Despite the steadily increasing number of fans of cloudy, unfiltered beer, most connoisseurs still prefer a clarified, almost transparent drink. To do this, the beer must be filtered - how can you do this at home without using chemical methods? The filtration process is not complicated; moreover, when cleaning the drink, its storage time increases.

Live beer, brewed without the use of chemical additives that accelerate the brewing process, is appreciated by the consumer above the factory product. However, a beer manufacturer is forced to get rid of the microflora of beer, a living component of this drink, and at the same time from a significant part of vitamins and biologically active substances in order to extend the shelf life and sale of its products.

How to filter beer at home

How do you filter your home brew before you start tasting? It is necessary to strain the drink, and it is advisable to do this through a hair sieve. After that, the beer should be briefly transferred to a cool place so that its temperature becomes suitable. Now it's ready, you can start the beer party. By the way, beer becomes tasty and aromatic when its temperature reaches 10 degrees.

It has long been noticed and proven that it is at this temperature index that beer most fully manifests its rich and unique taste, all its qualities and aroma are felt. Therefore, if you decide to go to the bitter end, do not be lazy to bring the finished drink to the desired temperature in order to be sure that the invited tasters will be amazed on the spot.

To filter beer the way the correct technology suggests, it must be cleaned of residual components of yeast and bacterial cells, suspended grains, all kinds of impurities that cause turbidity in the drink. In this case, pre-wash diatomaceous earth filters are used, as well as filter presses, separation devices, sector-type cleaning elements (or replaceable cartridges).

Beer that has not been purified can be stored for no more than 2-3 days, and after filtration - up to 1 month. If it is subjected to additional cleaning up to a sterile state on sector-type membrane filter elements, then the shelf life increases to 1-3 months.

The so-called gnotobiological filtration (that is, sterile) is carried out by means of a disinfected filter cardboard, which isolates suspended particles and ensures the sterility of the foamy drink.

It should be noted that, despite various maneuvers, filtration together with yeast still removes a maximum of useful minerals and elements from the beer. Based on this, the taste of the beer becomes less intense, it turns into an empty liquid containing nothing. It is for this reason that unfiltered beer tastes better and "livelier" than its filtered counterpart. Of course, after all the degrees of purification, the drink becomes transparent, without cloudy impurities and can be stored for a long time. However, it cannot be classified as beneficial, since live yeast and beneficial bacteria were mercilessly "evicted".

Beer pasteurization

Pasteurization Is the most common way to improve the biological stability of beer. The pasteurization process, or the process of killing microorganisms under the influence of high temperature, can be carried out both in a continuous flow and after bottling.

The technology for pasteurization of beer in a continuous flow provides for the use of a temperature of 68–74 ° C. Two-section pasteurizers have become widespread in breweries. In the first section of the apparatus, the beer is heated for 30–40 minutes to the required temperature, and in the second, it is cooled to 0 ° C. This technology allows, if not completely preserve chemical composition drink, including vitamins, then practically leave the taste and smell of beer unchanged. The biological stability of beer after pasteurization increases to 6-12 months.

Unpasteurized beer is stored for about a month, so it is rarely found on sale nowadays (although back in the USSR it was equally likely that both pasteurized and unpasteurized beer in bottles could be found in stores, the expiration date of which was indicated by the corresponding notch on the label).

The shelf life of beer can be increased to two months if it is carefully filtered. Ultrafiltration is the second most common beer preservation method that does not involve the use of chemical additives. During ultrafiltration, beer under pressure is passed two to three times through special membranes with holes so thin that they trap unicellular yeast and other microorganisms. Beer gains exceptional transparency, but loses some vitamins and rich taste.

We are opening a new heading on Profibeer about home brewing. How to brew beer at home, which malt to choose, yeast, where to buy, from whom not to buy, what to do if beer has begun to live its own life and does not obey the recipe ...

From the homebrewing forums, we collect tips from seasoned beginners and publish them on Profibeer. Today's topic is beer filtration.

Filters

Typically, homebrewers buy conventional water filters to filter out finished beer. When choosing such a filter, you need to pay attention to the size of the filter membranes: it is advised to choose filters larger than 0.5 microns, because smaller membranes can prevent substances that form its taste, aroma and color from entering the beer.

As a result, pre-chilled beer is simply pumped from one keg to another through this very filter. Moreover, do not use the same filter several times - this can damage the taste of the beer.

You can also use rice husks or straws as filters, properly processed so that they do not give the beer an off-taste and odor.

Irish moss

Beer can be filtered not only mechanically. Home brewers use intermediaries such as Irish moss to "bind" protein and tannins.

Irish moss, Chondrus Crispus in Latin, promotes rapid sedimentation during cooling and therefore brightens the beer. It is added to the wort 5-7 minutes before the end of boiling the wort with hops. Moss "grasps" tannins and proteins, which quickly settle to the bottom. Such beer is considered unfiltered and at the same time becomes transparent.

Irish moss is usually sold either dried and shredded or in tablets.

Gelatin

Gelatin can also be used to precipitate protein: 15 grams of gelatin must be dissolved in a glass of water, heated without boiling, then cooled and added to the beer when it is poured for further fermentation.

This will achieve the same lightening effect.

Secrets

Rapid cooling

If the wort after boiling is cooled very quickly to the fermentation temperature, the proteins and tannins in the wort will curl up and settle on the sides and bottom of the kettle. The faster the cooling, the better the effect. In this case, the use of an immersion or counter-current cooler is recommended.

Oxygen

Oxygen in the air is harmful to beer. In breweries, the filtration process is completely shielded from the effects of oxygen, but at home it is necessary to contrive so that there is as little contact with air as possible. Some brewers even advise not to filter the beer at home in any way, just let the bottles settle for one to two months so that the sediment falls to the bottom.

Best before date

It must be remembered that yeast in beer also works as a preservative, and if you filter the beer without further pasteurization, it will not stand for a long time.

Australian plugs

To remove sediment after beer clarification, you can use Australian yeast stoppers.

Filtration, stabilization and sanitization processes in breweries are key to beer production. Such factors of quality as transparency, taste, microbiological and colloidal stability, shelf life of beer depend on them.

We manufacture and offer a comprehensive range of filters that cover all the needs of the filtration process, from primary filtration of beer and water to sterile filtration of process gases.

Diagram of production technology and filtration and sanitary cleaning processes at the brewery

We supply for the washing and regeneration process. Different ways Beer production and strategic focus on a specific market require different approaches to filtration and microbiological stabilization.

Advanced breweries in the beer filtration process to achieve High Quality with minimal financial costs are used today by several types of filters.

For primary filtration, we produce three types of filters.

FKS - candle kieselguhr filtration

The most effective solution is with steel spark plugs made of twisted wire (trapezoidal section). This filter has high efficiency and the ability to retain a large volume of sludge. It does not require large expenditures and allows dosage of colloidal stabilization agents.

The main advantages of FKS filters:

• proven reliable technology
• high performance
• high sensory properties
• minimum consumption of detergents
• long filtration cycle

FCB - crossflow for beer (tangential flow filter)

The most modern solution is a membrane
Its efficiency is quite high and operating costs are minimal. This type of filter operates on a permanent filtration medium - membrane modules that are regularly regenerated. Thus, no waste is generated during the filtration process.

The crossflow filter can also be used for the purification of product and process water. By regenerating and recirculating water in breweries, significant savings in purchasing and disposal costs can be achieved. At the outlet after primary and colloidal filtration, we install FTR protective filters.

The main advantages of FCB filters:

• polymer and ceramic capillary membranes
• complete removal of microbiological organisms harmful to beer
• excellent taste qualities beer
• minimal oxidation and no mineral load
• no problem with waste disposal

FMS - deep membrane filtration

The original taste of beer is an essential factor for success in the market. Its characteristics are strongly influenced by the use of heat pasteurization, during which unpleasant tastes arise and its ability to resist oxidation decreases.

A more sophisticated solution is secondary, using microbiological membrane filters, which guarantee complete trapping of cells and bacteria. They guarantee microbiological stability, i.e. long shelf life of beer. This eliminates the need for pasteurization, the beer retains its original flavor, and energy costs are significantly reduced.

We also install membrane cartridge filters for microbiological filtration of water and gases required in the production cycle.

The main advantages of FMS filters:

• cold stabilization of beer without pasteurization
• microbiological purification guarantee
• low filtration costs
• lack of aftertastes arising from pasteurization
• significant increase in the shelf life of beer
• no oxidation

Our range of filtration technologies also includes the FST stabilization filter, which ensures beer stability and shelf life. Our range includes which, along with filters, are necessary to ensure ideal filtration results and technological purity of production (without contamination).

All products are constantly being technologically improved and this process is closely related to the analysis of the results of leading breweries and research institutes.

Achieving excellent results during beer production is inherently linked to filtration quality control. Therefore, we offer a wide range of monitoring and analytical instruments: turbidity meters, microfiltration cartridges.

Processes with which we can help you at the brewery

Filtration of beer:

clarification (primary filtration of beer)
pre-stabilization (secondary filtration of beer)
PPVP Filtration - Colloidal Stabilization of Beer
trap filtration (trapping particles using diatomaceous earth, etc.)
final filtration (cold stabilization of beer)
crossflow beer filtration

Filtration of water in breweries:

Food water
Process water

Other types of filtration:

Filtration of cleaning solutions
Steam filtration
Air filtration

Filtration of beer is a specialized procedure aimed at removing yeast. Filtered beer is highly transparent and does not contain sediment.

Today we'll show you how to get rid of yeast in beer at home. The information will be useful for novice brewers and experienced brewers.

Methods for removing yeast from beer

There are two ways to clean a beverage:

• Filtration... The beer passes through the nets of various fractions. The minimum cell size is 0.5 microns. You can filter the drink at home and at work. This does not require expensive installations.
• Carbonization... Filtration method based on the use of carbon dioxide. Cleaning is carried out using specialized equipment. Carbonation allows you to completely remove the yeast from the drink.

The optimal solution for home brewers is the purchase of a mechanical filter. It has an affordable price, does not require complex maintenance, and removes a significant part of the yeast from the beer.

Which filter should you choose?

A 1 micron mesh is recommended for filtering beer. During the cleaning process, it retains most of the yeast, does not have a detrimental effect on the taste of the drink. The use of filters of a smaller fraction will improve the quality of cleaning, but will reduce the consumer qualities of the product. The beer will become bland, will lose its aroma.

The filtration process uses sterile instruments. This also applies to bottling bottles. Plastic bottles and glass bottles are cleaned of mechanical impurities, are disinfected.

Purchase of filtration equipment

Appliances used in beer cleaning must meet the following requirements:

• High strength characteristics.
• Ease of maintenance.
• Lack of complex chemical compounds.

It is recommended to purchase nets, bottles and other products in specialized stores.

Clear beer without filtration

There are a number of tricks to get a transparent product without resorting to filters:

• Using low protein malt will reduce sediment.
• Irish moss is added to the wort 15 minutes before the end of the boil.
• The use of gelatin will bind suspended particles. The formed sediment can be easily removed with improvised means.

Filtered beer is beer that has undergone a repeated purification process from yeast culture during brewing.

This process can significantly increase the shelf life of the drink. Unfiltered beer goes through the purification process no more than once.

What does beer filtration mean?

Filtration of beer is performed primarily to extend the shelf life and involves the exclusion of organic matter from the drink.

After filtration, the beer, unfortunately, loses its unique aroma and taste, since a special cardboard filter retains the yeast culture, which affects the flavor notes of the beer.

Many connoisseurs of this delicious drink and they call the filtered beer empty at all!

Unfiltered beer, while retaining the yeast culture, has a rich taste and aroma. It is filtered in industrial conditions only once through a special kieselguhr filter.

The drink retains its turbidity and is easily recognizable by the smell of malt and hops. It can only be stored in kegs and barrels. Another feature of unfiltered beer is the lack of a distinct degree.

Why you need to filter your homemade beer

Many people today make their own beer at home. In this regard, the question often arises - is it necessary to filter it?

In the case of independent, non-factory preparation, filtration does not imply such a thorough cleaning as in factories, since it will not be possible to implement the complex filtration process on our own.

However, it is still necessary to carry out elementary cleaning from suspensions.

Homemade beer after elementary filtration will receive the following benefits:

• Get rid of tannins, various suspensions. At the same time, cleaning will take a minimum of time, in contrast to the process of settling the drink in containers.

And now about the disadvantages.

Filtered beer is significantly inferior to unfiltered beer in terms of the content of useful microelements.

The latter contains mineral salts, ascorbic acid, B vitamins, manganese, calcium, copper, phosphorus, potassium and iron.

Storage period

By this parameter, filtered beer outperforms live beer. You can store it for at least 3-6 months. Unfiltered food loses its properties after 10 days of storage.

Another disadvantage of the refined drink is the loss of zest, special flavor of malt and hops. This is why many people choose not to filter the drink in order to preserve this unique aroma and taste.

GREAT VIDEO

How you can filter your beer at home

It is quite possible to remove sediment to the maximum at home. To do this, you can use several options.

1. We acquire a special container for intermediate storage of the drink. We pour beer into it, put it in a cool place for a day, and only then bottle it. This method allows you to defend the waste yeast - it will remain at the bottom.
2. We buy a kieselguhr filter for home use (or do it yourself). Such filters can be ordered on foreign sites, as well as cardboard for them. At the same time, when using different filtering material, it is possible to obtain a drink with different taste properties.

Home brewers practice the options for producing, albeit unfiltered, but clear beer.

The following methods are suitable for this:

• The use of high quality malt. The less protein it contains, the more expensive it is, and the less cloudy the drink will be.
• Irish Moss - This Atlantic red algae is added 15 minutes before the end of the boil.
• Various additives such as iceinglas or regular edible gelatin. The latter, settling, pulls all the turbid suspensions along with it.

Thus, if you decide to start brewing, think carefully about the result you want to get.