Should I bottle this now, or wait?

[moto748]

This is my attempt at a kolsch. I have three demi-johns like this. The yeast was pitched on the 28th, so that's a fortnight tomorrow. Most brews I would have bottled long since, but thus far I've thought it better to leave this one. The appearance is a little misleading, although there are some bubbles on the top, there really isn't a lot happening, it tastes quite 'flat', and the gravity is 1009 and has been so for some days now. One reason I've delayed is that I hoped it would clear a little more before bottling. Can't say that's really been the case, though. Is there anything to be gained (or, conversely, any risk?) in leaving it for say another week, or might I as well bottle it now?

 

[pilgrimhudd]

I think if the gravity has been steady then it's ready to bottle obviously (i'm sure you knew that) but it wouldn't hurt to leave it another week? I'd be surprised if it cleared much more than that in a week though. I'd be tempted to bottle and leave it to clear in the bottle, unless you keg... in which case i've not got a clue.

 

[moto748]

This, from the W34/70 Not Packing Down thread:

To be honest it doesn't make too much difference as you only need a gram or so of either to get up to 50ppm. In theory you'd prefer extra sulphate for a more bitter lager like a pilsner and extra chloride for something like a helles, but I'd probably go for chloride regardless as it's such a small amount and chloride is easier to dissolve.

You can still add a bit of Nottingham or Wilko ale yeast to help co-flocculate it, even at this stage.

made me wonder, would I be crazy to try that? I was wondering about maybe bottling two of the three demi-johns now, and adding a small quantity of neutral yeast like that to the third, and leaving it for another week...?

 

[RichardM]

This, from the W34/70 Not Packing Down thread:



made me wonder, would I be crazy to try that? I was wondering about maybe bottling two of the three demi-johns now, and adding a small quantity of neutral yeast like that to the third, and leaving it for another week...?

If the gravity is 1009 it is done. Why would you want to add more yeast?

 

[moto748]

To try to clarify it further, Richard, was the idea.

 

[Alan_Reginato]

Hey. Put it in the fridge for a week, if you want a clearer beer. Usually helps.

 

[pilgrimhudd]

This, from the W34/70 Not Packing Down thread:



made me wonder, would I be crazy to try that? I was wondering about maybe bottling two of the three demi-johns now, and adding a small quantity of neutral yeast like that to the third, and leaving it for another week...?

Personally don't think it'll make any difference but am interested to see if it does!

 

[DavidDetroit]

Can't say that's really been the case, though. Is there anything to be gained (or, conversely, any risk?) in leaving it for say another week, or might I as well bottle it now?

Not really anything to gain. I'd bottle and carb at a good temp. As soon as it's carbed, a cool place or refrigerator to clear. I don't think you want to age and age that one so a fridge would be ideal.
Cheers.

 

[RichardM]

To try to clarify it further, Richard, was the idea.

Adding more yeast won't help it clear, the opposite of anything. As @DavidDetroit said, bottle, carb then store somewhere cool.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

Adding more yeast won't help it clear, the opposite of anything.

It depends what the problem is. If the problem is a yeast that's not flocculating, then a high-flocculating yeast can co-flocculate the first yeast and drop it out - moto hasn't said what yeast was used.

However, I'm not sure that's the problem, it looks more like trub. Was any Irish moss/Protafloc added during the boil? So adding 1g of a high-floccing yeast like Notty/Wilko may help a bit, I suspect it won't make a huge difference.

I think all you can do is add some gelatine and get it dark and as cold as possible for 24-48 hours, even if it means eg one after another in the fridge. There's a reason why lagered beers like kolsch were traditionally made in winter and not at the height of summer!!!

 

[Surfingobo]

Seconded on the gelatine. Normally works for me if it won’t drop clear by itself

 

[moto748]

Thanks very much for your input, guys, it is much appreciated. Gelatine is a non-starter for me, I'm afraid, and my fridge is for food only, no room in there for demi-johns! I was probably foolish to even attempt this in the summer, but I think I will try to add yeast to one demi-john, in a spirit of adventure , I figure I have little to lose as I'm not optimistic about the rest of it either. There is about an inch of trub in each demi-john and I always use protofloc. The yeast used for the brew was K-97.

 

[Hanglow]

K97 is rubbish at clearing unfortunately, it took at least 6 weeks to start to properly clear for me in the fridge. Even then I could still get a bit of a yeast bite from it. Which is a shame as otherwise it's a decent yeast.

 

[Northern_Brewer]

OK, if it's K-97 then it's probably worth giving co-flocculation a go, it won't solve the whole problem but it will help.

What's the problem with gelatine? If we know the constraints we may be able to suggest alternatives.

If the fridge is not available, then a bucket of ice water is probably the best bet....

 

[moto748]

Well it's all done now; two demi-johns bottled, and 3.5 g of Wilko yeast added to the other. Gelatine not vegetarian, not that it would upset me that much. Frankly I don't think it's worth the bother of 'getting something in specially'.

It's probably worth saying, that as I find so often, it doesn't really look as cloudy in real life as it does in that photo upthread. It's not *that* soupy!

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I'd still cold crash the third one, even if it was just a bucket of ice water overnight, it all helps.

I certainly know fairly hard-core vegans who take the view that since isinglass and gelatine are both waste products that don't stay in the final beer, they don't count for vegans - that may just be a comment on how much they like beer though!

But there are PVPP products available like Polyclar that are meant to work well and available from the likes of the Malt Miller.

 

[moto748]

I'd still cold crash the third one, even if it was just a bucket of ice water overnight, it all helps.

What, right now, when I've just added the yeast?

 

[Northern_Brewer]

There's no real hurry - and given that finished beer is not as nice for yeast as wort with some sugar left in it, I'd leave it for now and then stick it in ice this evening.

But if you're pushed for time you could do it now.

 

[moto748]

Ta. There's no rush! It's got a bit of a head on it now, and is slowly plinking away.

 

[moto748]

Well I bottled that last demi-john's worth this morning. I've marked the tops so I can identify them. Was the beer any clearer? A little, I think. And it certainly didn't taste off. Put it this way, it hasn't done any harm.

I am a bit more optimistic that something decent will come of it in time now. The rest of it, bottled a couple of days ago, is already starting to throw a sediment and slowly clearing. I think it's just a case of quietly forgetting about it for a few weeks now.