One for the home brewers

The best way to drop sediment(yeast) is by cooling your fermenter.Assuming you are controlling your fermentation temp you could drop the temp down to 2-3 degrees for a couple of days and most yeast will drop out but there will be enough yeast left for secondary fermentation. It is common in breweries which produce bottle conditioned beer to sterile filter first then add a new lager style yeast at bottling. this done because thier fermentation yeast is non floculant and will not drop out. The lager style yeast is then added for secondary fermentation and it is highly floculent and will stick well to the bottom of the bottle. 5 micron is considered rough filtration and should leave enough yeast in solution. You can go down to 3 micron (polishing filtration) and still have yeast in solution but probaly not enough for secondary fermentation but it worth a try. 0.5-0.23 micron is sterile filtration and will remove all yeast and most bacteria.
NEVER pressurise a glass carboy unless you want to visit the local hospital
I would imagine that gravity feed will be very slow at best if at all.You will need to sterilise your filter and housing and transfer hoses with a non rinse steriliser then flush to whole unit with co2. If you dont flush with co2 your beer will oxidise from contact with the air and decease its shelf life and taste like cardboard.Hope this helps.
Niffty
Perth

Greenant,

The sediment you get in the bottle is FROM the secondary fermentation. The beer is clear as anything when it goes from the fermenter into the bottles, then you add sugar and the secondary fermentation happens to gas up the brew. Then you get more sediment.

Can't get away from the sediment unless you use a UBrewIt type place that adds the carbonation prior to the bottle and no sugar.

IMHO proper home brew has sediment. UBrewIt beer just doesn't have the heart and soul of beer made at home with tender loving care.

Tim

Would you filter a stubbie of Coopers Pale Ale....I think not
The sediment is part of the experience

Why don't you ask the question on Grumpy's Brew Page
www.grumpys.com.au/phorum.php3

While you are there you might ask them a few 4WD questions.
K

Some people add Beer Finnings (gelatin) a few days before they bottle. doesnt affect flavour and drops out the seditment.

You'll never get rid of the sediment in the bottle from the secondary fermentation, but this settles out nicely and you can either drink it with, or pour into a glass and leave the sediment behind.

Rev

send me a slab and i'll tell you how and what to do

Brian, The Bigfella, should be along at any minute to offer an expert opinion.

He makes some exceptional drops and does this for a living. Happens to be a top bloke as well.

Greenant,

Do what is called racking it off.

The time all depends on the temperature/brewing time. If I know that my brew is going to take about 5-7 days to brew out (winter brewing usings a heater pad in the shed), at around day 3, I syphon off the liquid into another brew drum. I use plastic food grade tube, strapped to a plastic spoon to lift it about 1-2 inches off the bottom, so as to not take in the sediment. Sure you loose a bit, but that is the trade off, may be a bottle.

Once this is done, then you just keep brewing in the second drum. This gives me next to no sediment. I have not done it, but you can repeat the process and I guess get no sediment.

Time this right and it apparently improves the flavour.

It does work, dont need to poor into a jug, pooring from the bottle into the glass gives you a nice clear beer.

Dont wash your glasses in with normal dishes, use special detergents. Have to hide the glasses from the Mrs. lol

Cheers

Ahh - just drink it cloudy. !!