Cloudy Beer
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stratslinger
Well-Known Member
Sort of depends on the style. Some beers (wheat beers, dry hopped beers, for instance) are going to be cloudy, period. It's part of the style.
For other beers, yes, whirfloc or Irish moss can help. Quicker chilling from the kettle to the fermenter, to promote a better cold break, can help. Also, giving the beer more time in primary, or sometimes a secondary, can also prove beneficial - basically, it's the extra time that will help yeast and other sediments drop out of your beer before you package it.
For other beers, yes, whirfloc or Irish moss can help. Quicker chilling from the kettle to the fermenter, to promote a better cold break, can help. Also, giving the beer more time in primary, or sometimes a secondary, can also prove beneficial - basically, it's the extra time that will help yeast and other sediments drop out of your beer before you package it.
You can also do a cold crash. When it's done fermenting, bring the beer down to just above freezing and hold it there for about a week. That will help more of the protein and yeast to fall out. You can also stir in some gelatin (or other product) to make things even clearer
Chilling the wort in 20 minutes or less will prevent or greatly lessen chill haze at fridge time. Leaving it in primary to reach FG & settle out clear or slightly misty helps too. Cleaner & clearer beer. After 3-5 days in bottles,it should be crystal clear. Unless it's a wheat or something really hoppy. The hop oils make it a bit misty.
The above are right. Time is your friend, too. Leaving each fermentation step (and cold crash) for as long as you can will help most. If you keg, pour off the first half glass after it's carbed. Even still, the more time it sits in the keg the clearer it gets. My IIPA is almost kicked and as of last night I could finally see through it clearly.
hogwash
Well-Known Member
Agree with all of the above but also, if you bottle, leave the bottles in the fridge for a week or so before pouring. This will greatly lessen your chill haze.
Yup,chill haze,if any usually takes 3-5 days to settle out. Kinda looks like a fog bank settling down. But chilling the hot wort in 20 minutes or less gets rid of chill haze at fridge time.
I have to agree with this, a whirl floc tab in or after the boil, along with a quick chill after the boil or post boil steep, will help a ton. As will letting your beer fall or begin to fall clear before packaging. Racking to a secondary vessel (bright tank) can help this happen faster, but IME, no better. If you package a clear beer, you should have a clear beer after the chill haze (if it happens) subsides.
cookstownbrewer
Active Member
I had a problem with cloudy beer very early on. I was cooling my wort down to room temperature in less than 6 minutes, I tried to leave the hot break in the boil pot. It eventually came down to not boiling vigoriously enough. I was so paranoid about boiling over in my basement that I wasn't cranking the heat enough. As soon as I moved out into my garage and started boiling at much higher temps I noticed an immediate improvement in my beer clarity.
For sure, getting a good hot break probably helps as much as getting a good cold break after the boil.
6 mins?!? I have a high flow wort chiller AND I pack ice around it and it still takes me 20 mins. How did you cool it this quick?
Also any thoughts on how LME vs DME effects chill haze? Irish Moss vs Wirlflock?
I have been looking because my most recent IPA was crystal clear in my secondary and I just went to drink my first one (keg) and it was EXTREMELY cloudy. Reading above, it sounds like I just need to wait. But I have recently switched to DME and wirlflock as opposed to LME and Irish Moss. Any thoughts?
Up to now,I get little or no chill haze by chilling the hot wort down to pitch temp in 20 minutes or less. I also let the beer dettle out clear or slightly misty before priming & bottling. It'll settle out in a few days. Then when it's time,at least 1 week fridge time. Chill haze takes 3 days or so to settle out,like fog. And co2 takes at least a week with pale ales to absorb well.
As usual, I think impatience is my problem. I am only one day 3 of carbing (30psi for 24 hours, 2 days at 10-12psi). I didn't know that different beers absorb at different rates, thanks for the info.
I still want to know how to chill your wort in 6 mins!
I still want to know how to chill your wort in 6 mins!
BrewinHooligan
Well-Known Member
I just started using whirlfoc and it has made a HUGE difference in the clarity of my beer. I don't have a wort chiller and it takes me about 30-45 minutes to cool so I still have a bit of chill haze, but after a week in the fridge they are as clear as any filtered commercial beer.
It'll clear, it's a chill haze. Or maybe some sediment from it being the first pull from the keg. Give it a week or so, the haze should be subsiding by then.
