Filtering Beer (on the cheap$$)

[branlovesbeer]

I know that there are some major systems for filtering beer, but are there any simple ways? I bottle. Would that pose a problem?

I was thinking about using an auto-siphon, and hook it to a filter system and see if that worked.

Any thoughts?

[B_rad1969]

Time. I say the best thing to do is let gravity do it.

[branlovesbeer]

Chill haze.

I have been brewing for a couple years now and the one constant is chill haze. I just want one that doesn't look like dirty water.

Thanks

[cul8rv8]

If I remember correctly, the best defense against chill haze is to cool the wort rapidly. I know from my experience, for quite some time I just used my immersion chiller, but didn't stir or anything while cooling, so it still took some time. When I didn't stir, usually I still had chill haze. After I did some thinking, I realized that I was being silly thinking that just letting it sit there would cool it. I would feel the cooling water come out of my chiller and it would be ice cold. As soon as I stirred just a touch, it would get hot. Then it hit me that without stirring the wort, it was only cooling right around the coil. So now that I stir while it cools, the wort temps dropped much faster, and I haven't seen chill haze since. :)

[branlovesbeer]

I have always used a copper immersion chiller. It usually takes about 25 minutes to cool down my 5 gallon batch to 70 F.

I run a hose through an ice bath then to the copper chiller.

I have always experienced chill haze. Some is worse than others. What am I doing wrong?

[hooky]

Do you use irish moss or whirlfloc?

Chill haze is caused by protein binding to phenolic compounds. A kettle fining like Irish Moss or whirlfloc will cause most of the protein to coagulate and drop out in the kettle.

[branlovesbeer]

No I have never used Irish moss. Is it expensive? Is preventing chill haze most of what it is for?

I have always heard about people using it but have never tried it myself.

[nelstrodomus]

I use one tablet of whirfloc per 5 gal, and 'rapidly' cool with an immersion chiller, where I stir it the entire time till it's down to about 65F. I then transfer entire keggle to carboys, pitch, 2 weeks later I get extremely clear beers. It probably also helps to keg beers if you have that option, force carb and crash cool. I find that this generally makes beers as clear as commercial examples.

[corkybstewart]

No I have never used Irish moss. Is it expensive? Is preventing chill haze most of what it is for?

I have always heard about people using it but have never tried it myself.
Irish moss is cheap, I buy it by the pound and at one teaspoon for 5 gallons it lasts forever. It coagulates the proteins and drops them to the bottom of the kettle. Also a good rolling boil and fast cooling will help with chill haze. I use a CFC so those proteins get transferred to my fermenters, but I rarely ever have problems with chill haze.

[beerking]

As backwards as this may sound, I have been having clarity problems since I started kegging.
I use whirlfloc, get a full boil, and run the wort slowly over the coils of my counterflow chillier (from the brewpot to another pot for chilling and whirlpool purposes), and ferment in a carboy, then transfer to a cornie, crash and force carb. I have had haze since I switched to kegging. Never had chill haze with bottles.

[dparsons]

As backwards as this may sound, I have been having clarity problems since I started kegging.
I use whirlfloc, get a full boil, and run the wort slowly over the coils of my counterflow chillier (from the brewpot to another pot for chilling and whirlpool purposes), and ferment in a carboy, then transfer to a cornie, crash and force carb. I have had haze since I switched to kegging. Never had chill haze with bottles.

Maybe crash cool before the transfer to cornies.

[B_rad1969]

I use one tablet of whirfloc per 5 gal, and 'rapidly' cool with an immersion chiller, where I stir it the entire time till it's down to about 65F. I then transfer entire keggle to carboys, pitch, 2 weeks later I get extremely clear beers. It probably also helps to keg beers if you have that option, force carb and crash cool. I find that this generally makes beers as clear as commercial examples.

Hot side aeration from stirring. I wouldn't touch it. Anyone else?

[hooky]

I always stir while the chiller is chilling, otherwise it takes forever and you use way more water than needed.

[Mad Scientist]

Hot side aeration from stirring. I wouldn't touch it. Anyone else?

I stir my hot wort to whirl pool, just be careful, and do not splash.

[darylM]

Crash cooling just before you bottle or keg gets stuff of suspension and on the bottom of the fermentor.

My favorite way to filter is to ferment, bottle, chill, pour into glass and drink. Repeat until the beer is clear. As in clearly gone. :)