Polyclar - can't get it to dissolve

[spook100]

Hi
I'm giving polyclar a try for the first time on a bohemian pilsner. The instructions say to add 5g to 200ml of freshly boiled water and stir until completely dissolved (minimum 15 minutes). I have done as instructed and have been stirring it using an electric whisk for the last half hour but it doesn't seem to have dissolved much at all - it settles in a thick slurry at the bottom of the jar as soon as I stop stirring. Has anyone had any success in getting this stuff to dissolve?
Cheers

[Bribie]

It doesn't dissolve.

It stays as a fine powder in suspension, and each microscopic granule attracts polyphenols to it electrostatically, then the granules sink out. I just ignore the rules, mix it in a cup with boiling water straight out of the kettle, stir for a minute and chuck it in. Works every time. Takes about as long to settle out in the brew as when you gelatine to settle yeast out.

[Aleman]

It doesn't dissolve.

As it's a plastic

I give it a blast with a hand held blender . . . then wait 5 minutes and blast again . . . repeat a few more times then pitch it in . . . . I'm using the polyclar plus 730 which also contains silica gel so I'm trying to get that to disperse as well.

[spook100]

I see, thanks. I read somewhere that it should be used in conjunction with regular finings, like gelatine. I don't remember the details, but it was something to do with the polyclar increasing the size of the chill haze particles by providing an electrostatic nucleation points to draw them together; and then the finings drag them out of suspension as it settles. Any thoughts on that?

[steve_flack]

I'm using the polyclar plus 730 which also contains silica gel so I'm trying to get that to disperse as well.

My understanding is that the Brupacks Polyclar is the same stuff PVPP+Silica gel.

Neither of which dissolve in water.

[Bribie]

My understanding is that finings such as gelatine work on positive electrical charges whereas Polyclar works on negative electrical charges.

Or the other way round

Whichever way, best not to use them together. I would use the Gelatine / Isinglass first to drag down the yeast, the Polyclar can sink quite nicely by itself.