Finishing procedures for the average HBer?

[Ceejay]

Following on from a similar thread in November, I'd like to hear some experienced opinions on finishing. I've read GW's "Typical Finishing Proceedure" and there are many different methods that folks employ. For an inexperienced brewer it's all a bit confusing and in my case, having got to the stage where I have really good "green beer" the last thing we want to do is ruin it!

What could be considered an ideal proceedure for your average AG home brewer, including time scales?

Equipment used would be 2 plastic FV's, temperature control by means of moving into warm/cool places. The following factors have to be taken into consideration:

1. Moving the beer away from any break material
2. Minimising aeration and risk of infection
3. Ensuring the desired attenuation
4. Minimising "undesirable" flavours
5. Maximising condition and head retention
6. Final vessel is either a pressure keg or bottles
7. Anything else I've forgotten :lol:

 

[pjbiker]

In my humble experience

1. Moving the beer away from any break material

If you cool in the copper you will keep most break material in there. If you use a counterflow as I do or plate heat exchanger (as a 5BBL microbrewer I know does) then the cold break remains in the fermenter and his beer is 1st class IMO. Wouldn't dare to say the same about mine . Rather than using a secondary, he has the facility to cool the fermenter down to 10 degrees over a couple of days when it reaches desire FG, this drops much of the yeast out of suspension before racking into casks and conditioning (without primer) for minimum 1 week.

2. Minimising aeration and risk of infection
:

if you use a secondary fermenter, best to transfer to it while it's still got a few 'points' to drop so its still going to be producing CO2 to act as a blanket to displace any O2. I prefer to get into a king keg very soon after fermentation finishes or slightly before and accept the yeast sediment will settle out in the Keg rather than using a secondary FV. If bottling, preferable to use secondary as otherwise get more and unstable sediment in bottles. I avoid bottling too much, its tedious.
As for risk of infection, the critical time period is immediately after cooling, before yeast gets going. Many home brewers seal FV lids and use airlocks. After visiting a brewery which uses open top fermenters, I decided not to, just loose fitting (sanitised) lids on plastic fermenters.

3. Ensuring the desired attenuation

Watch your mash temperature. Recently had experience with poor attenuation due to dodgy thermometer and consequent high mash temperature. You'll get to know your particular yeast and can usually make a fair estimate of FG based on OG x0.23 or similar. The few times I did 'extract' brews, the attenuation was rubbish.

4. Minimising "undesirable" flavours

I've reduced boil time from the 'standard'? 90mins down to 75min as some say over boiling can make the bitter, rather more bitter but, suck it and see. My 5BBL friend boils for 75min so I do. Biggest lesson I learned, if using chlorin based sanitisers, rinse, rinse and rinse again or your brew will taste of TCP.

6. Final vessel is either a pressure keg or bottles

mentioned earlier. I boil some water with priming sugar (glucose) at about 3g/L and 1 packet of gelatine/40-50L brew. Wait until sugared water cools down a bit before mixing or fining action is buggered. Takes about a week to clear properly. I've had no positive experience using isinglass fining either dried or pre-mixed. gelatin works for me consistently and is cheap. I have experimented using primary finings (at least 12 hours prior to gelatin) and have not concluded that the fining is any better with it.

 

[Ceejay]

Thanks man, some very good points there. :thumb: I'm more concerned with the proceedures from pitching onwards. e.g if/when to rack off the trub, temperature variation, timescales etc. I.e is it best to rack within a couple of days or wait until 2 points above FG, or just wait a week or 10 days etc etc...