Somebody had recommended something for clarifying beer before you bottle it recently.
Was it pectin? Something like that. Gelatin?
I don’t recall. The apples are in! Getting ready for a cider run... would like it to be PERFECT!
(Totally dry, still with a cider presence, crystal clear, ABV 6-8%)
There are a few ways to clarify. The first thing I would suggest is a hard cold crash.
After fermentation is complete, cool the brew down hard. Under 50 degrees if possible and let it sit a few days. Most of the solids will drop out of solution. That will get you 90% there.
If you are still not happy with the clarity, mix up a cup of gelatin. I use 1 tsp per 1 cups of boiled water. Let it cool a little and either layer it onto the surface of the brew or as my buddy does, just pour it in. The gravity of the gelatin is much higher than the brew and it will drag nearly all the solids with it to the bottom. Toss the first pint or two during transfer, you don’t want to drink those.
Alternatively, you can use some stuff called Isenglas. It does much the same thing as the gelatin does but is more expensive and since it is made from the shells of shrimp (seriously) it can trigger an allergic reaction in those who have allergies to shellfish.
I use gelatin.
Let me know if these ideas work for you.
Cheers,
knewshound
There are a few ways to clarify. The first thing I would suggest is a hard cold crash.
After fermentation is complete, cool the brew down hard. Under 50 degrees if possible and let it sit a few days. Most of the solids will drop out of solution. That will get you 90% there.
If you are still not happy with the clarity, mix up a cup of gelatin. I use 1 tsp per 1 cups of boiled water. Let it cool a little and either layer it onto the surface of the brew or as my buddy does, just pour it in. The gravity of the gelatin is much higher than the brew and it will drag nearly all the solids with it to the bottom. Toss the first pint or two during transfer, you don’t want to drink those.
Alternatively, you can use some stuff called Isenglas. It does much the same thing as the gelatin does but is more expensive and since it is made from the shells of shrimp (seriously) it can trigger an allergic reaction in those who have allergies to shellfish.
I use gelatin.
Let me know if these ideas work for you.
Cheers,
knewshound
I use Irish Moss in the last 15 min of my wort boil. Dunno how you make cider, so I don’t know if it would work.
On the topic of the article, yes, I think most craft brews are overhopped. People forget that a great beer is a balance of hoppiness and maltiness.
My beers tend to have a lot of body with a moderate amount of hoppiness. And I use a variety of hops, so you don’t get overwhelmed by one hop characteristic.
There are a number of products available to clarify your beers or ciders. Knews_hound mentioned two. I have used Isinglass in my secondary and it seems to do fine. Others are used in the boil phase of brewing up a beer(Irish Moss and whirlfloc tablets are two I have used) and would not help in a cider. I have also used gelatin finings in my beers and in my ciders. I think using a yeast that is highly flocculant & has relatively full attenuation properties is a big help in producing clear brews and ciders. One dry yeast I have used in my ciders is Nottingham ale yeast. Cold crashing and the all important ingredient TIME are great clarifying agents.