What's the
difference between filtered and unfiltered beer?
1. Color
2. Natural Vs Forced carbonation (mouthfeel)
3. Flavor (mouthfeel)
4. Nutrition
Color
Color compounds are lost during filtration. These
compounds not only give rich colors to beer but flavor also. In a
filtered beer these compounds are lost and thus is their influences
in that beer.
Natural Vs
Forced carbonation
The natural carbonated beers have a smaller CO2
gas bubble and a smooth foam laced head. They are smoother in mouth
feel with little carbonic acid (CO2 in water) burn.
Forced filtered beers have lost most of their carbonation prior to
and will lose more during the filtration process. They then are
forced carbonated using an industrial or recycled CO2 source. The
gas bubbles are larger and usually the head is of poor quality. The
forced carbonated beers have a harsh carbonic acid burn in the
mouth and throat.
Nutrition
Unfiltered beers have more nutrients from yeast
and barley malt. Home brewers have long claimed that unfiltered
beer is healthier for you. Filtering makes beer clear but removes
all the yeast and all the wonderful flavors that they provide.
Yeast provides B vitamins which have been claimed to reduce the
affects of hangovers. Seriously though, unfiltered beer does
furnish many more vitamins.
Flavor
Flavor is decreased in a filtered beer. As many
flavor components are in the color pigments, malt solids, and yeast
which are lost in filtration.