Mastering Yeast Filtration: Tips For A Clearer, Better Beer

Filtering yeast from beer is a common question for new brewers. However, it is not recommended as it can result in flat beer if you bottle it with priming sugar. If you do want to filter your beer, you should cold crash it and use a two-stage filter setup with a 5-micron filter followed by a 1-micron or 0.5-micron filter. However, using a 1-micron filter or smaller may strip some desirable character from the beer.

Cold crash with gelatin

Cold crashing is a good procedure to filter yeast from beer. You can use a 1 micron filter to grab all or nearly all yeast cells, or you can go as tight as .5 micron at the risk of stripping some desirable character from the beer. You can also use a two-stage filter setup with a 5 micron filter at the front to prevent the final filter from loading up prematurely.

To do a cold crash with gelatin, fill the first keg and push everything with 5psi CO2. You can also use a pleated canister filter that can be adapted to home brew plumbing and that can be CO2 or liquid purged before running any beer.

You can also use a 5 micron filter followed by a 1 or 0.5 micron filter to filter out tannins and yeast cells but not too fine or it could alter the flavor of your finished beer.

You can also use a kegging/carbonation system to filter your beer into a keg, then artificially carbonate it, and then bottle it from the keg using a counter-pressure bottle filler or beer gun.

You can also use a 1 micron filter to grab all or nearly all yeast cells but not too fine or it could alter the flavor of your finished beer.

Choose a filter size

When filtering yeast from beer, it is important to choose a filter size that is fine enough to filter out tannins and yeast cells, but not too fine as this could alter the flavor of your finished beer. A 1 micron filter is generally considered the sweet spot for filter size. Filters that are smaller than 0.5 microns may risk filtering out some flavor, while larger filters (5 micron and up) may not be fine enough to filter out the yeast cells.

When choosing a filter size, it is also important to consider the type of filter you are using. Pleated canister filters are available that can be adapted to home brew plumbing and can be CO2 or liquid purged before running any beer. Additionally, if you are using a two-stage filter setup, it is important to consider the size of the first filter to ensure that the final filter does not load up prematurely.

It is also worth noting that filtering the beer removes the yeast from it, so if you filter and then bottle with priming sugar, you will just get flat beer. The only way to filter and bottle beer is to filter your beer into a keg, then artificially carbonate it, and then bottle it from the keg using a counter-pressure bottle filler or beer gun.

In summary, when choosing a filter size for filtering yeast from beer, it is important to consider the type of filter you are using, the size of the first filter in a two-stage setup, and the final use of the beer (i.e., whether you plan to bottle or keg it). By selecting the appropriate filter size and type, you can effectively remove yeast cells while preserving the flavor of your beer.

Use a properly cold-crashed vessel

Cold-crashing a vessel is a good procedure for filtering yeast from beer. It is important to start with a properly cold-crashed vessel because if you do not, a two-stage filter setup with a 5 micron filter at the front might prevent the final filter from loading up prematurely.

Cold-crashing a vessel means transferring the beer to a keg after cold crashing with gelatin. This will result in crystal clear beer.

When choosing a filter size, it is important to filter out tannins and yeast cells, but not alter the flavor of your finished beer. Around 1 micron is the sweet spot for filter size – smaller than 0.5 microns and you risk filtering out some flavor, while larger ones (5 micron and up) may leave some yeast cells in the beer.

A 1 micron filter should grab all or nearly all yeast cells; you could go as tight as .5 micron at the risk of stripping some desirable character from the beer.

If the beer is pretty clear before you hit the filter, you can get away with just the 0.5 micron filter.

Use a two-stage filter setup

If you want to filter yeast from beer, you can use a two-stage filter setup. This involves using a 5-micron filter at the front and a 1-micron or 0.5-micron filter at the back. The 5-micron filter will catch any large particles, and the 1-micron or 0.5-micron filter will catch the yeast cells.

It's important to note that filtering beer removes the yeast, so if you filter and then bottle with priming sugar, you will just get flat beer. The only way to filter and bottle beer is to filter your beer into a keg, then artificially carbonate it, and then bottle it from the keg using a counter-pressure bottle filler or beer gun.

When using a two-stage filter setup, it's important to cold-crash the beer before filtering. This will help to prevent the yeast from settling at the bottom of the container and will make it easier to filter. Additionally, you can use a gelatin to help clarify the beer before filtering.

It's also important to choose the right filter size. A 1-micron filter is a good choice, as it will catch all or nearly all yeast cells without stripping any desirable character from the beer. However, if you use a filter that is too fine, you may risk filtering out some of the beer's flavor.

Finally, it's important to push the beer through the filters using CO2 or liquid to ensure that the yeast is completely removed from the beer.

Use a 1 micron filter

When filtering yeast from beer, it is important to choose a filter size that is fine enough to filter out yeast cells without altering the flavor of your finished beer. A 1-micron filter is often considered the sweet spot for filter size. Smaller than 0.5 microns and you risk filtering out some flavor, while larger than 5 microns and you may not effectively remove yeast cells.

To use a 1-micron filter, you can set up a two-stage filter system. Start with a 5-micron filter at the front to prevent the final filter from loading up prematurely. Then, use a 1-micron or 0.5-micron filter to grab all or nearly all yeast cells. Cold-crashed vessels are recommended before using the filter.

When filtering, it is important to note that filtering the beer removes the yeast from it. If you filter and then bottle with priming sugar, you will just get flat beer. The only way to filter and bottle beer is to filter your beer into a keg, then artificially carbonate it, and then bottle it from the keg using a counter-pressure bottle filler or beer gun.

Additionally, brewer's yeast is composed of 30% purine, which is one of the major contributors to gout. Therefore, removing yeast from beer is important for those who may be prone to gout flare-ups.

In summary, using a 1-micron filter is an effective method for filtering yeast from beer while preserving the flavor of the beer. It is important to set up a two-stage filter system and to follow the proper steps for filtering and bottling to ensure a high-quality final product.

Frequently asked questions