11 replies to this topic

[Kaboom]

At what point should I add biofine?  I've heard two schools of thought on lagering.

 

1. The yeast are cleaning things up.  In which case adding biofine to drop them would make the lagering take longer as there would be fewer yeast in suspension.  This would lead me to believe I should lager a few weeks, then add the biofine.

 

2. Lagering is just dropping yeast and other gunk out of solution and time for flavors to meld.  In this case, add biofine to keg and rack on top after primary.

 

 

[HVB]

I do it when I keg after a cold crashing. Maybe 2-3 weeks from pitching.

[Bklmt2000]

I don't think there's a wrong time to add biofine.

 

That said, I'd pick option #2 you listed above.  If the beer is done, and no diacetyl or other stuff that you want gone, then option #2 would be my preferred approach.

[Big Nake]

Remember that we now have this "quick lager" method which may help with fining-timing. Let your lager ferment about 50% of the way (I'm using a 4-5 day timeline) at it's cool temps (50° or so) and then take the fermenter out and leave it on the basement floor or other warmer spot for another week or so. There will be some active fermentation at that warmer temp but that's not when off-flavors, esters or phenols would occur but it WILL be a time to scrub out sulfur compounds and diacetyl if it exists. Swirl it, let it continue and eventually let the yeast drop. Send it to the keg, get it cold and then add the biofine as Drez mentioned. I do this exact thing except I use a gel solution which works nicely for me.

[Poptop]

[... cue a picture one of Ken's crystal clear delights]

[HVB]

Remember that we now have this "quick lager" method which may help with fining-timing. Let your lager ferment about 50% of the way (I'm using a 4-5 day timeline) at it's cool temps (50° or so) and then take the fermenter out and leave it on the basement floor or other warmer spot for another week or so. There will be some active fermentation at that warmer temp but that's not when off-flavors, esters or phenols would occur but it WILL be a time to scrub out sulfur compounds and diacetyl if it exists. Swirl it, let it continue and eventually let the yeast drop. Send it to the keg, get it cold and then add the biofine as Drez mentioned. I do this exact thing except I use a gel solution which works nicely for me.

 

I will just add that biofine needs to "mix" with the beer.  You can rack on it or if you add it to a keg after filled releasing the CO2 a few times will move the beer enough to help get it mixed.  I just find it easier to add it to the keg and rack on top of, but that just how my process works.

[Poptop]

I will just add that biofine needs to "mix" with the beer.  You can rack on it or if you add it to a keg after filled releasing the CO2 a few times will move the beer enough to help get it mixed.  I just find it easier to add it to the keg and rack on top of, but that just how my process works.

Do you find that simply racking on top of the biofine is adequate? Do you roll or shake the keg? I followed your procedure a few weeks ago and the beer did not clear as I imagined it would.

[HVB]

Do you find that simply racking on top of the biofine is adequate? Do you roll or shake the keg? I followed your procedure a few weeks ago and the beer did not clear as I imagined it would.

For me I find it enough.  I rack though the beer out post and have no issues.  The only moving the keg sees after I fill it is moving to the freezer.  One thing to keep in mind with biofine is that after it fines the first time if you move the keg around any it will not clear as much again.  Gelatin has it beat in that respect but for everything else I find biofine better.

[Big Nake]

Oh yeah... mix the biofine with the beer by racking on top and (I assume), make sure the beer is cold too, correct? I know the gel works far better when added to cold beer and I don't even have to mix it... just carefully pour it into the cold beer in the keg and then carb it up.

[matt6150]

For me I find it enough.  I rack though the beer out post and have no issues.  The only moving the keg sees after I fill it is moving to the freezer.  One thing to keep in mind with biofine is that after it fines the first time if you move the keg around any it will not clear as much again.  Gelatin has it beat in that respect but for everything else I find biofine better.

Well then that might explain a few things.

[Big Nake]

Well then that might explain a few things.

I forgot about that with Biofine. You just KNOW you're going to move a keg from one place to the next and I'm always very careful with it but you can only be so careful. With a gel solution, there may be a pint of cloudy-ish beer right after moving the keg but after that it settles back nicely.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Pretty simple, use it after you've hit final gravity plus a few days for d-rest and the have cold crashed. Usually about day 15 or 16 if you use the fast lager method.