Help, forgot the protofloc ! What to do...

[Brett74]

Had a great brewday with my daughter today, she is 10 and very interested in making films so she filmed the whole day and is busy putting it together, "Brewing beer with the Grainfather" she has called it.
Anyway, some two hours after pitching the yeast I had this sneaking feeling I had forgotten something, ah yes, the effing Protofloc !
Any suggestions how to rectify this? I don't want a cloudy Punk IPA !
Hope you guys have something up your sleeves!

 

[Thodd]

After its finished fermenting - dissolve gelatin in warm water and add it to the FV and cold crash it.

I'm pretty sure this will cause all sorts of stuff to drop out of the beer and clear it up.

 

[Bigjas]

I've done this. I put some Beer Finings from Wilkos in after fermentation had finished. Ended up with quite a clear ish beer.

 

[MyQul]

Time - If you leave it long enough it'll clear on it's own.

 

[aamcle]

nothing it will still clear just wait a bit longer.


aamcle

 

[darkbright]

Done this a few times. Just leave it a bit longer before bottling. It didn't really make a lot of difference

 

[Brett74]

Ok, been meaning to try gelatine as a clearing agent, will google some about that and figure out how much etc.... thanks guys!

 

[Thodd]

I use Gelatine sheets - from the baking aisle in the supermarket. doctor oetker i think the brand is, but i guess it won't make too much difference.

I use a single sheet for a 5 gallon batch.
- a "splash" of water in a saucepan, and then drop the sheet in.
- let it soak for a couple of mins.
- gently heat it on the hob, stirring until its all melted.
- Pour straight into FV.

easy peasy.

 

[Cwrw666]

Just store your beer somewhere cold. Gelatine works but only saves you a week or so of cold storage. Or buy a pewter tankard.

 

[MickDundee]

If you use gelatine, make sure you warn anybody you are giving bottles to if they are vegetarian!

 

[mike77]

The cows it's made from are vegetarian/herbivore so it's fine for veggies

 

[peebee]

Doubt you'll notice much (any?) difference. Brewing when the wind is in the SE and when the moon is full; now THAT'LL make a difference. Did you check?

I religiously added Irish Moss (never rehydrated - a no-no these days it seems) before moving to the more convenient Protofloc tablets. They help proteins to clump together and fall out of solution ("break"). "Helps", that doesn't mean there is no "hot break" and "cold break" without it. And the big gluey clumps help clog up your hop filter ... perhaps I need to get more forgetful. Leaving too much protein in the wort gives more work for later finings, and the haze generated by protein might become permanent. "Protein haze" is more often seen in very cold beer. But its haze, not cloudy. Big deal.

Later finings will attract protein as well as other haze particles (yeast mainly). Hence all the suggestions to use the rendered bones of cattle (gelatine). It won't clear any "permanent" protein haze, or starch haze from ineffective mashing, but we aren't trying to sell beer to the public. If you don't fancy dead cow floating in your beer, do what I do and use fish guts (isinglass). But I don't bother if not drinking the beer for 2-3 weeks 'cos it'll clear itself by then.

Dead cow, fish guts, seaweed (Protofloc and Irish Moss) ... what is we are trying to make again?

 

[Brewmarc]

Don't worry, it,l be fine Iv done many brews without copper finings. Actually the yeast love the stuff left in without it, so just go with it, it's not the end of the world.
Oh & just my thing but these days I never post ferment, fine my beer, I do think it takes something out, patience is the best finings available & it's free.

 

[Brett74]

Thanks for all the suggestions guys, think I am going to go with the gelatin, cold crash and patience ! Will post the results...maybe I should bottle a few before all of the above and see the difference ?.

 

[peebee]

Noooo.... Don't "cold crash". It creates a haze, red in colour, actually on everything you look at not just the beer. And great globs of mucus appear, out the side of your mouth, not the beer.

Or is that just me?

Anyway, did someone mention "cold crash"? I'm feeling all weak and will have to lie down a while...

 

[Brett74]

Peebee, what are you on about? Been hitting the big beers hard or?

 

[peebee]

Peebee, what are you on about? Been hitting the big beers hard or?

Nope! In the midst of my regular alcohol abstention days. Although that's a good reason to be off me head.

I just come over all funny when I hear that horrid "cold c****" phrase. Who was guilty of inventing it? An Americanism? Does that mean we'll have Donald Trump clones over here soon?