Getting Lager Crystal Clear?

[Runwell-Steve]

I plan to brew another Pilsner, this time for a garden party which will be happening in the summer.

I have made a few before, so am fairly comfortable with the recipe.

Brew Length 45 Litres

OG 1.051
IBU 27
ABV 5%

Grain
10Kg Weyermann Floor Malted Bohemian Pilsner Malt
Hops
40g Northern Brewer 60 mins
20g Hallertauer (Mittlefruh) 15 mins
40g Saaz 5 mins
Yeast
WLP800 Pilsner Lager Yeast

All my lagers before have been Bottle conditioned, and have always been a bit cloudy / hazy, this time I want a nice crystal clear bottled beer with no sediment.

Two main things will be helping me achieve this, one is finings, the other is my new Blichmann Beer Gun.

My plan is to brew and ferment as normal, then stick it into cornies to lager for a couple of months prior to carbing up and bottling.

When should I add the finings though?

I was thinking that I should add them after fermentation has finished and before kegging and lagering, is this right?

In order to get rid of chill haze as well should I cool the lager back down once fermentation is finished, to encourage the Chill Haze, then fine while the haze is there?

What finings should I use as well, I was planning on gelatine as it seems easiest.

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[Aleman]

My procedure is quite simple

Ferment 10-14 Days at 10C . . . do D Rest if yeast strain requires it
Drop to 2C, this will cause a lot of yeast to settle out of its own accord, and give it a week
Add Polyclar Plus 730 (5g – 25g per 25L of beer)
Give it a couple of days then add Isinglass
Give it 2 - 5 days and keg

Sorted

Of course it is much easier to do this in a conical, as before adding anything you drop the sediment out of the bottom first. . . . And only rack clear beer out of the racking arm.

 

[Mark1964]

Think time is also a factor for clear beer. As we have been cutting down etc for the last 4 months we have some belgian blond we made when we first started cutting down. Never added any finings etc and its crystal clear. It has been bottled a while maybe thats done the job. Also bottled a pilsner last weekend its now lagering and already the top half of the bottle is clear already :thumb:

 

[Springer]

This sounds interesting Steve. :hmm: and the time of year for it. As Mark said time is important, I alway drink my stock to early, one day I will get in front.
Thanks for the top post A , as always, one question, once it has been kegged, presumably you need the beer gun or something similar to get it into bottles, will this retain enough carbonation :?
Thanks
S
P.S. "easier in a conical", well I have joined the club, should be up and running over Christmas

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Cheers all

I have a similar pilsner bottled already that I made about 8 months ago, it's clear but their is still some haze to it.

I will follow your guidelines Aleman and see how I get on.

I am hoping the Beer Gun will let me keep enough carbonation, it worked on my Weisse, so I imagine the lager will be better as it should foam less.

I have never used finings before as I usually just leave it to clear naturally, but this is for a party and I want it to be perfect.

 

[Darcey]

Let me know who this goes. I am planning on doing a 50L lager batch post xmas for summer. I shall be doing mine on draught but i still want it to be clear as pos. May have to pinch the recipe aswell!