What finings do you use?

[bloodoaf]

I have always used Beerbrite finings simply because the local homebrew shop had them in stock when I started brewing and it seems to do what it says on the packet. Is Beerbrite as good as any? It's just that all aspects of my brewing has evolved and improved but this. I am not in favour of changing something for change's sake but is there a better option that will improve my ale?
What do you use?
Cheers.

[Whorst]

I just racked Satan's Folly and it looked like swamp water. I added gelatin finings and a light syrup I made from Demerara sugar. In a couple of days I'll draw some off and take a picture. I get brilliantly clear beers with gelatin finings. By the time it's ready to serve, which will be in about 3 weeks, it'll look filtered.

[Stonechat]

I use time. Drinking an IPA at the laptop barreled on 5/9/08 that is crystal clear. Sorry but at the moment don't know how to do photos

The reason commercial breweries use finings is that time is money and they want their beer converted into cash ASAP

[hoppingMad]

Hi Blood, I think the use of finings (or not) should be determined by what other variables you employ and just how soon you want to be drinking your beer. The use of a cold conditioning in a secondary vessel can virtually eliminate the need for finings.
You may already be aware of this so appologies in advance if this is the case ... just skip the next few lines ...

With a rapid boil, rapid chill, and after primary fermentation is complete, racking to a secondary vessel and cold storing for between one and three weeks at 2 degrees C, I get bright clear beer. Its hard to distinguish between a commercial filtered beer and my unfiltered beer. But there is a slight difference that can only be noticed by someone actually looking for it
Cold storing at warmer temps around 10 C is great too, but won't help chill haze like 2 degrees C will. Of course it can all be done in the bottle too. The same way, only you get more sediment in the bottom of the bottle this way.

I looked into flitration and finings a while back too, but after doing all the above, I don't need to. But if you want to be drinking your beer sooner rather than later then use finings, as far as I know they all seem to work well.

Cheers,
HM.

[Northern Brewer]

Gelatin finings will clear a brew down in about 48 hours; hence if your system permits it, you could try your luck with 'time' and if it hasn't cleared by supping time, then add some gelatin.

[iowalad]

Has anybody noticed any loss of flavor by cold conditioning? I conditioned at 1C on a recent beer and it helped clarify my beer. A fellow brewer claims it hurts the flavor but I didn't notice a flavor loss.

[mysterio]

I've noticed flavour loss with carbonation, but definately not with cold conditioning.

[SiHoltye]

I'm pretty impatient and can't comment on how my beers might taste after just time; but when kegging I primary ferment for 7 days, add Aux finings and chill to 5°C over 3 days, then rack to cornie with IG. Perhaps overkill but beers are 'as filtered' after about 5 days at 13°.

[fivetide]

I really don't like the idea of adding beef to my beer, and as I am not a commercial brewer looking for a quick return on investment I brew and condition a few beers at a time, make use of a secondary, and give them plenty of time to condition fully and clear naturally.

I have however tried Condessa finings, which aren't animal derived, and they did work very well, but I probably won't bother again,

[bloodoaf]

Thanks for all the replies .I have a dilema: I like to dry hop but this gives the ale a slight astringency after about 6 weeks (does anyone else notice this?), and I much prefer the taste of the beer when quite young. The beer style I prefer is Adnams, or London Pride type bitters so they are not going to benefit from long storage. If I don't add finings sometimes it clears after about 3 weeks and sometimes not. All my beer is kept in cornies at 12 deg C. It does get tiresome explaining to friends that the sometimes cloudy ale is fine to drink , and to be honest I prefer the crystal clear pint as well. When "gelatin" is referred to what is the brandname on the packet that I should look for or is that the same as the "Beerbrite" that I already use? Is issinglass still used by the way?
Cheers.

[fivetide]

Everyone has their own approach. Mine lends itself to dry-hopping, doesn't use finings and will overcome some of your concerns, but it does require another bucket.
Ferment for 10 days, carefully siphon in to a secondary bucket for a further week with a bag of dry hops in it. Take out hop bag. Carefully siphon into your Corni. Purge once or twice with CO2 and leave with about 2-3 pounds of pressure. Leave where it is for a week. After that time, make sure there's 2 or 3 pounds pressure again and put in the garage or shed for another 3-4 weeks. Put under 10 pounds of pressure for about four days. Reduce to a couple of pounds again and have a drink. The first glass of beer will be cloudy (depending on your out tube length etc...) but then you should be good.

Gelatine or any other finings will undoubtedly drop it clear quicker, but you still need to condition, in my opinion, clear or not.

or:

Brew however the hell you like and drink in Pewter tankards.

[Whorst]

English brewers use finings. When using a yeast like 05, yes you can cold condition. I've found that it takes FOREVER for it to drop. Even when it does, it's still got a haze to it. Finings solve this problem. If you use a yeast that behaves like 04, then you probably don't need to. I'm going to brew a Hophead clone here soon with 05. Just Pale Malt and copious amounts of Cascade's. Starting gravity 1.038. I will definitely add finings because I want to drink it in 7-10 days. Don't be a hater. Finings can be your friend too!

[keelbolt]

I use protofloc in the final fifteen minutes of the boil, and 04 yeast. Ferment in the primary for seven days, then carefully rack into pressure barrel. Sometimes I dry hop if the recipe calls for it. Early on, i had problems with haze, but that was because I was too hasty in drinking the stuff. I find that even dry hopping, if I can wait for 14 days before tapping the barrel, then my beer is crystal clear. I don't find any astringent tastes after dry hopping, and i just throw in a handful of dry hops to the barrel when required.

All grain beers each have a wonderful taste that matures with a little age. don't be too hasty to drink the stuff!

[hoppingMad]

Has anybody noticed any loss of flavor by cold conditioning? I conditioned at 1C on a recent beer and it helped clarify my beer. A fellow brewer claims it hurts the flavor but I didn't notice a flavor loss.

Cant say I have, but if filtering removes some flavour, its possible that cold conditioning will too, to some small degree.

EDIT: yes I've noticed considerable flavour loss through over carbonation, and It was dissappointing. I'm much more careful about carbonation now.

[hoppingMad]

Thanks for all the replies .I have a dilema: I like to dry hop but this gives the ale a slight astringency after about 6 weeks (does anyone else notice this?),

I dry hop and have not noticed astringency. Are you sure about the term "astringency" ? Is this with more than one variety ?