how long to clear?

I put my beer in the fermenter 11 days ago and the yeast are basically done (no more bubbling). The Krausen has gone back into the beer. I am now waiting for it to clear, this is my first brew btw . I am wondering how clear it is going to get? At this point when I shine a flashlight into the carboy it just looks brown and I can't see farther that maybe 1 inch into the liquid. How clear will it be when I bottle?

It all depends on what you put in your beer. I would let it sit for a few more days and then bottle. Wait a few weeks, and then let it sit for 48 hours minimum in the fridge before you drink one. Then you'll have your answer. You can also cold crash it if you can fit your fermenter into a fridge. Just drop the temp, and a lot of stuff will fall out.

I wouldn't worry about clarity so much on your first beer though. It'll still taste fine.

Can we merge these two threads. I am way too confused.

sorry about the two threads. I tried to fix a typo and accidentally reposted.

you may want to nix the flashlight. Light is typically not good for the beer as it can skunk it... but i am not sure if a flashlight can cause that or if it is mainly sunlight.

Incadecent(sp) bulbs don't generate UV (the bad stuff).

carnevoodoo said:

You can also cold crash

Click to expand...

Sorry for the stupid Q, but does anybody have a link to the "what's", "why's" and "how's" on cold crashing.
Seen reference to this in a few posts but not sure what exactly it is.

thanks

Cold crashing is as simple as it sounds. After the fermentation is complete, you bring the temperature of the beer down rapidly. As close to freezing as you can get. This will help force all of the particulates to fall to the bottom and out of the beer. Then when you rack into your bottling bucket or keg, you leave as much as you can behind.

Of course you need to have refrigeration to accomplish this. Or maybe some cold weather outside? (Never tried that so I don't know if that works or is a good idea)

How long does it take to cold crash? I don't have fridge space for my fermenter, but I could try to stick it outside for a day or so if that won't harm the beer.

The longer the better really, but a day or two makes a difference IMO. Again, I'm not sure if outside is really a good idea if there's a chance you'll freeze the beer or get it light struck. Outside would be more like an unheated garage or something. I'm not sure I'd want to just set it out in the yard.

*bump*

Okay, so I've read up quite a bit on the process. I've cold crashed before but I have changed by brewing procedures since.

I don't do a secondary and instead leave the beer in primary for a full 4 weeks and then rack. If I'm going to cold crash the blonde I currently have in the primary, should I go the full 4 weeks at 65* and then a week of CC, or should the 4th week be a CC week?