Cloudy beer and secondary fermentation

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malky1841

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Ive just barrelled half my first ever home brew and bottled the other half for the summer months ahead.
I added Finings after the primary fermentation and waited the 2 days it asked for before bottling. I also added spray malt for added flavour when doing this. My problem is that the ale (woodfords wherry) is still a bit cloudy. I know I have a month or so before I can get a proper tasting beer but does this mean I won't be able to take a few bottles down to friends houses without fear of mixing up the sediment at the bottom of the bottle?.
I know I'm a newbie to all of this but the beer in the bottles looks a bit flat to. Will a head appear once I open the bottles in a few weeks time?.
 
You wont be able to tell the carbonation or head retention qualities by looking into the bottle. You can get an idea of how the bottle is carbonating if you use plastic bottles by pushing a finger against the plastic. I usually leave one out on the counter and check it every so often while the rest of the bottles are stored away deep in the basement.

As for making a clear brew... A cloudy beer does not mean there will be negative sediment flavors. Over time it should clear out, maybe not 100% but it will improve. Just make sure to let it sit after transit if your bringing to a friend. I've made this mistake a few times and the sediment gets mixed in creating that 'home brew flavor'.
 
No head should form in the bottle (without significant shaking) until you open the bottle. When the pressure inside the bottle equalizes with the pressure of the room the CO2 is released from solution forming the head.

Also, no matter how many fining agents you use, you can not avoid chill haze without a proper cold break after flame out (unless you're lucky?). Invest in a wort chiller to get your boiling wort down to pitching temperatures quickly to help avoid chill haze.
 
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