US-05 Resulting in a really light color during fermentation?

First time using US-05. Fermentation started up really quick but one thing I noticed is after 24 hours the color of the ale changed to a dramatically lighter shade. It's literally a very pale ale now!

Now I've been brewing nothing but pilsners, schwarzbier and Marzen for about 2 years now. Just got bored and decided to start doing ales again. Is this expected with this yeast? I've been searching around and not finding anything else on this question. I'm about 99% sure there's no infection or anything like that.

Are you sure you're not just seeing the yeast reflecting light? US05 tends to work fast and settle out nicely, but I haven't noticed any change in color from the SRM predicted by BeerTools when I'm using it.

Sometimes if there's yeast in suspension, the light will hit the yeast particles and it will appear a lot lighter than it actually is.

I have been using US-05 a lot, and I have never noticed it to change the color of a beer. It is probably the way the light is hitting it.

All my beers change color, nothing to worry about. Or do like some of us and ferment in stainless so you can't watch it.

I think it's just the yeast being whitish while suspended in the beer, after finishing their work, on the way to their final resting place at the bottom of the fermenter. As it begins to re-darken from the top, you'll know it's getting ready for packaging. Go, warm-fermenting yeast!

The yeast suspension theory is probably right but I thought I'd ask. A few hours in you could see the top quarter of the beer was a much lighter shade and 24 hours later it was solid that much lighter color. I've brewed probably 50+ batches in the last few years and never seen it turn that much lighter. Just going to forget about it until time to rack to secondary.

Thanks for the replies guys!

50+? You have more experience than I. I am only on #33. Woo Hoo! #33!

jerryodom said:

The yeast suspension theory is probably right but I thought I'd ask. A few hours in you could see the top quarter of the beer was a much lighter shade and 24 hours later it was solid that much lighter color. I've brewed probably 50+ batches in the last few years and never seen it turn that much lighter. Just going to forget about it until time to rack to secondary.

Thanks for the replies guys!

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Did you stir the yeast in? If you just poured it in, it could be that it just started at the top and slowly started falling through the beer.

Either way, I bet if you watch it for another few weeks, it will slowly change colors again.

I poured it in and I think you're correct about yeast falling through. I'm interested to see how it turns out.

eanmcnulty said:

50+? You have more experience than I. I am only on #33. Woo Hoo! #33!

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Wow you know exactly how many! I lost count in reality. I think I just forgot a ton of the ones I ruined. I know I just tossed a at least a half dozen. Got a little too crazy too fast.


Anyhow primary fermentation done and about 24 hours after the airlock slowed to a stop the color turned back to more like I expected. None of the yeast I'd used prior had been so bright. Learn something new every day and alls well that ends well.

I number my batches and keep records on Beer Smith. I just brewed #34 on Saturday and #35 last night. The funny thing is that I went to check on my Belgian Dubbel that I brewed on Saturday, and it looks nearly the same color as the Spotted Cow Clone I brewed the week earlier. They in no way should look the same! I'm hoping it is this yeast issue that I never really took notice of before.

This is my first extract brew. It is an Amber Ale from True Brew. Well anyways, it been in the fermenter for going on 3 1/2 days, it was fermenting very strong for the first day and a half and it seems to be slowing down quite a bit. Well my concern is that the color of my wort hasnt changed much from the day that i did my boil. Its almost identical to the color of a YooHoo. I dont see how this beer will go from this color to a nice clear amber. Somebody please give me some insight if this is normal or not. Will this color change in the next couple of days?
I used Nottingham Yeast at a consistant 63F.

I'm brewing an extract Amber Ale. It went pretty hard for the first 2 days but is very slow now. Also, my main concern so far is my wort is still a milky tan color after 4 1/2 days in the primary. It looks almost like a yoohoo. The picture makes it actually darker than it is btw... How is this ever supposed to turn into a clear Amber???
*Nottingham yeast @ 62F.

US-05 is a strain of the California Ale yeast. You just got a packet that was produced during the 2 winter weeks when the sun is not shining and the yeasties have lost their tan ....

dlcumpton said:

This is my first extract brew. It is an Amber Ale from True Brew. Well anyways, it been in the fermenter for going on 3 1/2 days, it was fermenting very strong for the first day and a half and it seems to be slowing down quite a bit. Well my concern is that the color of my wort hasnt changed much from the day that i did my boil. Its almost identical to the color of a YooHoo. I dont see how this beer will go from this color to a nice clear amber. Somebody please give me some insight if this is normal or not. Will this color change in the next couple of days?
I used Nottingham Yeast at a consistant 63F.

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Way to revive a zombie thread...
Be patient.
Your beer will change color as fermentation progresses. That is normal. Wait.

Wait at least a couple of weeks before considering bottling, and by that time the beer will have cleared and look more like the final color. In a larger volume container like a carboy you can't see through it as easily, so it looks darker. Also, extract brews are known for ending up much darker than intended because boiling a high gravity/concentration wort results in darkening similar to caramelization (but not actual caramelization).
I hope it turns out for you.