

 

[manticle]

Hi mate what do you think of gelatin finings in a stout (esb to be specific) good idea or not?

Like I said - it's about the flavour that yeast haze has. I can taste it in a stout, I can taste it in a lager. If you don't like that flavour, fining is one way to remove it. Time, gravity, cold, filtering and racking are others. Whatever method or combo works for you.

Add to that - while flavour is paramount, I can understand people wanting their beer to present well so 'it doesn't matter' is an opinion with which you may reasonably disagree.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I reckon the best way to test this is in conditioned lagered bottles. Side by side try one clear, one cloudy.
You might prefer to carefully pour an impressively crystal clear glass which is mostly a visual quality I've found and cleaner taste somewhat?
You might prefer to gently roll the bottle and stir it all up before opening to get the other more broad and rounded flavors with cloudyness.
I was obsessed with clearing beer with finings but now i think the less additives the better.
I use whirfloc (Irish Moss) in the boil and thats it.
To get the same clarity with no added horses hooves or fish guts you just have to let it sit longer refrigerated without drinking it.
Yeah right! and for what? Just to say WOW! Look how clear it is!!!! B)

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Well made beer does not need finnings


Those that drink that "stuff" that is dont appreciate good beer

 

[Black Devil Dog]

Some beers benefit greatly from finings. Lagers and Kolschs are 2 styles that I always use gelatin in. I don't filter and I find that Kolsch yeasts in particular, take a long time to clear, even when chilled for several weeks. Gelatin gets the job done quickly and effectively.

In most ales it's less important, but can be beneficial for some and there are other styles it's actually desirable to have yeast in suspension.

A fining that can help with chill haze is polyclar, have used it a few times, but tend not to bother anymore.

A 'new' product that I heard about on the weekend is Brewtan, apparently it's added during the boil, like whirflok, and is beneficial in reducing chill haze. There might be someone who has used it and can comment on its effectiveness.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Well made beer does not need finnings


Those that drink that "stuff" that is dont appreciate good beer

Bit harsh...sorry..

 

[AndrewQLD]

Some beers benefit greatly from finings. Lagers and Kolschs are 2 styles that I always use gelatin in. I don't filter and I find that Kolsch yeasts in particular, take a long time to clear, even when chilled for several weeks. Gelatin gets the job done quickly and effectively.

In most ales it's less important, but can be beneficial for some and there are other styles it's actually desirable to have yeast in suspension.

A fining that can help with chill haze is polyclar, have used it a few times, but tend not to bother anymore.

A 'new' product that I heard about on the weekend is Brewtan, apparently it's added during the boil, like whirflok, and is beneficial in reducing chill haze. There might be someone who has used it and can comment on its effectiveness.

I've used brewtan B several times and I'm not happy with the results, unless you filter the end results are very murky. Have since discovered this is more a flavour and colloidal stabiliser with some protein haze reduction ability and in no way compares to the results obtained by using BrewBrite as far as wort clarity and protein haze reduction goes.

Brewtan B seems to work better in conjunction with Whirlfloc - T or Whirlfloc - B added at 15 minutes before flame out and the Brewtan added 5 minutes before flame out.

 

[Rocker1986]

I bottle my beers, and I have tried gelatine, but I find it makes the yeast sediment fluffy and easily disturbed, which kind of defeats the purpose really. The other reason I stopped using it is because in the bottles, the yeast drop out perfectly fine on their own just by being left in the storage cupboard for a few weeks, so it's of no real use to me anyway. If I was kegging it would be of more use as the yeast will take longer to drop out of a larger volume like that.

I recently started using Polyclar, which is described as a colloidal stabiliser as well, however it drops out polyphenols rather than proteins, eliminating that half of the chill haze equation while not having any adverse affects on body, mouthfeel or head retention. Supposedly removing these polyphenols also prevents off flavours developing from longer term storage, although most of my beers don't last long enough to suffer that anyway. :lol:

Visual appearance can affect one's perception of flavour, some people prefer beers that are clear, some don't give a shit. There is no right or wrong, it's just personal preference. If you like it clear, use finings, if you don't care, then don't use them. It's not rocket surgery. B)