General Considerations

  • The operation of finings machines depends on the type of finings employed and whether beer is fined at despatch or at rack.
  • The presence of dry hops in cask may prevent finings from mixing with the bulk of beer if finings are injected into the top of the cask

Range of Values

  • The volume of finings employed will depend on their nature and the extent of dilution
  • The volume delivered by finings machines should be ± 10% of the target figure.

Operational Protocols

  • The volume of finings delivered must be checked for every batch of treated beer; machines should be checked with finings rather than liquor.
  • The pressure of injection must be maintained to ensure mixing.
  • Finings machines should be checked for sterility
  • The viscosity of finings should be reduced by dilution (5) in cooler weather to aid dispersion
  • Auxiliary finings must not be admixed with isinglass
  • Batches of fined beer should be identified by using coloured tuts to seal shives

Measurement Protocols

  • The volume of dispense is checked by dispensing into a measuring vessel, allowing air bubbles to disperse and recording the volume. This should be done every shift for each cask size.
  • Displaced beer should be checked weekly for the presence of excess finings.
  • The total amount of finings used should be checked against the rate of addition and the volume of beer treated
  • When one meter is used to supply more than one head, the volume delivered at each head should be checked.