Texas Bock question

Starting a new thread as the one this reply was made on was closed. I bought a Texas Bock recipe from AHS and they sent a little packet of coloring in the kit. I was a bit miffed as this coloring packet left my brew opaque. The response was this was the same stuff Shiner Bock used - here is the post and reply:

Quote:
Originally Posted by DD2000GT
I got a Texas Bock that instead of using roasted grains to color the brew they sent a small packet of coloring that left the beer with a sick opaque brown color that did not look natuaral at all.

Reply from dogbar:

That coloring is purportedly the same stuff Shiner uses ...

Ok - if this is the case, what does Shiner use to clear this up as their beer is crystal clear. I followed the instructions and it simply said dump the packet in the boil - not sure how this can be messed up Anyway - any ideas for the next time, or simply use roasted grains like I would have figured?

DD2000GT said:

Ok - if this is the case, what does Shiner use to clear this up as their beer is crystal clear.

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They probably filter their beer.

Very weird.

What makes you think that the clarity issue is from the coloring? Are your beers usually crystal clear? Did you take measures to have clear beer like whirlfock, gelatin, crash cool, lagering.

PantherCity said:

What makes you think that the clarity issue is from the coloring? Are your beers usually crystal clear? Did you take measures to have clear beer like whirlfock, gelatin, crash cool, lagering.

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My beers, and even my wheat ones, are always crystal clear (except hefe). As soon as I poured the packet into the boil pot I could see the change. My process is simply ferment in the primary for three weeks - never had a problem with clarity except in the two brews I added those packets to.

DD2000GT said:

My beers, and even my wheat ones, are always crystal clear (except hefe). As soon as I poured the packet into the boil pot I could see the change. My process is simply ferment in the primary for three weeks - never had a problem with clarity except in the two brews I added those packets to.

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There's your problem. You're not lagering. The lagering process allows a lot of particulates and other junk to drop out of the beer before bottling... tannins, proteins etc.... which is why lagers are always so "crisp" and brilliantly clear.

So while your normal brews don't need a lagering time, that packet probably had stuff in it that just doesn't drop out during your normal fermentation and requires lagering to clear.

Also as mentioned before I'm sure Shiner filters.... so that helps too.

I did the Shiner clone from AHS and it came with the same packet. Unfortunately I let fermentation go crazy so I had to dump it. The samples I took were crystal clear though.

Can't be all that bad: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/ahs-texas-bock-wins-best-show-37271/

EllisTX said:

I did the Shiner clone from AHS and it came with the same packet. Unfortunately I let fermentation go crazy so I had to dump it. The samples I took were crystal clear though.

Can't be all that bad: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f14/ahs-texas-bock-wins-best-show-37271/

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Appears that brew should be lagered and not used with an ale yeast. Good to know as I do not have a lagering setup yet. My batch tasted fine, just had a puke-looking color.