Lager won't clear

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Bru

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2009
Messages
839
Reaction score
4
Location
Johannesburg, South Africa
I brewed JZ's Bohemian Pilsener, fermented it at 8*C for two weeks, diacetal rest and lagered it for 5 weeks (as per usual). Then, I needed to use the space in the fermentation chamber for something else but wasn't ready to keg yet so I removed it and put at room temperature for three weeks and then kegged it. As expected it got cloudy so I gelatined it but it hasn't helped. Ive since gelatined it twice more but it hasn't helped at all. Three day break between gelatines.
It tastes good but very cloudy.
I use gelatine with every brew so my technique is sound. The keg sits at 3*C and its been at that temp for three weeks now. All usual techniques were followed - vigorous 90min boil, Irish moss, good cold break, whirlpool etc.
I suspect the cloudiness is from hop oil (??) - theres alot of low AA Saaz in there.
Any ideas on how to clear it ?
 
How quickly (or slowly) did you chill your wort after the boil?
 
It takes a few minutes to chill. I put the kettle into an ice bath and use a I/C. I get good cold break and all my other beers have cleared using the same method.
 
Gelatin is a yeast fining. If that didn't work, then your turbid beer is not likely to be yeast-related. Is it possible that it is chill haze? Is the beer turbid when it is warm or only when it is cold? Having warmed it up like that could have accelerated the production of chill haze (proteins combining with polyphenols). If this is the case, chill haze can reduce over time simply by the beer being held at cold temps or with the use of a chill haze fining such as Polyclar.
 
I warmed a pint up last night but it was still hazy.
Im assuming that during racking into the fermenter I also racked hop sediment - theres a huge amount in that recipe. Oh well it still tastes OK.
 
Sorry to dig up an old thread, but did you ensure your mash pH was correct? If it gets too high, you extract tannins from the grain which can cause a haze (ask me how I know). This can happen really easily with something like a pilsner which is all light coloured malt, especially if your water is somewhat alkaline.

The same thing happens if you over-sparge when fly-sparging - when the gravity of the runoff drops below a certain point you also extract tannins. It can also happen if you let the grain bed go over I think 180F while sparging. I've made that pilsner before with a mountain of Saaz and it should clear after 6 weeks or so at zero.

I'm assuming you got proper starch conversion during the mash (no doughballs) as starch can also cause a haze, never happened to me though. I once had a problem with a German pilsner I made where it just wouldn't completely clear, even after 9 weeks lagering (I suspected the malt itself). PolyClar and / or silica gel helps here as they work on either side of the polyphenol / protein complex which causes most hazes.
 
Back
Top