Using Stabifix (silica gel) - best method?

[cbierb]

Anyone use stabifix super (silica gel) ? how do you put it into the fermenter prior to filtration? must it be mixed with water, if so what temp? Thanks.

[James Murray]

I have used Silica Gel in a production brewery before. We would make a slurry in a cornelius keg with 180+ degree water. We would also pastuerize a hose for injection. Dump excess yeast out of fermenter and hook up. Inject at 30 psi until tank pressure is 11 psi and then i would open up the cip arm allowing the silica to be rushed to the top of the tank. Close cip arm and pressurize tank to 11 psi and hold. Had really great success with that method. Good luck. I think we used .85 lbs/25 BBL's.

James Murray
Lead Brewer
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
San Diego, CA

[cbierb]

Thanks very much!

[liammckenna]

I have always dosed it in with the body feed in filtration. I find this easiest, little possibility of contamination and it ensures that ALL of the beer gets properly treated.

Beware of pressure shock to your tanks (ie rapid venting). You will cause excessive foaming within the tanks with a rapid pressure drop (even only briefly). This will have a large detrimental effect on your head retention/presentation.

Pax.

Liam

[Larry Horwitz]

Silica gel

use the gel in the pre-coat. You'll get a much better result as all of the beer will get the gel. You won't end up leaving the very expensive stuff behind in the dose tank either!

[bmxfrank]

I thought that silica gel needed to be filtered out. Im confused that youare using it to actually filter. Am I missing something here?

[liammckenna]

I thought that silica gel needed to be filtered out. Im confused that youare using it to actually filter. Am I missing something here?

It will be trapped in the filter matrix of the DE/perlite or on the pads themselves.

I would suggest the second precoat or the body feed.

If doing it in the body feed, dose heavily as you fill the bell/frame, once full, recirc briefly to ensure dose/exposure of all the beer in the bell.

Pax.

Liam