Hazy IPA dropping clear in cold crash

[LuukGx]

Hey all,

Did my second batch of Hazy Double and while it was perfectly hazy and delicious when I sampled it two days back, it dropped clear during a 24hr cold crash. My research has said that cold crashing hazies is pretty common, where did I go wrong?

Regards

Luuk

 

[Qhrumphf]

What yeast are you using? I struggled with this for a while, and discovered it was very yeast-strain dependent. Certain yeasts seem to produce unbreakable haze no matter when I dry hop (before or after fermentation), while others, even a massive earlyish biostransformation addition produces an unstable haze that drops bright after a week cold.

 

[LuukGx]

Right now it's US-05, I've ordered some English ale yeast which should be more compatible with the style. I've been blaming the yeast too

 

[alooper86]

So I've ventured down the rabbit hole of retaining haze in NEIPAs and brewpharm Hill was very helpful in figuring this out. I would give his thread a follow as one of his threads on the topic is very well discussed. But to answer your question directly, heavy proteins will drop clear no matter what yeast you use. Many pro brewers do not attribute much, if any, of the haze to the yeast. With that being said, one yeast strain that has kept a beer hazy regardless of grain bill is Vermont IPA from Giga Yeast.
A lot of permanent haze comes down to utilizing smaller protein malts that will stay in suspension longer and the way in which you dry hop to retain the hop oils.
From the suggestion of another member, I started utilizing oat malt and this has really helped keep haze. Since making this change, the beer has remained hazy for the duration of its life in the keg.
Another way to keep haze is to reduce as much yeast in suspension as you can before dry hopping. This is because if there is any yeast in suspension, once you cold crash (or keg), the yeast will drop and with it bring the hop oils. To avoid this, utilize a soft crash at 58F once fermentation is complete then dry hop. Some don't even bother with a cold crash for this style.
Hope this helps!

 

[brew703]

Definitely add oat malt next brew. It works.

 

[HopsAreGood]

Let it drop clear. After your cold crash bring the temp up a little bit and dry hop the snot out of it. Give it a few days and then crash it again to get the hops to drop to the bottom. I promise you will have the haze you are looking for from the hop oils

 

[thehaze]

You do not need oats and wheat to have permanent haze in beer. The right yeast and hop combo will get you there. LAIII is known to flocculate well in English-style beers, but when used in modern IPAs, where hops are added at different stages in extreme quantities ( when compared to aforementioned ), will aid your beer in retaining haze. This also happens for a lot of strains, including various dry yeast. Maybe walk us through your recipe and process, to get an idea what happened and how to help you with advice and personal experience.

 

[alooper86]

You do not need oats and wheat to have permanent haze in beer. The right yeast and hop combo will get you there. LAIII is known to flocculate well in English-style beers, but when used in modern IPAs, where hops are added at different stages in extreme quantities ( when compared to aforementioned ), will aid your beer in retaining haze. This also happens for a lot of strains, including various dry yeast. Maybe walk us through your recipe and process, to get an idea what happened and how to help you with advice and personal experience.

My last NEIPA recipe was as follows:

48% Rahr 2-row
24% Malted Oats
12% Flaked Wheat
12 % White Wheat
2% Honey Malt
2% Lactose at flame out
4 oz. Citra 30 min whirlpool at 170F
1 pkg LalBrew New England Ale Yeast
Ferment at 68, increase to 72 to clean up yeast, then crash cool to 38.
Closed transfer into purged keg where first 2 oz Citra was dry hopped in stainless mesh for 3 days at 68F
After 3 days, removed, then 4 oz of Vic Secret was added to purged keg in stainless mesh for another 3 days at 68F

This is my new process after a few suggestions and this has certainly been a vast improvement over my previous process but any added suggestions are always welcome.