Isinglass

Get advice on making beer from raw ingredients (malt, hops, water and yeast)
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floydmeddler
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Isinglass

Post by floydmeddler » Fri Sep 18, 2009 6:47 pm

Hi folks. My current brew (the one which had a stuck fermentation :evil: ) has now decided to play a game of haze. It's been in secondary for a week and is cloudy as hell. I bought some Ritchies Isinglass finings today and added it to secondary. I didn't stir it in as such as I didn't want to aerate the beer. Plus it's pretty impossible to get anything in there to stir with as the neck is so narrow. I gently moved the carboy around in the hope it would all mix together.

How long does it usually take before I start seeing some results?

Cheers all

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Eric
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Re: Isinglass

Post by Eric » Fri Sep 18, 2009 11:09 pm

Isinglass needs to be well distributed through the beer. It works by having the opposite charge to yeast, which it attracts as it gently sinks. As I understand, isinglass is mixed with a proportion of the beer and added back as the beer is casked. This process will partially mix the two and the job is completed during transportation to the pub/stillage. It will drop bright in 2 or 3 days. I'm not sure how you might replicate this in your secondary.
Without patience, life becomes difficult and the sooner it's finished, the better.

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floydmeddler
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Re: Isinglass

Post by floydmeddler » Sat Sep 19, 2009 11:10 am

Cheers for the reply. I'm going to rack it again in the hope that it will mix through thoroughly. Probably too late and pointless but ah well, tis worth a try!
Cheers again.

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floydmeddler
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Re: Isinglass

Post by floydmeddler » Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:18 pm

Still cloudy! This beer officially hates me! Tastes great though... Perhaps it will clear in the bottles over a few weeks with a it of luck.

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Eric
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Re: Isinglass

Post by Eric » Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:27 pm

Hi Floyd,
Maybe it isn't yeast. I expect isinglass doesn't clear everything but regardless of that it will often gives beer a cleaner taste. Suggest you just drink it and stop watching it. My last brew is going a bit hazy too, too many adjuncts I think, but your topic has made me think to get out my pewter tankard. Taste can be everything if you want. Good luck.
Eric.
Without patience, life becomes difficult and the sooner it's finished, the better.

crookedeyeboy

Re: Isinglass

Post by crookedeyeboy » Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:00 am

Sounds like too much protein if it tastes ok. You could try getting hold of some auxiliary finings.

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floydmeddler
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Re: Isinglass

Post by floydmeddler » Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:42 pm

Going to bottle it on Thursday and if it's cloudy then so be it. I bottled a test bottle last Tuesday before I added the isinglass and it's actually pretty clear to be honest.

Going to brew a stout on Friday...

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