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Finings and clarifiers explained: Whirlfloc to gelatin

Finings and clarifiers explained: Whirlfloc, Irish moss, gelatin, isinglass, silica, kieselsol and chitosan, bentonite, with label doses and allergens.

Updated November 2026 · 7 min read

A mug of golden lager with a tall foam head on a table
Photo: Zuffe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The short version
  • Finings and clarifiers grab haze-forming particles (proteins, yeast, polyphenols) so they drop out faster; time and cold do the same job more slowly.
  • Kettle finings (Whirlfloc, Irish moss) go in during the last 15 minutes of the boil, per BYO.
  • Post-fermentation finings: gelatin and isinglass are animal-derived, chitosan comes from shellfish, silica and bentonite are mineral.
  • Wine kits usually include their own finings (often kieselsol and chitosan); use them in the order printed.
  • Dose and mixing come from the label. Overdosing can make clarity worse.

Finings and clarifiers are the shortcut to clear beer, wine, cider and mead. Haze comes from proteins, yeast, polyphenols and, in fruit wines, pectin. Given enough cold and time, most of it settles on its own; finings speed that up by attaching to particles with the opposite electric charge and dragging them to the bottom.

This guide sorts the common products by when you add them and what they are made from, using BYO’s fining article, maker labels and listing data. Doses here come from those sources only; always use the label on the package you buy.

Which fining does what?

Common finings and clarifiers

ProductWhenMade fromMain targetNotes
Whirlfloc / Irish mossLast ≤15 min of the boilSeaweed carrageenan (plant)Protein and cold breakBYO: longer boils degrade it; erring low on dose
GelatinAfter fermentation, cold beerCollagen (animal)Yeast, chill haze✗ Not vegan; small flocs, slow settling
IsinglassA few days before packagingFish swim bladder (animal)Yeast✗ Not vegan; large, fast-settling flocs (BYO)
Silica sol (Biofine Clear)After fermentationSilica (mineral)Yeast, chill-haze proteins✓ Vegan; label: 3–30 mL per 5 gal
Kieselsol + chitosan (Super-Kleer, Dualfine)Two parts, a day apart or per labelSilica + shellfish-derived chitosanYeast, general haze~ Shellfish allergen note
BentoniteWine and mead, often at the startClay (mineral)Protein haze✓ Common in wine kits
SparkolloidWine, hot-mixedPolysaccharide blendStubborn hazeFollow the package directions
Pectic enzymeFruit must, before fermentationEnzymePectin hazeCan slightly raise methanol; see methanol guide
Clarity FermAt pitchingProline-specific enzymeChill hazeAlso used for gluten-reduced beer; not celiac-safe

Source: BYO: Fining homebrew; product labels and listings

≤15 minKettle finings go in this close to the end of the boilBYO
3–4 daysIsinglass added this long before bottling in BYO’s methodBYO
3–30 mLBiofine Clear per 5 gal batch, per its labelProduct label (listing)
5–6 galTreated by one Super-Kleer K.C. pack, per its labelProduct label (listing)

Kettle finings: Whirlfloc and Irish moss

Whirlfloc tablets and Irish moss are carrageenan from red seaweed. Added near the end of the boil, they help proteins clump into the cold break as the wort chills. BYO recommends adding them 15 minutes or less before flameout, because a longer boil degrades the carrageenan, and suggests erring on the low side: an overdose makes loose, fluffy trub that traps wort. Tablets are often dosed at about half a tablet per 5 gal (19 L) in BYO’s article; your package states its own dose.

A dried red seaweed frond on sand, the kind of algae Irish moss finings come from
Irish moss and Whirlfloc are made from red seaweed.Photo: marsupium photography, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

For a deeper head-to-head, see the extract brewing guide for where this fits in the boil.

Post-fermentation finings for beer

Gelatin

Gelatin is hydrolyzed collagen. The usual method is to dissolve it in a little water, warm it until fully dissolved without boiling, and stir it into cold beer in the keg or fermenter. Craft A Brew’s label, for example, says to dissolve in water after fermentation at 2 oz water per gram. BYO notes gelatin forms small flocs that settle over days, so it works best in beer that is already cold.

Isinglass

Isinglass comes from fish swim bladders. BYO describes larger, faster-settling flocs and a mild foam-stabilizing effect, and its method adds it 3–4 days before bottling. Keep prepared solutions refrigerated.

Silica sol (Biofine Clear)

Silica sol is a mineral, vegan fining. Its label gives 3–30 mL per 5 gal batch; the wide range is why a small bench trial in a few glasses is worth doing before treating a whole keg.

Tell your guests

Gelatin and isinglass are animal-derived, so finished beer is not vegan or vegetarian. Chitosan is made from shellfish shells; flag it for guests with shellfish allergies. Lactose and honey are other common allergens or dietary flags in homebrew.

Source: BYO; product listings

Cold, time and yeast choice: clarity without additives

Before reaching for a packet, remember that most haze is temporary. Yeast settles once fermentation ends, especially when the beer is cold, and many protein-polyphenol complexes drop out after a week or two near freezing. A well-flocculating yeast, a good hot and cold break in the kettle, and a few weeks of cold conditioning in a keg produce clear beer in most styles without any post-fermentation fining.

There are also beers that are meant to be hazy. Hazy IPAs, wheat beers and many farmhouse styles keep yeast and protein in suspension on purpose, and finings would strip body and hop character that the style expects. Check the style in the beginner beer styles guide before deciding a haze is a fault.

Chill haze vs permanent haze

If a beer is clear at room temperature but cloudy cold, that is chill haze: proteins and polyphenols that bind when cold. Kettle finings, a strong cold break, silica sol or gelatin and enzyme products like Clarity Ferm target it. If the beer is cloudy at every temperature and the haze grows over weeks, think yeast still in suspension, starch from a mash problem or an infection. Finings will help with yeast; they will not fix starch or bacteria.

Finings for wine, cider and mead

Wine kits usually come with their own clarifier packs, often kieselsol followed by chitosan, and the instructions specify the order and timing. Use them as printed: WineMaker’s kit articles stress degassing fully before fining day, because dissolved CO2 keeps fining particles suspended. See how to make wine from a kit.

Glasses of white wine and water on a table
Clear wine is the point of fining.Photo: Jon Sullivan, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

For fruit wine, cider and mead, bentonite removes protein haze, two-part kieselsol and chitosan clears yeast, and Sparkolloid is a hot-mix option for stubborn haze. Pectic enzyme is not a fining, but it prevents pectin haze in fruit wines; read methanol in homemade wine for why that matters.

How to fine a batch, step by step

  1. Let fermentation finish

    Confirm final gravity with two or three equal readings. Fining an active fermentation strips yeast it still needs.

  2. Degas wine and mead

    Stir out CO2 before fining; gas bubbles keep particles suspended.

  3. Cold-crash beer

    Chill beer near freezing for a day or two before gelatin or silica; most finings work faster cold. Use a closed or pressurized vessel so the airlock does not suck back.

  4. Bench-trial a new product

    Treat a few glasses at the low, middle and high label dose and compare clarity after a day or two.

  5. Dose per the label

    Mix as the package says (dissolve, warm, or add in order) and stir gently.

  6. Wait, then rack or keg off the sediment

    Give it the label’s time. In a keg, the first pint pulls the sediment out of the dip tube.

  7. Record what worked

    Note product, dose and days in the brew-day log.

Chemicals: label directions onlyUse sanitizers, cleaners, acids and salts only at the dilution and contact time on the label. Wear eye protection with acids and powders, add acid to water, keep them away from children and food prep. Star San is EPA-registered (Reg. No. 65001-1) as a no-rinse sanitizer at label dilution.Source: EPA Star San label

Mistakes to avoid

  • Boiling Whirlfloc for an hour. BYO: add it in the last 15 minutes or less.
  • More is better. Overdosing several finings can leave loose, fluffy sediment or new haze.
  • Fining warm beer. Chill haze only forms cold, so cold-crash first.
  • Skipping degassing in wine. Gas keeps the wine cloudy no matter the fining.
  • Not warning guests. Animal-derived and shellfish-derived finings matter to some people.
  • Expecting finings to fix infection haze. Bacterial or wild yeast haze needs a different fix; see beer off-flavors.

Which fining should you choose?

For most beer: Whirlfloc in the kettle, then time and cold. For a bright lager or pale ale on tap: add gelatin or silica after cold-crashing. For vegan beer: kettle finings plus silica sol. For wine kits: use the included packs. For fruit wine and mead: pectic enzyme at the start, then bentonite or two-part kieselsol and chitosan if needed. Products live in brewing chemicals and water.

Gear picks for this guide: best wort chillers and best wine making kits.

Keg carbonation chart and PSI calculatorKeg carbonation chart and calculator: regulator PSI by beer temperature and CO2 volumes, with an altitude…Printable brew-day log and recipe sheetFree brew-day log: record recipe, water and salts, mash, gravities, yeast, fermentation temperatures,…

Questions

When should I add Whirlfloc?
BYO recommends the last 15 minutes or less of the boil, because longer boiling degrades the carrageenan. Use the dose on your package.
Is gelatin or Biofine better for clearing beer?
Both work on cold beer. Gelatin is animal-derived and settles slowly; Biofine Clear is a vegan silica sol with a 3–30 mL per 5 gal label range. Bench-trial either one.
Are finings vegan?
Not all. Gelatin and isinglass are animal-derived and chitosan comes from shellfish. Irish moss, Whirlfloc, silica sol and bentonite are plant or mineral.
Do I need finings at all?
No. Time and cold clear most beer. Finings speed it up and help with chill haze, which matters most for pale beers and wine.
Can I use beer finings in wine?
Some, like kieselsol and chitosan, work in beer, wine and cider. Wine kits include their own and the instructions set the timing; use those first.
Does pectic enzyme clear wine?
It prevents pectin haze when added to fruit must before fermentation. It is not a general fining, and research shows it can slightly raise methanol.

Sources

  1. BYO: Fining homebrew
  2. WineMaker: Fermenting and degassing wine kits (Tim Vandergrift)
  3. Ohimain (2016): Methanol contamination in traditionally fermented alcoholic beverages, SpringerPlus (PMC)
  4. TTB Ruling 2014-2: Revised interim policy on gluten content statements (PDF)
  5. EPA: Star San label (Reg. No. 65001-1, PDF)