Accept the cloudiness?

I still have about one week before I can crack open my first batch, a Pale Ale, but it looks really cloudy and I'm guessing it is going to stay that way. When I brewed it three weeks ago, I didn't remove any trub when I pitched the yeast and started fermentation. Then (before I started reading this forum), I resigned myself to the fact that it would have to ferment at 81. (Ambient room temp ~76, but thermometer on the side of the pail said 80-81 during the first 2-3 days. I'm not too worried because I used a California Ale yeast, but I didn't know about the swamp cooler...) When I bottled, I screwed up the siphoning to the bottling bucket, I think, because I dipped it down into the dregs at the bottom of the fermenter at times. I saw some gunk go through, although not a ton.

Now that my bottles have been sitting for about a week, I notice that they are still super cloudy. I don't really mind, but I'm just curious if I should accept that this batch will be cloudy and chalk one up to experience? From what I've read, taste shouldn't be affected too much, but I'm still holding out hope they might clear up a bit.

They should clear up a little when chilled, but dont' expect a lot. Cloudiness is fine. Search Gelatin Finnings for your next brew if it bothers you.

Did you by chance use irish moss at last ten minutes of the boil?

You bottled a week ago, it wont be clear.

You brewed three weeks ago, it wont be clear.

Doesnt matter if you used any fining agents in the boil, your beer is WAY too young to be clear. If it has only been chilled for a week, you need to wait about 4 more.

They are hazy because you probably chilled them? Cold temps will cause the haze to appear, and to drop out.

Give them 4 weeks, they will be clear almost certainly.

I dont chill my wort, thusly nearly everything goes into my fermentor for this reason. Here is my beer.

Yeah, didn't use any fining agents. Maybe I'll try that next time. Honestly, I don't mind cloudiness, but I want to serve this to friends and family, and I'm not sure how they will react. (Probably won't even notice, but still...)

Thanks for the responses.

What are the key factors that contribute to your clarity Pol?? Certain ingredients in the Mash, Mash Temp, Any kind of finnings???

IrregularPulse said:

What are the key factors that contribute to your clarity Pol?? Certain ingredients in the Mash, Mash Temp, Any kind of finnings???

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I dont know that I have any key factors... I presume that most beers clear like this with a few weeks at cold temps. I expect and see that all of mine are cloudy for a couple weeks.

I single temp mash between 150-158 depending on the brew.

I brew very light blondes to IIPAs and Ambers... have not seen a difference with those grain bills.

Sometimes I use whirlflock, but half the time I forget... have not seen a noticeable diff. in beers where I used it and those where I forgot.

so they just tend to clear after a couple weeks in the keg? weird. Mine do not seem to do that..... Maybe I need to snip my dip tubes slightly

Mine clear after several weeks at serving temp. My dip tubes run right to the bottom of the keg center too. I assumed this was normal for most HB. A few weeks of cloudyness followed by decent clarity.

Cloudiness is purely cosmetic. Don't worry too much about it.

coryforsenate said:

Cloudiness is purely cosmetic. Don't worry too much about it.

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It is, but he was worried that a flawed process had perhaps created it and wondered if he could change something.

Turns out, the beer is probably just young. Temp and time will change many things.

The Pol said:

Mine clear after several weeks at serving temp. My dip tubes run right to the bottom of the keg center too. I assumed this was normal for most HB. A few weeks of cloudyness followed by decent clarity.

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Perhaps that is my problem, Finding a few weeks to let it sit My kegs don't really last past the 3-4 week point once tapped.

If it makes you feel better, even the pros have chill haze issues. Last bottles of Pliny The Elder I got had MASSIVE haze. After 20 minutes in the glass, warmed up a bit, the beer was crystal clear.