Aaaah! Unexpected black and tan!

[Khirsah17]

Wow, I dont think I've ever seen this before. I went to go rack my beer to the secondary, and I observed some strange color separation. Take a look at these pictures.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Alex.Popesco/Homebrew

The first picture is right when I took the beer out of my fridge, and the second picture is after about 10 minutes. I dont feel like the pictures do it justice. It was as black as could be on the top.

Some background on the brew.. it's 11% and after fermentation, I lowered the fridge temperature to about 38 degrees for a day before racking. Is it something to do with the higher alcohol?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I think it's just the yeast settling out. The darker color is where the yeast are mostly absent, and it gets lighter toward the bottom where the yeast are collecting.

 

[pfranco81]

that's a tad counter-intuitive. Don't floaty things block more light, making the beer appear darker?

 

[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

in this case they are reflecting light, making it appear lighter.

 

[homebrewer_99]

I agree with DEC.

 

[BierMuncher]

I agree with DEC.

Yep. Yeasties are like "creamy" in the fermenter. Once they fall, the cleaner beer will appear darker only because it is clearer.

Oh...and if you want a real black & tan...?

 

[pfranco81]

Oh...and if you want a real black & tan...?

Show off!...

 

[Brewsmith]

I need to make a bass clone...

From the picture of the carboy, it looks like there was a lot of stuff in suspension, not just yeast but hop debris and the like. Chilling it made it all start to drop out of suspension. I say let it cold condition for a while since you obviously have the capability to do so.

 

[Speranza]

Oh...and if you want a real black & tan...?

I'm Thirsty now...

 

[skou]

I think it's just the yeast settling out. The darker color is where the yeast are mostly absent, and it gets lighter toward the bottom where the yeast are collecting.

QFT!!

Yuri has got this right. It's just your little yeasties falling out. I've seen it on too many occasions.

steve

 

[DeathBrewer]

speaking of black and tans...i had the worst one ever yesterday. don't know what she did wrong. i was going to take it back to the bar cuz it tasted like ass, but my roomate said he'd drink it. bleagh...have to make my own sometime, cuz otherwise this experience may ruin it for me