Clarity issues with a summit iPa

[MTOutlaw]

I am trying to get my brewing to a level of beer that not just pleases the palate but as well as the eye. I recently brewed an iPa, that I did a late addition of DME. I used 2 of 9 pounds if I recall correctly in the beginning for hop utilization, then did 6 pounds of DME in the last 15 minutes of the boil and the remaining 2 pounds after flame out in an attempt to give it a lighter color. That set in the primary for 3 weeks, then in a secondary for another 3 weeks. I reached my FG and put the carbon in my serving fridge for 3 days at aprox 34 degrees. After a couple days I anxiously poured the first glass only to be unsatisfied with the results. After more glasses than i can count clarity has not improved and the beer is no lighter in color than when I have done full boils with all the extract at the beginning of my boil.

Any suggestions on how I can improve?

 

[HoppyT]

I think some additional information needs to be provided here to help understand what the problem is exactly... Is this an all-extract recipe? partial mash? all-grain? What kind of DME is it? What kind of grains are you steeping/mashing? Did you use a whirlfloc tablet or irish moss? And did you dry hop?

 

[seckert]

the thing that I have found to make my beer clearer is to cold cash for 3 days prior to putting in keg. I have found that even when I use irish moss it isn't as clear as cold crashing. try that out once and see if it helps with your beer.

 

[HoppyT]

For color I would say to avoid using anything but light or ultralight extracts and instead achieve your desired color through use of grains (preferably through mashing and sparging). This will prevent any darker, roasty colors and more importantly will make your beer more fermentable while preventing possible burning of malt in the boil.

For clarity, use whirlfloc or irish moss IN ADDITION to cold crashing.

 

[Ster]

3 weeks primary. Good.
3 weeks secondary. Fine, but not mandatory.
3 day cold crash. Fine. I do 5 to 7.

But I wouldn't judge your clarity yet.
3 weeks in bottles will certainly settle out the beer.

Then a solid week or more in the fridge.

My last brew was cloudy right up until the last 12 pack was consumed. Those beers were the clearest I ever brewed. As clear as a watery coors light.

 

[MTOutlaw]

Let me clear up a few things for some people. For grains I'm using 8oz of honey malt, 8 ounces 60'l crystal malt. 2 pounds muntons light dry malt extract (sorry said dme in earlier post had a couple and was going of the top of my memory) 8 ounces of maltodextrin powder and just over 4oz of summit hop pellets. I used a teaspoon of irish moss in the last 15 minutes of boil. And the yeasyt I usee was safale us-05. I am being impatient, I brew to drink not compete, but I throw my stuff in the competition with a group of friends and mine always looks the worst. They all filter though. Anyways I appreciate everyone's impute.

 

[MKBoitnott]

Thanks for posting OP. I had this same problem with a blonde ale I did recently. Whirfloc, golden light extract, late addition of dme, cold crashing (3days), nottingham... All makes a recipe for a clear beer. However my beer never completely cleared out. Cloudy till the bitter end, even the bottles were stored cold after carbing was over. Could it be a DME v LME problem??