Filtered vs Unfiltered Beer

Filtered vs Unfiltered Beer – comparison:

Introduction

There’s more to think about besides choosing light or dark beer.

Filtered vs unfiltered beer is another consideration when making your happy hour and weekend selections.

Knowing the difference between filtered vs unfiltered beer will make it easier for you to choose.

What Are Unfiltered Beers?

Unfiltered beers don’t undergo any additional filtration prior to bottling.

The result is less clarity than a filtered beer. However, this is what can make a beer standout from the rest.

While filtered beers are no doubt refreshing to drink, they miss the complex qualities that can be imparted on the finished beer product, particularly in regards to flavors and aromas.

It was once the case where breweries focused on filtered beers that had more clarity.

The likely reason was that clarity tended to be synonymous with the quality and cleanliness of the brewery. But now, more and more breweries are producing unfiltered beers to express more character in every sip.

Unfiltered beers take on all kinds of styles.

There are Florida IPAs (often called FLIPAs), Hazy IPAs, New England IPAs, glitter beers, milkshake IPAs, and more.

Because everyone has their own preferences, breweries often engage in providing both filtered and unfiltered beers to appeal to all desires.

What Are Filtered Beers?

Filtered beers are any ales, lagers, or fermented malt beverages that had any remaining fermentation sediment removed before they were bottled.

Most of the mass-produced offerings from those big beer brands are filtered out mechanically.

Generally, they use either surface filtration or cake filtration.

It will depend on the style the brewer is going for as to which filtration method will be used for filtered beers.

Some of those filters are rougher than others, so these beers will take on interesting characteristics.

A beer that is roughly filtered may be a little cloudy, though it will be far more clarified than an unfiltered beer.

No matter how the beer is filtered, it is stable through the filtering, and that conditioning has ceased.

Some even opt to choose cold filtering for this process.

This is when they use lower temperatures.

It causes the proteins as well as other organic matter in the beer to form into a clump which makes it easier for them to get out of there.

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Which is Best: Filtered vs Unfiltered Beer?

Unfiltered beer may be cloudy, foggy, murky, and unclear, but it is certainly worth a try.

Even if you have been conditioned to believe that the clearer the beer, the better it is, it’s definitely worth seeing what unfiltered beer tastes like.

However, it’s impossible to declare one better than the other without trying it yourself.

Looking at the differences between filtered vs unfiltered beer can help you learn more and see which one you prefer.

– Appearance

It’s easy to think that unfiltered beers are less pure because they are so hazy.

This was once a common thought, but as these unfiltered beers turn up more and more across the world, everyone is giving murky beers a chance.

Craft breweries use this as a boasting point for trying their brands, but in the end, it really is up to your own preference as to whether you like your beers to look clear or hazy.

– Flavors

When it comes to unfiltered beer, there are still grains, hops, and yeast in the bottle, which get more time to develop.

You may find these beers are a bit grainier and more bitter, but they’re also far more complex.

Filtered beers, on the other hand, are clean and crisp with a lighter flavor profile.

Again, it’s completely up to you which one satisfies your palate best.

– Aroma

Upon opening a bottle of unfiltered beer, the first thing you’re bound to notice is the stronger aroma.

Filtered beer is more subdued and soft, while the yeast and malt definitely make themselves known when you pop off the top of your unfiltered beer bottle.

– Nutrition

Believe it or not, unfiltered beer or even lightly filtered options are incredibly nutritious.

Of course, this is with moderate consumption, but unfiltered beers tend to include more antioxidants, B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, and folic acid.

They also have more soluble fiber too.

Now you can drink one of these to balance your nutrients!

It’s not that filtered beer is bad for you unless you drink too much of it every day.

Then again, anything in excess like that isn’t a good idea.

With filtered beer, the removal of the yeast remnants means you’re losing out on those probiotics, B vitamins, and fiber that are left behind in unfiltered beer.

So, by choosing unfiltered beer, you could technically drink to your health.

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Which Tastes Better – Filtered vs Unfiltered Beer?

Honestly, it’s just a matter of taste.

Unfiltered beers have more characteristics and complexities.

You’ll either love that about them or hate it.

Unfiltered beers are deeper in taste as well as texture.

They’re fascinating because these things continue to develop even after they are bottled.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with filtered beer.

You may find it more palate-pleasing than the thicker, hazier, and stronger flavors of unfiltered beers, and that’s perfectly fine.

When trying to decide between filtered vs unfiltered beer, go in with an open mind.

It might help to go to a bar that specializes in beer flights and taste them side by side to see which one you favor.

No matter which one you choose, beer always makes for a refreshing and delicious drink that gives you more cause for celebration during those good times.

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