Sugar-Based Experiment Cloudiness

Hey guys,

I'm new to the forum, and to brewing in general, and my lack of experience has left me with a few questions regarding my first brewing experiment.

I'm brewing a small amount (approx. 1 liter) of a beverage I imagine to resemble mead, made from a saturated raw sugar solution and a cranberry mash (I suppose that's the right word?).

I'm not trying to make anything too dry, just a sweet, perhaps rummy-tasting beverage. I used dry active yeast (nothing special, I know it won't help the taste) and have it fermenting in an air-tight glass bottle (with a balloon to catch the CO2). The problem I'm having is this; after 48 hours of active fermentation (which, at last check, has slowed down but not stopped) the liquid has become very cloudy, to the point that a flashlight's beam will not pass through the bottle. My question is, does this indicate something going wrong? Or is this something that will clear up on its own, or should it (can it?) be filtered out?

Thanks for any help/advice! I'd love to hear from anyone who has successfully made a similar beverage.

Normal, its just the yeast in suspension. Did you do anything to sterilize ingredients before pitching yeast? i did my first mead the same way, it was awful but it got you drunk.at that time that was success for me.

Yup, normal. You might also have picked up some pectin from the cranberries, I can't remember if they have a lot of pectin or not atm. That won't effect the flavor, just the clarity.

SVB said:

Normal, its just the yeast in suspension. Did you do anything to sterilize ingredients before pitching yeast? i did my first mead the same way, it was awful but it got you drunk.at that time that was success for me.

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Thanks for the reply! Will this suspended yeast settle out with time, or will it require filtration?

I sterilized all the equipment and containers, but how do you sterilize the ingredients? The sugar solution was boiled and cranberries were rinsed...

Leadgolem, do you think the amount of pectin in a few cranberries (really 10 or less) would cause any congealing?

b-sweed said:

Thanks for the reply! Will this suspended yeast settle out with time, or will it require filtration?

I sterilized all the equipment and containers, but how do you sterilize the ingredients? The sugar solution was boiled and cranberries were rinsed...

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Once it's done, get it as cold as you can without freezing. It will most likely clear eventually. If you have it in a clear bottle you can watch the progress, and it's kind of cool. I can take several weeks to a month or two.

You should be sanitized enough. Did you use one of those high alcohol tolerant turbo yeasts?

Pelipen,

When you say cold, are we talking around 33°F here? Or like refrigerator temperature? I'm not familiar with freezing temperatures of these sorts of liquids. And do you recommended siphoning or filtering once its been chilled?

And I used standard dry active yeast, nothing fancy. I'm guessing this brew won't get above 20 proof.

b-sweed said:

Pelipen,

When you say cold, are we talking around 33°F here? Or like refrigerator temperature? I'm not familiar with freezing temperatures of these sorts of liquids. And do you recommended siphoning or filtering once its been chilled?

And I used standard dry active yeast, nothing fancy. I'm guessing this brew won't get above 20 proof.

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Here is a handy table of freezing points
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/table-freezing-points-alcohol-solutions-192138/#post2231010

Refrigerator temps are usually ok for me. If you have a proper filter, you may not need to chill. Otherwise, siphon works.

You'll know in a few days if it will clear, since a clear top layer will start to form.

pelipen said:

Here is a handy table of freezing points
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/table-freezing-points-alcohol-solutions-192138/#post2231010

Refrigerator temps are usually ok for me. If you have a proper filter, you may not need to chill. Otherwise, siphon works.

You'll know in a few days if it will clear, since a clear top layer will start to form.

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Thanks, Pelipen. Only problem is I have no idea what percentage alcohol my brew will be. I guess an estimate should do? Also, is it stupid to ask if a coffee filter is a proper filter for this use?

b-sweed said:

Thanks, Pelipen. Only problem is I have no idea what percentage alcohol my brew will be. I guess an estimate should do? Also, is it stupid to ask if a coffee filter is a proper filter for this use?

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I would just go with the bottom of the fridge.

A coffee filter will have you swearing in no time. You would be looking at something along these lines.
http://www.midwestsupplies.com/midwest-beer-clarity-filter-system.html

Sounds like you have a small quantity. Chill in the fridge, see if it goes clear. Siphon or decant off the top into a sterile container. Drink up.

b-sweed said:

Leadgolem, do you think the amount of pectin in a few cranberries (really 10 or less) would cause any congealing?

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Not congealing like jam. In the presence of alcohol it creates a "pectin haze". I double checked, and cranberries are really high in pectin. So, it certainly could have. I wouldn't worry about it, it is going to taste the same with or without the pectin.

If the cloudiness bothers you, you could add some pectin enzyme. That will break the pectin into sugar.

If your doing jailhouse brew like it sounds, I wouldn't bother. When it looks like you no longer have any activity, pour the liquid off the solid sludgy stuff in the bottom of the bottle into something else. Then stick it in the fridge. Two or three days in there and the yeast will have gone dormant and dropped out of solution. Just don't drink the new layer of sludge that formed, it tastes bad.