filtered lager effects

[Brewer #334545]

hey everyone,
i am stepping up to 11 gallon batches and am getting into filtering my lagers.
i just have some questions about filtered lager.
im assuming the best time to filter is right after primary fermentation is done?
also, what would be the difference in a filtered lager and one naturally lagered until the yeast naturally drops out?
im struggling to find any info if the yeast are actually contributing anything to the beer in the natural lagering period or are just taking their time to drop out of suspension.

thanks,

 

[Minbari]

I always use a fining agent and cold and time

 

[Donoroto]

A commercial brewery does not want to take the time, so they filter. That's all.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Save your money and your beer, don't filter. I did at one time but the results were less than stellar, so I found other ways that were more practical for homebrewing.

The risk of oxygen ingress are greatly increased with filtering. The lagering process will drop out all the yeast better than filter. The cartridge filters for homebrewing are anywhere from 3 to 5 microns, yeast is @ 7-8 microns, so it should filter out all the yeast. The problem is that a lot of the yeast makes it through. Not only that, but tannins are unaffected by this filter. Tannins can be dropped out during lagering, but not filtering.

Big breweries often used diatomaceous earth filters for beer and are unpractical for homebrewing. Diatomaceous earth does a better job of capturing yeast and it can filter the beer to the point of producing a polished beer. From an economic point of view, this can speed up the brewing process, but it comes at a cost of an increased risk of introducing oxygen and ruining the beer. Cartridge filters that home brewers used are not good enough to polish the beer.

Finings and time can produce polished beer. The beer pictured on my post was an American Lager that was not filtered, the clarity was polished with just finings like gelatin and PVPP.

If you do decide to filter, you have to purge the filter system by filling it completely with sterile water or a Starsan solution and forcing all the water/solution out with co2. The beer needs to be keg first and than the co2 is used to force the beer through the filter into the receiving keg. Both kegs need to be purge of oxygen by filling them first with with sterile water or a Starsan solution. The whole process is so laborious and the results are so poor I quit doing it. It's a huge PITA.

The filtering of a lager can happen right after the beer hits it's final gravity and has had a diacetyl rest. Typically 2 weeks or so from pitching yeast.

If you want polished beer in a relatively short time, use Weinhensetaphan yeasts like 2124, 34/70, WLP830 or Diamond dry lager yeasts. These all drop very quickly and aid in the clearing of the beer.

 

[J A]

For an 11 gallon batch, you'd be hard pressed to make filtering economical or practical. Look into Biofine Clear. Super easy to use and very quick to get a clear lager. I generally ferment for a week or so at 58-60 degrees, drop yeast and chill to 35 or as cold as equipment and environment allows, dose kegs with biofine and transfer beer, force carbonate and hold for a week or so and then purge the goo at the bottom of the keg.
Pro-quality clean lager in less than 4 weeks. I can't imagine any situation that would require a home-brewer to need a faster time line.

 

[Donoroto]

hey everyone,
i am stepping up to 11 gallon batches and am getting into filtering my lagers.
i just have some questions about filtered lager.
im assuming the best time to filter is right after primary fermentation is done?
also, what would be the difference in a filtered lager and one naturally lagered until the yeast naturally drops out?
im struggling to find any info if the yeast are actually contributing anything to the beer in the natural lagering period or are just taking their time to drop out of suspension.

thanks,

So I answered your question about the difference. Now for the rest:

Yes, filter some time after primary, once the yeast has done all it needs to. Later is OK, early is not.
During lagering, the yeast is done and no further contributions are expected.

That being said, as you can surely imagine there are many ways to address the issue of clear beer, if that is what you are after.

 

[Brewer #334545]

thanks everyone,
I have no issues getting my beer to drop out crystal clear, i'm just tired of waiting the 3-4 weeks for all the yeast to come out of suspension. I used a clarifying agent once and didnt notice any time difference to get the beer crystal clear.
the other issue of mine is my kegerator, if I move kegs they stir the cake and take awhile to settle out again.
I got the 15 gallon kegmenter with some nice hoses made up for filtering. i dont think oxidation will be an issue, but theres only one way to find out.

 

[Minbari]

For an 11 gallon batch, you'd be hard pressed to make filtering economical or practical. Look into Biofine Clear. Super easy to use and very quick to get a clear lager. I generally ferment for a week or so at 58-60 degrees, drop yeast and chill to 35 or as cold as equipment and environment allows, dose kegs with biofine and transfer beer, force carbonate and hold for a week or so and then purge the goo at the bottom of the keg.
Pro-quality clean lager in less than 4 weeks. I can't imagine any situation that would require a home-brewer to need a faster time line.

Look into "quick super kleer" too. Cost about 1/3 of biofine and works pretty good. Dropped my last IPA clear in 2 days at 40F

 

[Craigerrr]

Clear beer can be achieved by process

 

[Brewer #334545]

Clear beer can be achieved by process

sorry to disappoint craig, I have good process.
I'm just looking to speed things up is all.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I like this method some good info on the "dark art" of beer filtering

 

[Minbari]

I like this method some good info on the "dark art" of beer filtering

I am sure those work. But those filters aren't cheap and you use them once

 

[Brewer #334545]

I like this method so

I like this method some good info on the "dark art" of beer filtering

thats the kit i have. Not really sure about the reusable filter part. i did find some 10" 1 micron filters on amazon it was 20$ for a 4 pk, depending on situation for 5 gallon batch it may or may not be worth it but on a double batch thats an easy pill to swallow.

 

[Sunfire96]

I've never filtered beer, but I know this podcast covers this topic in this episode. Cheers!

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

Look into "quick super kleer" too. Cost about 1/3 of biofine and works pretty good. Dropped my last IPA clear in 2 days at 40F

Do you use this after you have moved the beer to the conditioning keg? I would think that the chitosan with destroy good yeast.

 

[Minbari]

Do you use this after you have moved the beer to the conditioning keg? I would think that the chitosan with destroy good yeast.

No, it is used in the fermenter a couple days before transfer to a keg

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

I like this method some good info on the "dark art" of beer filtering

Like I said before, what a PITA. His filtered beer is about as clear as 2-3 days after gelatin. That's why I stopped, between gelatin and PVPP, I was able to clear most beers in a week or less.

But I say give it try. You may find it worth while

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I went down that rabbit hole years ago, the issue I had was cleaning the filters, not as easy as you think and they can stay moist for a week so I went through too many filters, not worth my time

 

[Craigerrr]

sorry to disappoint craig, I have good process.
I'm just looking to speed things up is all.

I get that!
Sorry, I don't mean to discourage you, maybe you have plenty of time on your hands for the extra cleaning, and disposable cash for the additional equipment.
Power to you if you do
This is a result on a 15SRM ESB from good process and a 3 day cold crash.
The only finings I used were half of a whirlfloc tablet.
Don't recall if I used a floating dip tube in the keg or not.

I am interested to see how you go about this, and if you find it worth the while.
Cheers and good luck with it!

 

[GFHomebrew]

thats the kit i have. Not really sure about the reusable filter part. i did find some 10" 1 micron filters on amazon it was 20$ for a 4 pk, depending on situation for 5 gallon batch it may or may not be worth it but on a double batch thats an easy pill to swallow.

I'm sure he uses Sodium Metabisulphate as the steriliser and o2 scrubber. Yeah I've not bothered with the filtering side of brewing. Geletin gets me where I want to be.
But yes I have to wait a week or three for it to drop nice n brite.
Let us know how you go man.