Strange Racking Results

Hello,

I just recently racked a partial-mash wheat beer from the primary fermenter to a secondary (5 gal. glass carboy), and I've noticed a rather peculiar difference in color from the top of the carboy to the bottom. Near the top of the carboy the beer is much darker than at the bottom. The color gradually changes from darker to lighter the lower it is. Is this typical for a wheat beer? What causes this behavior?

Here are a few more notes:

The original yeast (pitched from dry yeast packet) failed to start fermentation over a four day period. A second dry yeast packet was pitched and fermentation took off within 24 hours.

Strong alcohol smell.

Ingredients:

Fermentables:
6 lbs. Wheat Malt Extract
Specialty Grains:
0.5 lbs. CaraPils
0.5 lbs. Torrified Wheat
Hops:
Hallertaur, 1.0 oz. @ 60 min.
Mt. Hood, 0.5 oz. @ 30 min.
Mt. Hood, 0.5 oz. @ 5 min.


Best Regards,
Bryce

Beer clears from the top down- this is really noticeable in darker beers. As it clears, it looks darker in the carboy, because the lighter colored yeast is falling out and to the bottom. It does look strange, but not uncommon at all!

I second that...although it LOOKED darker, it was actually clearer...