Using finings.

[Chris]

Today I got chatting to one of my customers about homebrewing, he said he uses finings in his to get it to clear better.

Is this a wise product to have as I'll be looking at using it in my future brews, beer & cider?

At what point do you put finings in a brew, also how much?

Thanks
Chris :thumb:

 

[Aleman]

It depends on the finings product you use.

For fermented beer I use Auxiliary finings in the FV, added at the end of fermentation just as I Start Crash Cooling. . . . after a few days I then add isinglass, again to the FV, and just gently disperse it into the surface of the beer . . . wait until beer is clear . . . then rack into casks.

Usually Aux Finings are added to the FV at then end of fermentation, the beer is racked into cask and Isinglass added as the cask leaves the brewery . . . this means that the beer should be bright within a day or two at the pub.

 

[Chris]

Thanks Aleman,

I go straight from FV to bottles.

 

[markp]

Could you just clarify please Aleman?....I am unsure also about finings and then the conditioning process in the cask or bottle. I am using bottles at the moment, but will have some cornelius kegs within a week or so.

I'd like to bottle beer with less sediment, but I'm worried about conditioning.
I've read that I can rack beer in to a second vessel after fermentation is complete, and from this reserve a bottle of the beer with suspended yeast in the fridge. Then fine the beer in the vessel (gelatine or isinglass) to starbright and re-rack in to another vessel adding back the previously reserved bottle with the priming sugars....then bottle or keg (hope that makes sense).
My question, is that I am unsure that there will be enough yeast in the one reserved bottle to prime a 40 pint batch?
I can see that a very clear beer can be produced with minimal sediment if there is sufficient yeast remaining.
I'd be graeful of comments.

Further Aleman, I take it by crash cooling....you mean racking fined beer in to a cornelius and then cooling down to force carbonate??

Thanks in advance :)

 

[Leglesstwot]

Could you just clarify please Aleman?....I am unsure also about finings and then the conditioning process in the cask or bottle. I am using bottles at the moment, but will have some cornelius kegs within a week or so.

I'd like to bottle beer with less sediment, but I'm worried about conditioning.
I've read that I can rack beer in to a second vessel after fermentation is complete, and from this reserve a bottle of the beer with suspended yeast in the fridge. Then fine the beer in the vessel (gelatine or isinglass) to starbright and re-rack in to another vessel adding back the previously reserved bottle with the priming sugars....then bottle or keg (hope that makes sense).
My question, is that I am unsure that there will be enough yeast in the one reserved bottle to prime a 40 pint batch?
I can see that a very clear beer can be produced with minimal sediment if there is sufficient yeast remaining.
I'd be graeful of comments.

Further Aleman, I take it by crash cooling....you mean racking fined beer in to a cornelius and then cooling down to force carbonate??

Thanks in advance :)

I have the same quandry, I have just started a Wherry kit my first brew for 6 years and this will be bottled. I have only ever used finings once and the resulting 40 bottles of bitter were clear but as flat as a witches tit as they didn't secondary ferment in the bottle. Is allowing the brew to clear in the FV before secondary ferment in the bottle acceptable and does allowing the brew to clear in the Vat jeapardise a good carbonation. head retention etc?