It’s hard to find Biofine Clear up here (none of my LHBS have it apparently) but I went to a wholesaler to get base malt today and they had 4kg jugs of it that they supply to commercial brewers. They gave me a few ounces to try but there were no directions with it.
So, how do you use this stuff? If someone could tell me the volumes for a 5 gal cornie keg and the steps (cold crash, in fermenter?, in keg? rack off, don’t rack off etc) that would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much in advance.
I cold crash in the fermenter, then add the BioFine to the bright (keg in this case) and rack the beer in on top to mix it. Let it settle for 2-3 days cold and you should be able to pour off the sediment. I’d start with 30 mL/bbl (5 mL for 5 gal) and go up from there if you need to. I’ve found 50 mL/bbl to be the sweet spot for me.
Directions on my tiny bottle are:
“1/4 TBSP to as much as 2TBSP per 5 gallon batch. We recommend starting small and increasing your dosage rates once per day until clairification takes place. Shelf life 24 months, Unopened.”
FYI, I have had better results chilling the beer down to 38 to 44 degrees and using Gelatin as a fining instead.
Biofine was a good improvement, and easier to use (just pour it in), but Gelatin provide better results in my brewhouse.
Thanks to both of you.
Does Biofine work on a different charged molecule than gelatin? I have an English IPA that I make with Munton’s Maris Otter and although the beer tastes excellent, it takes forever to clear. I’ve tried gelatin on it many times with limited results which is why I’m excited about trying Biofine. I wonder if the Muntons MO is somewhat undermodified and I’m getting a protein haze and not a yeast or starch haze. I’m OK with doing both Biofine and Gelatin if necessary. I have no issues with some haze but when you give someone a beer that is not clear, I think it immediately detracts from the perception of quality and influences their perception.
Biofine Clear (PVPP), in terms of fining, is basically an inorganic alternative to Gelatin. They are both used to drop out polyphenols and proteins. Chances are if you haven’t seen positive results with multiple Gelatin additions, you won’t see them with PVPP. Along with How to Brew, here is a good fining reference:
http://beersmith.com/blog/2008/12/30/fining-agents-improving-beer-clarity/
IME, Biofine is more effective at clearing hop haze than Gelatin, and it doesn’t smell like rotten meat.
I’ve never used it to clear a protein haze, but a grist of 100% Muntons MO shouldn’t have enough protein to generate an obtrusive amount of turbidity, especially if you fined in the kettle and had decent hot/cold break.
How ‘hazy’ are we talking? Can you see through a pint?
In my experience, protein haze is best handled in the Kettle.
1.) Good boil to get hot break
2.) Rapid cool with imersion coil (my process)
3.) Use Irish Moss in the kettle to help precipitate out additional proteins.
Biofine, Gelatine will pull out yeast and chill haze. For the Biofine and Gelatine to work, the haze (cross linking of protein and hop acids) has to be created first. So in practice, if you can cool the beer below our serving temp for a couple days, add the fining, and then give it a day or two to drop out.
I find the best results for me is to chill the beer in a secondary, do the fining, and then siphon the beer off the stuff that has settled out.
After that, as long as you do not heat it back up and cool it back down, beer is clear! Every time you raise and lower the temp, new haze chains will form.
BioFine Clear is colloidal silicon dioxide according to the Northern Brewer product description. I have heard of it being used in conjunction with PVPP, a plastic, to also drop poly phenols.
I will soon carb and tap a BoPils that was kegged and lagered with Biofineclear.
Trying to see if I can use Biofine instead of gelatin. Seems odd to need to add a whole cup of water with dissolved gelatin to a 5 gal keg. I usually crash-cool for 48 hours, then keg with the gelatin solution. Can Biofine be added at the point in my process?
That is interesting and good to know.
I can’t say I’ve ever noticed that happening. I wonder if it’s one of those things that’s more theoretical than actual.
It’s a first for me as far as a concept. Had never heard of it before. And not sure if idiopathic haze issues I’ve had may be attributed to this…
I was just thinking the same thing as I read through the thread. But I do recall reading this recently perhaps in an old BYO article. I’ve been studying up on haze as I, too, have a MO base beer that doesn’t want to clear although I attribute the haze to the yeast and not the malt.
It’s funny, because I made 10 gallons and split five on to oak (2.5) and dry hops (2.5). The “control” is hazy even after gelatin, the oaked is better but not clear, the dry hopped is clear.
I’ve been thinking of picking up some Biofine, but I may just give gelatin a second go at it. I’ve got enough gelatin to last a life-time I think.
Due to weather, much of the MO malt has been having haze problems as the protein has been high.
+1 I wonder too. I recall quite a few kegs that I took to various parties over the years that were bright (or pretty close) and had to warm up some in transit, got chilled when I got there, and ended up pouring nice after settling. Not saying it’s impossible though.
I add it to the keg before purging, then rack the beer in on top of it. I figure a little turbulence will help to get it evenly distributed.
then I assume the first pint is a sludgy yeasty mess that you discard, just like with gelatin? and clear after that?
Not even a pint. I’ve crashed the beer already, so there’s very little yeast. I’m just going after haze. I end up pouring off ~4 fl oz, sometimes twice.
Sound great except for the pricing. 50mL/bbl is about 8ml/5gal, right? so the little 1oz bottle is going to only do 4 kegs… or have you found a source for a larger bottle? (or is my math wrong?)
Right. A 1 fl oz bottle is a little ridiculous. Googling, it looks like Brewmasters Warehouse and Midwest are at least putting it in 2 fl oz bottles, but that’s still not much. I just went ahead and got a liter from BSG. The refrigerated shelf life is two years.
You mean direct from these guys http://bsgcraftbrewing.com/BeerClarification.html?? doesn’t look like they’ll sell to “the little guy” i.e. me… or???