To rack or not to rack

[Anna]

Thanks for going to the trouble to outline that Hirns, but I'm not really that fussed about getting absolute clarity. I can see through my beers, so that's enough for me at the moment! Maybe I'll try it if they start looking really cloudy (and the only other person who drinks my beer is MOH, and I doubt he even looks at it before it goes down....

Anna

[Chris]

Or alternatively, serve your beer warm (10+C).

Or go for a pewter, stone or wooden mug

[drsmurto]

Or alternatively, serve your beer warm (10+C).

Or go for a pewter, stone or wooden mug

My mates like to rock up to my bar with their pewter mugs but it upsets me. I go to the effort to make beer than not only tastes amazing but looks a million dollars as well. It has to be served in glass. Unless we are camping.

[Chris]

What I did was buy a whole lot of proper English pint mugs- proper ones, with a panel
at the front for putting on a logo etc. I got the panel sandblasted with their nicknames,
and they each got given one upon having proven their worth...

The rule is no beer unless they bring their mug, and it has to be sparkling clean.

That way, these are the only mugs allowed for drinking my beer- unless it's a weiss, in
which case, out come the meaty wheatbeer glasses. Or a Belgian, barleywine etc, for
obvious reasons.

[rotten]

Gonna re-hash an old thread. I just racked a brew for the first time and added finings. Temp was around 16 and I didn't dissolve it in water. No instructions on the packet, should have read this first. Have i stuffed anything? How long should I wait till I bottle, the brew is too good to stuff!!
Cheers

[hirns]

Relax, you will only have stuffed it if you have oxidised the beer by stiring it too much. The racking will help with final clarity, but the finnings will do nothing. I'm assuming that the finnings used are the regular gelatine sachets that are available for about a dollar.

The gelatine crystals will simply settle to the bottom and do sweet FA. In future disolve the gelatine in a cup of boiling water and stir every now and then till it's clear. Gently pour into the fermentor and gently stir through, alternatively rack onto it.

Like jelly, the gelatine sets when cooler. In the case of homebrew, suspended particals will stick and floc out better at cooler temps. Many people place the racked beer in the fridge which also aids in conditioning. In the past I've used them as you have(but disolved) at room temp and have still noticed an improvement in clarity. I'm also assuming that you have added the finnings as fermentation is complete.

Finally, for about two dollars you can buy a canister of gelatine from the cooking section of the local supermarket that will last you many brews; simply use one teaspoon per brew.

Relax, have a homebrew !

Hirns

[rotten]

All your assumptions are correct and thanks for calming advice.
Cheers