Bottle conditioning sediment

[Rett03]

Hello my fellow homebrewers!

I’m relatively new at brewing beer, but I just finished a Pilsner that I am really proud of. I bottled it a few weeks ago and in the bottles it looks clear, you can read t words through it. There’s a nice, thin layer of sediment which is normal, however when I open a bottle of it, the sediment gets kicked up by the bubbles. It tastes great, maybe a little yeasty, but fine. The problem is this makes it cloudy and I would like as a preference to have the crystal clear stuff I see in the bottle before opening. Is there any way to prevent this? Any advice from someone more experienced would be appreciated.

 

[lumpher]

About the only way to prevent any sediment is to filter it before bottling.

 

[wdavis2003]

How long has it been in the fridge? With enough time, the sediment should cake to the bottom and allow you to pour clear beer.

Edit: Unless you have waaay to much sediment in the bottle.

 

[MaxStout]

Some yeasts are less flocculent than others and are easily stirred up. Sometimes, the layer will tighten up after several days in the fridge. Pouring method can reduce the issue somewhat--carefully and slowly pour, then stop before that last bit comes out. You might "waste" 1/2 oz. or so, but your pour will be clearer, if not perfectly clear.

No doubt, someone will drop into this thread and tell you to start kegging.

 

[mac_1103]

You're always going to have sediment if you bottle condition. Ideally you want to minimize it by allowing enough time for things to settle out before you bottle. That way you should only have the small amount of yeast that carbonated the beer. I've never had the problem you describe, so I'm not sure why your sediment is getting resuspended when you uncap. How highly carbonated is the beer?

 

[mac_1103]

No doubt, someone will drop into this thread and tell you to start kegging.

I believe that is a contractual requirement.

 

[TheCache]

For the next batch try cold crashing, gelatin fining about midway in a 4 day crash, and then lagering for at least 3-4 weeks (yes this is the hardest step in brewing).

It’ll make for some mighty clear bottled lagers, plus a good longer helps the flavors really come together - better with age works for lagers.

For this batch, just keep it in the fridge a good week or two and the sediment should pack in at the bottom.

 

[odie]

umm...are you drinking from the bottle or decanting it?

bottle conditioned/fermented beer should be decanted, discarding the dregs.

keep the dregs if it's a hefe.

 

[hottpeper13]

Before I started kegging this is my bottling procedure. Primary for 2-3 weeks (can't cold crash),bottle and sit at ambient for 3 weeks then into the fridge at 38* for as long as I can stand to wait. As the pipeline grows the lagering in the bottle was sometimes 4 weeks. At this point most yeasts , floculant or not have formed a compact sediment that stays put. An 8-10 week turn around is standard for my lagers now and for that matter most of my beers because of the long line waiting for kegerator space. You should stash a 6 pack in the back and forget about it for 2 months and it might be the best one yet.

 

[Rett03]

Hey everybody, thanks for all the responses! I kept it in the fridge for about a week and poured it quickly after opening and the problem seems to have alleviated. I will probably get a keg someday soon so don’t worry.

 

[beren]

Pour it slow, and watch through the glass, stop when you see the yeast start to come out. If you go slow you only leave behind like 1 tsp of beer. But you can add gelatin before you bottle it and that'll help keep everything on the bottom of the bottle.