# New 2 beer; do you clarify?



## rshosted (Feb 14, 2007)

I bought a beer kit at a local brew shop to test it out. I figure I needed something that will be done quicker than the wines I've made. I got some pretty limited directions on beer in the kit. It didn't have anything to clarify with. Actually it was a peach-wheat. I've already bottled becuase it didn't have anything, just wondering for my next batch if folks normally throw in something to clarify it?


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## masta (Feb 14, 2007)

The only clarifier I use is Irish Mossput in the boil 15 minutes before flame out. Time in the bottle will clear most beers very well.


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## rshosted (Feb 14, 2007)

sure, mention the only thing I don't yet have in my wine toolkit









I'll have to add that to my next batch. 

Since this thread isn't that busy, I'll post another question here.

During my first boil when I cooled and moved to primary fermenter, I noticed a lot of sediment on the bottom of my boiling container. This time I swirled it twice with a touch of spring water to get the sediment. 

Does one normally leave that behind, or it is important to the process?


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## masta (Feb 14, 2007)

I leave the heavy sediment behind in the brew pot when transferring to the primary.


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## tfries (Feb 18, 2007)

Cold conditioning the beer after it is bottled will help drop out the
chill haze. A couple of months of cold storage (fridge temps)
will produce a crystal clear beer.


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## docbee (Mar 4, 2007)

rshosted said:


> sure, mention the only thing I don't yet have in my wine toolkit
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Generally you don't want to get the trub (sediment) from your boil into the primary. Most feel that this can give an off flavor to the beer. When I rack to the primary I usually get a small amount of trub (which is OK) since I want to get as much volume into the primary.


To improve your beer making the best thing recommended is to do a secondary fermentation. This means rack to a carboy near the end of primary fermentation. This step is mainly to allow this finishing of fermentation (if it hasn't done so at this point), but mainly is for clarifying. Some brewers will use things like Super Clear or other clarifying agents at this step, but it usually is not necessary. Just like wine making, given time it will clear. It just doesn't need the amount of time that wine needs. The usual "rule of thumb" that I follow for making beer is 1-2-3. One week in the primary, 2 weeks in the secondary, and 3 weeks in the bottle or corny keg.


If I'm not mistaken the Irish moss is used to reduce the chill haze and is used at 15 min left in the boil.


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## rshosted (Mar 5, 2007)

Thanks, Great advise. I have been drinking my first beer and sharing with friends. I am surprised because I have gotten a lot of very good reviews on it. most people say they have tried a homebrew before, but never liked them. 

I tried that chill clearing but they never seem to survive more than a week or maybe two in the fridge.





I've already bought the ingredients for my next batch!


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