chitosan

[Minbari]

So I read that you can use this product as a finning agent. It's cheap, easy to use. But I think I have a side effect.
Chitosan is an anti-microbial, i knew this, but since it was at the end of fermentation and I keg. I don't need residual yeast to carb.
The problem I am seeing is that I think there is some residue off this product left behind. My last 3 batches have been really slow and both of them, in both fermentors are stuck around 1.025 sg. Both had starters, one of them had a 2 step starter with 2 packs of liquid yeast.
Has anyone else tried using this and if so, similar issues?

I am not gonna use it anymore and see if it goes away. Maybe a cleanse with some extra strong iodofor to kill it.

 

[Donoroto]

Not sure if chitosan has anything alive in it to 'kill'. Iofophor kills things. I suspect a careful and thorough scrubbing with soap and water might be more effective. If it's metal, maybe something like barkeepers friend or comet or bonami which are abrasives.

 

[Minbari]

Not sure if chitosan has anything alive in it to 'kill'. Iofophor kills things. I suspect a careful and thorough scrubbing with soap and water might be more effective. If it's metal, maybe something like barkeepers friend or comet or bonami which are abrasives.

no I am saying that a residue of the chitosan is poisoning my yeast in the fermentors. it has anti-microbial traits known to kill yeast. plus I read a=on a few sites that it is recommended to clean it off with steam cleaning. I just wonder if that is the cause of what I am seeing with these two batches.

either way, they are both getting a thorough cleaning after they are empty

 

[Sunfire96]

Time and gravity are cheap fining agents

 

[Minbari]

Time and gravity are cheap fining agents

not going to disagree. but I am not patient enough and getting a pale ale or pilsner clear doesnt happen. I know it prolly doesnt matter, flavour wise, but it annoys me.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

I have used it and continue to use it on every wine i make.
It hasn't noticably ever affected a wine that I've transferred that was still fermenting, but I don't usually transfer and stabilize wine until it's finished.
I'd be interested to hear more on this and if if truly affects the yeast during fermentation.
Also, if there's a residue that doesn't come off with regular cleaning.
I'll follow along and see what others experiences are.

 

[Minbari]

I have used it and continue to use it on every wine i make.
It hasn't noticably ever affected a wine that I've transferred that was still fermenting, but I don't usually transfer and stabilize wine until it's finished.
I'd be interested to hear more on this and if if truly affects the yeast during fermentation.
Also, if there's a residue that doesn't come off with regular cleaning.
I'll follow along and see what others experiences are.

I will update once I get them washed, and sanitized. I bought some Biofin clear for next time. its works really well, just not cheap, lol.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I will update once I get them washed, and sanitized. I bought some Biofin clear for next time. its works really well, just not cheap, lol.

Is finning in the keg an option then it takes the fermenter out of the equation.
I get satisfactory results with geletin most times.
But I usually reserve this for lager beer or a pale or XPA I want brite on tap.

A way I add geletin to keg I usually add SMB here too is using a carb cap and length of beer line in a 600ml pet bottle. Transfer this in with your jumper line...

 

[Minbari]

Is finning in the keg an option then it takes the fermenter out of the equation.
I get satisfactory results with geletin most times.
But I usually reserve this for lager beer or a pale or XPA I want brite on tap.

A way I add geletin to keg I usually add SMB here too is using a carb cap and length of beer line in a 600ml pet bottle. Transfer this in with your jumper line...

I bought some biofin clear. its not the cheapest stuff around, but it does a really good job.

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

Isn't chitosan used in winemaking to stop fermentation, like bump off the yeast? That would explain the slow ferm since most of you yeast may be corpses before you begin. I could be very, very wrong.

 

[Minbari]

Isn't chitosan used in winemaking to stop fermentation, like bump off the yeast? That would explain the slow ferm since most of you yeast may be corpses before you begin. I could be very, very wrong.

you arent wrong. 100% chitosan is used for that. the stuff I was using contains it, plus some stuff for fining. I am not going to use it anymore and we will see if that was the issue or if I have something else in my process to blame.

 

[Over The Cliff Brewing]

I'm betting it's the chitosan

 

[Yooper]

Isn't chitosan used in winemaking to stop fermentation, like bump off the yeast? That would explain the slow ferm since most of you yeast may be corpses before you begin. I could be very, very wrong.

No, not really. Chitosan (along with Kielselsol) do "grab" yeast and things but don't actually stop an active fermentation. Of course, it's used after fermentation for rapid clearing, and it helps drop yeast in suspension and other solids but shouldn't have an impact on fermentation when used in that way.