Clearing beer and getting more head

[will4009]

Hello,

I have brewed a few small batch BIAB's and I could use some advice.

I am currently drinking my first batch, a maris otter cascade smash. It had 14 days in primary before bottling bottled, left for two weeks at room temp,then moved into my garage where its cooler. It's currently been bottled for 4 weeks.

The beer tastes great, however it isn't as clear as I hoped. Is their anything I can add during the boil, then would help clear my beer? Would racking in a secondary fermenter help before bottling?

Also, I could use a bit more head....again, is their anything I could add to my future brews, that would give my beer a better head.

Would be grateful for any advice.

 

[Cestrian]

Hi Will, you can use whirfloc or protafloc tablets or a tablespoon of Irish moss in the last 20 minutes of the boil to help clear your beer, by removing haze forming proteins. That’s the first thing to try and that’ all I normally do. If you want really clear beer you can also fine with isinglass or remove chill haze with polyclar, but first try protafloc.

For head retention I usually add 100g or 150g of wheat or wheat malt in the mash, or you can also add a similar amount of crystal malt or carapils malt to help head retention.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

For clearer beer try protofloc as above. How do you cool? I have found better results by cooling quickly then leaving for an hour or two before transferring to the fermenter. I have also experimented with cool crashing the fermenter down to as low as you can go. In my case about 2c for 48 hours. I have to say I dont know how much difference that made though.

 

[foxy]

As above replies, carapils for head retention, cold crash as low as you can go without freezing the beer. And always good to use kettle finings, and if you haven't got a good filter seal up the kettle after cooling for a few hours.

 

[will4009]

Hi Will, you can use whirfloc or protafloc tablets or a tablespoon of Irish moss in the last 20 minutes of the boil to help clear your beer, by removing haze forming proteins. That’s the first thing to try and that’ all I normally do. If you want really clear beer you can also fine with or remove chill haze with polyclar, but first try protafloc.

For head retention I usually add 100g or 150g of wheat or wheat malt in the mash, or you can also add a similar amount of crystal malt or carapils malt to help head retention.

Thanks for the advice. I shall give protaloc and a head retaining malt a try.

Due to brewing smaller batches, I shall have to lower the amount. I am brewing 8-ish litre batches, so starting out with 12 litres in by boiling pot. My grain bill is usually around 2KG. How much crystal/wheat malt and protalfloc should I use?

Thanks

 

[will4009]

For clearer beer try protofloc as above. How do you cool? I have found better results by cooling quickly then leaving for an hour or two before transferring to the fermenter. I have also experimented with cool crashing the fermenter down to as low as you can go. In my case about 2c for 48 hours. I have to say I dont know how much difference that made though.

Chilling is something I have found difficult. I am currently chilling in the sink and changing the water every so often. Due to the size of the sink, it can take a while to drop the temp.

 

[chrisb8]

Also remember that the longer you leave your current batch in a cold garage the clearer it will become as everything settles to the bottom of the bottle. Personally I use Irish moss in the boil and often do a post-fermentation cold crash with gelatine finings, but there is nothing clearer than a lager left over winter in my shed

 

[Ben034]

Thanks for the advice. I shall give protaloc and a head retaining malt a try.

Due to brewing smaller batches, I shall have to lower the amount. I am brewing 8-ish litre batches, so starting out with 12 litres in by boiling pot. My grain bill is usually around 2KG. How much crystal/wheat malt and protalfloc should I use?

Thanks

Crystal really depends on the type of beer you are trying to make. Pale ales, bitters may use up to 10% of the grain bill (could be more or less). American beers often use less (APA's, IPAs etc). If you're only looking to improve head retention, you can as said above add torrified wheat / wheat malt (perhaps 2/3% of the grain bill) to help. This is only a guide and you can experiment to see what works.

Protofloc - you only need a tiny amount - I aim for 1g per 23l. If you don't have gram scales aim for less than a quarter of a tablet per 23l batch. Half that again for 10l or so.

 

[JonBrew]

Protofloc is the way forward. I changed from Irish moss to Protofloc and the difference in clarity in my beers was really noticeable - clear as day you could say. Boom boom!

 

[will4009]

Another quick question, I have a batch currently sitting in my fermenter. Is their anything I can do or add during bottling that will help clear my beer? I understand trish moss and protofloc can only be added during the boil, is there anything that can be added when I bottle?

 

[Clint]

I can get very clear beer...the other....

 

[Keruso]

I can get very clear beer...the other....

Well that was where I was going to go Clint but you got there first

 

[Clint]

Ya can't kid a kidder....

 

[chrisb8]

Well that was where I was going to go Clint but you got there first

Yeah I didn't want to lower the tone when I replied this morning...

 

[labrewski]

Sry but I find if u hand up all your wages u definitely get more head

Just had to

 

[Rodcx500z]

Now more head is interesting

 

[RichardM]

Another quick question, I have a batch currently sitting in my fermenter. Is their anything I can do or add during bottling that will help clear my beer? I understand trish moss and protofloc can only be added during the boil, is there anything that can be added when I bottle?

You can add gelatine to the fermenter before bottling. I've never done it, so don't the details of how much or anything, but if you search on here you will find something

 

[NPi]

I've not experimented with any finings (yet!), but I find filtering when transferring from your pot and FV, as well as letting cold crash my beers are as clear as I would want them.

Might be best to give them another week in a cold garage, time solves most problems.

I bottled this pale SMaSH on 27th April, and I must say its crystal clear now.

Cheers, Nick

 

[Ben034]

Another quick question, I have a batch currently sitting in my fermenter. Is their anything I can do or add during bottling that will help clear my beer? I understand trish moss and protofloc can only be added during the boil, is there anything that can be added when I bottle?

For gelatine, boil about 200ml of water for 10 mins. Wait for water to cool to 80c. Add 1/2 teaspoon gelatine for a 5 gallon batch to the water and stir. Pour into fermenter. Preferably add when fermenter is cold if possible and hold for a few days before bottling / kegging.

 

[will4009]

For gelatine, boil about 200ml of water for 10 mins. Wait for water to cool to 80c. Add 1/2 teaspoon gelatine for a 5 gallon batch to the water and stir. Pour into fermenter. Preferably add when fermenter is cold if possible and hold for a few days before bottling / kegging.

Thanks for that. Can the gelatine be of any type? I have some standard powdered beef gelatine in the cupboard, will that work, or does it need to be a specific sort of gelatine?