Eliminating Sediment in bottles

[faustino123]

I've got a lot of brews under my belt now, and would like to see if I can brew something and completely eliminate sediment in the bottles, or at least bring to a minimum.

I'd try this on probably an IPA made from a kit.

Anyone tell me how I would go about this other than a series of filters, which was how i was thinking I should do it.

 

[JamesMcS]

I would say either filtering or fining racking a couple of times. Filtering will give you the best result, but you'll have to force carb your beer as there won't be any yeast

 

[thebarnsleybrewer]

having just returned from a weekend in Amsterdam, we were in a real ale and Belgian Beer specialist boozer. All the bottled beers I tried were all bottle conditioned (stouts, IPA's, Belgian Blonde, Wheat Beer the lot) and all had varying levels of sediment in the bottle. I don't think we should be trying to eliminate this completely, as it adds character, flavour and carbonation and in essence this is the difference between what we make and the mass produced dirty dishwater sold in the supermarkets.

 

[JamesMcS]

Not sure how you'd carbonate in bottles without it to be honest - it would have to be in a corny

 

[faustino123]

Right, so I'd have to keg it then really.
I guess in which case it sort of defeats my purpose.

If I'm kegging it, then any that i pour will not have sediment anyway.

I was thinking to get bottles without sediment so that anyone drinking it doesn't necessarily have to pour the whole bottle into the glass in one go. I use quite a few 750ml flip top bottles, which can't be poured in one go, so when you top up from it you end up with a cloudy beer as the sediment is disturbed with the first pour.

 

[JamesMcS]

Unfortunately so - desirable for some beers bit less in others...

I think the longer it's cold stored, the more compacted the yeast will become - so you'll suffer less as time goes on.

I've used 660ml bottles to bottle some cider up - I've looked for a big enough glass, but have had to settle for two smaller ones with a bit of cordial to improve the taste a bit

 

[JamesMcS]

I guess the biggest advantage of filtered beer is that it's portable - no sediment to stir up in a corny is there?

 

[Duxuk]

If any part of the kit gets boiled you could add a teaspoon of irish moss for 10 minutes of the boil. otherwise there is gelatine and various other finings. Whatever you choose you need to leave it in the FV for 3 weeks or even longer until it is as clear as you wish to see it in the glass. You may consider transfering it to a second FV after about 2 weeks, as this will also help. There will still be a tiny amount of yeast but very little of anything else. Bottle and carbonate normally and you will find almost nothing in the bottom of the bottle.
You might also like to ask a homebrew shop or supplier for a highly floculant yeast to use instead of the kit yeast. WHat a wonderfull word that is. I presume it just means that the yeast flock together and stick to the bottle. That way you will have a beer which is virtually free from sediment or cloudiness:drink:

 

[JamesMcS]

Wouldn't carbonation take donkeys then though duxuk?

 

[rgc_911]

this is a great idea, but needs screw top bottles and I've no idea of the cost or where to get them in the UK

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2PPBmJZFd0"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2PPBmJZFd0[/ame]

cheers
Russ

 

[JamesMcS]

That does look pretty cool. Wonder if it works with plastic bottles?

 

[marksa222]

Would a blichmann beer gun do well? If you have a corny and then transfer to bottles once carbonated? Id imagine that would have minimal sediment in... more of a guess mind.

 

[Fuzzlebutt]

I have tried the sedex caps, had to order them from Australia, they cost alot then had to pay import charges on top. They do work but you need the room to stand all your bottles upside down. And they take some time to do, after about a month you gotta twist/shake each one, as some sediment settles on the shoulders. I stick to barreling for home, but every so often will put a gallon of so into bottles so i can take to parties etc. After a few months you can disconnect the bottom and store upright. Looking back i think it would have been cheaper and easier to get a carbonation cap, and a co2 bottle with a regulator and just force carb in pop bottles.

P.S. the sedex caps won't work on plastic bottles only those screw top beer bottles.

 

[JamesMcS]

So it is possible to force carb in bottles? I knew that pop bottles were strong, I didn't know there was a connector you could use though... Interesting!

 

[faustino123]

Thanks guys. Lots of good info here.
I think though, I just need to invest in a Corny or two.

 

[Duxuk]

Just to add a bit to my previous comment about only bottling when it's clear. It really doesn't seem to make a difference to the time it takes to secondary ferment in the bottles. Most of what you are not putting in the bottles must be other sediment, not yeast.:shock:

 

[Fresh from the Earth]

I might as well add my little bit. I found that Mangrove Jacks craft series Mo7 English Ale Yeast flocculates so well, that you can pour the the whole bottle without any sediment escaping into your glass. I suppose if you try to shake it up it would, but its the best I have found so far, with or without fining.

 

[JamesMcS]

Ah - I thought it was just time that made for a compact cake, I didn't realise it was yeast as well... I'll remember that one, thanks fresh

 

[Rolfster]

At the risk of stating the obvious, it the problem is pouring a 750ml bottle into 2 different glasses and stiring up the yeast cake.............use a jug and pour into each glass.
Otherwise its filter, force carb, then bottle, like the beer you buy in the super market.

 

[Fuzzlebutt]

It is possible to force carb in pop bottles, they can take way more pressure than you need to carb. Only place i saw them though was the US http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Corney-Co...173?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20e65a5ce5

I have just drilled a hole through a pop bottle lid and fitted a tyre valve. There are a few youtube vids out there with people doing this. But i have yet to get the bit to connect to the co2 line, I will mention if you do this, change the lid once you have carbed it, left one for a few weeks and when i opened the bottle it smelt of rubber.