Finings

[BigAlBrewer]

Suddenly without warning, Isinglass became unobtainable. Now I have always used Isinglass, and kept a small stock, but as Covid19 took over my stocks dwindled, and low and behold when I tried to order more it was not available, for whatever reason. So, an alternative product was now the only way to go. So getting back to Isinglass, I used to put 4 desert spoonfuls into my fermented brew just before I screwed the top back on my barrel. Within 5/6 days,I would tap a drop off, leave it to stand for a while, and by judging how long it took to clear, I would assess wether the brew was drinkable. However this new product, a powder that you mix with water, allow to stand for 15 minutes, the resulting liquid resembles wall paper paste, which you add to your brew in the barrel in the normal way. Does it work, does it clear the beer, I’ve had mixed results. One pale ale brew was crystal clear in 5 days, however other’s took for ever, and never really became clear. So I regret the demise of Isinglass, which never failed, and am persevering with this new stuff.
I would be more than pleased to hear from any of you brewers, as to wether you are getting better results than me, or have a better method of applying the said finings to the brew.

 

[starseeker]

I add about a quarter of a tea spoon of Irish moss ,ten minutes before the end of the boil (23l brew )

 

[Galena]

However this new product, a powder that you mix with water

What new product, are going to name it?

 

[Griff097]

I use protoflock at the end if the boil and gelatine after one day of cold crashing, a tea spoon full in 25L.
Has been working magnificently.

 

[BigAlBrewer]

What new product, are going to name it?

I don’t think it’s a new product, probably been around for years, but it’s new to me.

 

[Galena]

I don’t think it’s a new product, probably been around for years, but it’s new to me.

That's expensive, you should consider gelatin if cold crashing as you only need a teaspoon and it's dirt cheap. Also Chitosan if you are not cold crashing or bottling as you only need a few millilitres per batch.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

That's expensive, you should consider gelatin if cold crashing as you only need a teaspoon and it's dirt cheap. Also Chitosan if you are not cold crashing or bottling as you only need a few millilitres per batch.

It costs you twice as much as me. I only use 1/2 teaspoon

 

[BigAlBrewer]

I use protoflock at the end if the boil and gelatine after one day of cold crashing, a tea spoon full in 25L.
Has been working magnificently.

Tell me how the gelatins is administered. I’ve never used this, and have no idea what it looks like, and where to buy it from. I rack my beer into a top tap barrel. Do I put the gelatin in at this stage, and how much do I need.

 

[Griff097]

Tell me how the gelatins is administered. I’ve never used this, and have no idea what it looks like, and where to buy it from. I rack my beer into a top tap barrel. Do I put the gelatin in at this stage, and how much do I need.

Before you rack to a barrel etc put the FV in to the fridge to cold crash, it takes me a day to get from 20 to 8 degrees ish then sprinkle a tea spoon full of gelatine powder over the top and leave to clear for a day or two, then rack to bottles/kegs etc

Makes an immense difference to clarity, I bought this batch from a home brew supplier, can't remember which one, but I believe you can get it in Tesco etc as well as its used in food prep.

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Tell me how the gelatins is administered. I’ve never used this, and have no idea what it looks like, and where to buy it from. I rack my beer into a top tap barrel. Do I put the gelatin in at this stage, and how much do I need.

Here you go:

https://brulosophy.com/2015/01/05/the-gelatin-effect-exbeeriment-results/