Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Actively filtering after primary fermentation so cut time until beer is ready?  (Read 1190 times)

Offline Carmageddon

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
Hello bellow beer loves!

I am brewing my own beer made from concentrate kits, particularly my home made Bavarian Wheat is super, super popular with friends whenever I go or we have parties at home!

Now I am invited for a party this Saturday, and I ran out of the beer and had no time to make more, until Tuesday this week, when I started two batches of about 6 gallons each which are now fermenting in primary fermenters (buckets).

It should be done with the primary fermentation I guess by Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Normally, I'd be siphoning out to a carboy, letting it stand for 4-5 days, even a week until the carboy looks clear enough of the sediments, siphon and transfer again to directly to my Kornelius keg, then carbonate under like 40PSI pressure while shaking and rolling the keg on the floor for 10-20 mins to do fast carbonation.
Finally I'd release the pressure, reset it to 5 PSI, and at that stage it should be ready to serve.

Now, given my short timeline, I would like to throw the above procedure out of the window, and was reading another thread on the forum here, about using https://www.grapeandgranary.com/vintage-shop-filter-head.html to filter beer -  my local beer supply shop rents out this with an electric pump, filters etc.
I used it for wine making, but never beer, and they've never heard of beer being filtered like that before!

I'd like to hear from my fellow brewers, is the above a viable strategy to filter beer, after the first siphoning?
Given my experience, after a week in the carboy, there are enough sediments left that I imagine would clog the filters on the above plates filter..

I am open to suggestions, I hope we won't have to postpone the party, as my beer is an integral part to it!

Thanks.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2023, 08:33:38 am by Carmageddon »

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27317
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
I filtered beer for a while. I found it to be a total PITA and gave it up. In addition, I think it may have reduced the body and hop character of my beer.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Carmageddon

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
I filtered beer for a while. I found it to be a total PITA and gave it up. In addition, I think it may have reduced the body and hop character of my beer.

Thanks.
You mean a total hassle?
How much of a character do you reckon it reduces? It sounds to me like it took you quite a while to realize this, so its very mild and you have to get used to one and taste the other to tell the difference?

Would you do that, if you were under time limits for a party, or would you say better to postpone by a week rather than filter the beer?

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27317
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
I filtered beer for a while. I found it to be a total PITA and gave it up. In addition, I think it may have reduced the body and hop character of my beer.

Thanks.
You mean a total hassle?
How much of a character do you reckon it reduces? It sounds to me like it took you quite a while to realize this, so its very mild and you have to get used to one and taste the other to tell the difference?

Would you do that, if you were under time limits for a party, or would you say better to postpone by a week rather than filter the beer?

No, it was immediately obvious that the beer had changed. I said I think because without a side by side test i hesitate to say with certainty. I would wait. The beer makes its own schedule.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline fredthecat

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1993

No, it was immediately obvious that the beer had changed. I said I think because without a side by side test i hesitate to say with certainty. I would wait. The beer makes its own schedule.

yes, i try really really hard now to never rush a beer
fermentinf so i can get it ready by some early date for people or to move along my pipeline. it just isnt worth it.

but different yeasts and beers will have very different schedules.

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10710
  • Milford, MI
German breweries Filter the beer once all of the fermentation is done and VDKs (think Diacetyl and the like) are below threshold. Saves tank time. Ayinger stated they do this.
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27317
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
German breweries Filter the beer once all of the fermentation is done and VDKs (think Diacetyl and the like) are below threshold. Saves tank time. Ayinger stated they do this.

Many places around here centrifuge rather than filter.  But there's a huge difference between doing either in a commercial facility as opposed to at home IMO.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Carmageddon

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 3
German breweries Filter the beer once all of the fermentation is done and VDKs (think Diacetyl and the like) are below threshold. Saves tank time. Ayinger stated they do this.

I am not familiar with that, what's VDKs and the Diacetyl you mentioned?

Offline reverseapachemaster

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3819
    • Brain Sparging on Brewing
The good thing about weisse is you don't need a clear beer and a little yeast in suspension is ok. If fermentation hits an end by Friday night you may be able to cold crash out enough by the excess yeast by the afternoon to siphon out and keg with force carbonation. You might have to let the keg sit and sacrifice a couple pints of excess yeast. I've bottle conditioned weissebiers as quickly as a week out from brewing with four days of primary and three in bottles. Those were among the best I've brewed with super fresh taste.
Heck yeah I blog about homebrewing: Brain Sparging on Brewing

Offline hopfenundmalz

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 10710
  • Milford, MI
German breweries Filter the beer once all of the fermentation is done and VDKs (think Diacetyl and the like) are below threshold. Saves tank time. Ayinger stated they do this.

I am not familiar with that, what's VDKs and the Diacetyl you mentioned?

This should help.
https://beerandbrewing.com/dictionary/OFH8CHBicP/
Jeff Rankert
AHA Lifetime Member
BJCP National
Ann Arbor Brewers Guild
Home-brewing, not just a hobby, it is a lifestyle!

Offline brewthru

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 433
Serve and claim it's your new Hefe!