Diatomaceous Earth

Many bottled beers and wines have been filtered at some stage with diatomaceous earth to remove solids and other contaminants. For both beverages, impurities need to be filtered down to the micron to prevent a hazy, unappealing look and taste. Today, we’re going to look at how diatomaceous earth is an effective filtration method for brewing beer.

Why Is Diatomaceous Earth a Good Filtration Medium?

If you wanted to see why diatomaceous earth is a great filtration media and filter aid, you would need a microscope. The tiny diatoms come in a wide variety of shapes and have a honeycomb-like structure. The pores within and between the cell walls create a matrix that traps bacteria, clay particles, some viruses, and other suspended solids from liquids, leaving liquids cleaner and with drastically reduced solids and contaminant levels.

Also, the high solids holding capacity of diatomaceous earth allows for much longer filter cycles (allowing more solids to be removed) than what would be possible with other filtration methods.

Why Do Brewers Prefer Diatomaceous Earth for Beer?

As all brewers know, filtering beer is challenging, and using the wrong filter aid can potentially change the taste and look of your beer. Diatomaceous earth, as a natural and tasteless mineral, naturally filters out impurities that cause beer to look cloudy and have unappealing floaters.

Another amazing benefit of using diatomaceous earth as your filter aid? You can use it to positively change the characteristics of your brew. It’s easy to adjust the filtration and flow, so you have yet another way to fill your beer with a unique personality. It leaves the artistry to you, not the limitations of your filtration method.