Brewing Brilliance: Using Diatomaceous Earth to Filter Beer in a Craft Brewery

Craft beer enthusiasts are known for their discerning tastes, seeking out unique and flavorful brews. However, before those delightful sips reach your glass, a critical step in the brewing process involves filtering the beer to achieve clarity and consistency. One method gaining popularity in the craft beer industry is using diatomaceous earth (DE) as a filtration agent. In this blog post, we'll delve into the science behind DE filtration and how it's used to create exceptional beer in craft breweries.

The Science Behind Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring, sedimentary rock that consists of fossilized diatoms, which are ancient, single-celled algae. DE is primarily composed of silica, and its microscopic structure gives it remarkable filtration capabilities. When DE is used as a filter aid in brewing, it effectively traps and removes unwanted particles and yeast cells from the beer.

The Brewing Process and the Need for Filtration

Before we explore the specifics of DE filtration, it's essential to understand why filtration is a crucial step in brewing. Craft brewers strive to create beer with a consistent appearance and flavor. However, the brewing process often leaves beer with a hazy appearance, which can result from suspended yeast, proteins, and other particles. To address this, brewers employ filtration to remove these unwanted elements and clarify the beer.

Why Choose Diatomaceous Earth?

There are various filtration methods available to brewers, including centrifugation, plate and frame filters, and cartridge filters. However, DE filtration has become a popular choice for several reasons:

1. Natural and Non-Toxic: DE is a naturally occurring substance and is considered food-grade safe. It's non-toxic and poses no harm to consumers when used in beer filtration.

2. Cost-Effective: DE is cost-effective and provides excellent filtration results, making it an attractive option for craft breweries, which often operate on tight budgets.

3. Particle Removal: DE has a high surface area and intricate structure, allowing it to capture even the tiniest particles, resulting in a clearer and more stable beer.

The DE Filtration Process

Now, let's explore the DE filtration process in a craft brewery:

1. Precoat: The first step involves preparing a filter medium by mixing DE with water to form a slurry. This slurry is then spread on a filter medium, often a set of filter plates, to create a thin, even layer of DE.

2. Filtration: The unfiltered beer is then passed through the DE-coated filter medium. As the beer flows through, DE captures yeast cells, proteins, and other unwanted particles, leaving the beer clear and free of haze.

3. Cake Formation: Over time, a "filter cake" of DE and captured particles builds up on the filter medium. This cake enhances the filtration process's efficiency by further trapping impurities.

4. Rinsing: Once the beer has passed through the filter medium, a rinsing process removes any remaining DE and trapped particles, leaving only the clarified beer.

Conclusion

Diatomaceous earth filtration has become an invaluable tool for craft breweries seeking to produce clear and consistent beers. By harnessing the natural filtering capabilities of DE, brewers can achieve their desired clarity and flavor profiles without resorting to more expensive or chemical-laden methods.

As the craft beer industry continues to expand and innovate, it's essential to keep exploring traditional and alternative techniques, like DE filtration, to create outstanding brews that cater to the discerning tastes of beer connoisseurs. So, the next time you enjoy a craft beer at your local brewery, you can appreciate the meticulous process behind achieving that crystal-clear, refreshing sip. Cheers!

Enjoying Kentucky Wildcat

Kentucky Wildcat

Ingredients:

1/2 oz Jack Daniels
1/2 oz Southern Comfort
1/2 oz Yukon Jack
1/2 oz Jim Beam
2 oz Sour Mix
2 oz Cola

Brewing a Wheat Beer using Rice Hulls

The rice hulls in the 5 gallon bucket can keep
the mash from becoming stuck.

Brewing a wheat beer can be tricky. The grains of wheat are small, and become very thick when wet. This can cause the mash to become stuck, and slow the transfer of wort from the mash tun to the brew kettle. I recommend alternating types of grain with the wheat. In the case of Randy's Warhawk Wheat, I alternate a bag of Pilsen malt with a bag of wheat rather than dumping all the wheat in together. Another thing you can do is use rice hulls to narrow channels in the grain bed for the sparge to flow through en route to the brew kettle. I use one 5 gallon bucket for every 50lbs of wheat.

At Randy's, we use a grant to vorlauf the wort.

After the "mash in" there is a process called vorlauf which takes the smaller particulates from the bottom of the grain bed, and deposits them on top. This creates a natural filter keeping a large portion of smaller particulates out of the brew kettle. 

I'd be inclined to think that the use of rice hulls in the mashing of a wheat beer, would decrease the effectiveness of the vorlauf. But after using some very technical equipment, my eyes and a glass, I see that the vorlauf is just as effective and there are very few particulates swimming around in the glass after only 10 minutes of circulation. 

I've found that alternating grain types with the wheat beer, seems to be as effective as using rice hulls. Although the rices hulls do not alter the mouth feel of the beer, or give it an unusual taste, sometimes getting the hulls out of their transport bag is more work than dealing with a stuck mash. So I'd rather not use them myself. 

Filtering an Amber Lager

Today I showed my son Barakhow to filter beer. 

Mead Class BJCP Class

Tonight, a small group from the Beer Barons met to learn about Mead with a view on getting certified to judge Mead classes at competitions. It was a great class, taught by Diane and Jeff Kane. Five more weeks of classes!