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chode720 · 01-05-2010, 01:58 AM

So I have recently been having issues with chill haze. When I first started all grain, I was using irish moss and didnt have any issues with chill haze. Now, I have switched to whirlfloc and am getting a nasty chill haze. I am forming a great hot break, but it seems like my cold break is lacking. I am not getting the same cold break that I was getting when using Irish Moss. My beers are crystal clear going into the fermenters, and to the keg. After fermentation, I bulk age them for ~3 weeks at 52-54.

My only thoughts are is that I am not chilling the wort fast enough. It takes me about 35-45 min to chill 5 gallons down to fermentation temps. I know I should go faster than this, and I recently have started whirlpooling the wort, but its still taking about 30 min to chill. I think I need to turn up the flow rate of the water and/or submerge my brew pot in ice water.

Any thoughts? Could it just be that I need to cool it faster? What other factors could i be missing?

findthefish · 01-05-2010, 04:30 AM

Not getting a good cold break is where chill haze comes from. So if it is taking you too long to cool your wort, then that is the reason. I use an immersion chiller down to about 90-100, and then start an ice water recirculation through the coils with a sump pump. Works great.

Of course I have to ask, are you sure it is chill haze? It clears once the beer warms up right?

chode720 · 01-05-2010, 11:41 AM

I would guess that its chill haze. Its not a starch haze because the beer is clear from the kettle to the fermenter, secondary, and then to the kegs. And I am very careful about not transfering trub over. Also, once my beers sit for awhile, ~2 months, they tend to fall clear. I havent let one warm up, but i think ill take a sample tonight and see what happens.

I just have to figure out now on how to get the wort cooler faster. I think i need to increase the flow rate of my hose and also submerged the brew pot into an ice bath. Hopefully that, in addition to my whirlpool, will help....