guinnessface
Well-Known Member
All-
I just finished my second all grain batch. While I'm pleased with the taste & texture, I've gotten an unidentifiable haze in both batches. I've done a number of partial mash and extracts in the past with much clearer results.
I brewed 2 kits from Austin Homebrew: an American Pale Ale & a Fat Tire Clone. I followed the recipes to a tee using a cooler MLT built to specs. I recycled the wort for about 20 minutes before I sparged. As far as I could tell, I hit my temps all pretty well. I first added some burton salts (recommended dose for 5 gallons) before mash-in. Instead of letting it boil for the full 60 minutes, I continually stirred the wort with a spatula at boiling temp to prevent scorching (a first time technique for me.....bad idea)? I added hydrated irish moss for the last 15 minutes of the pale ale....I forgot to do so for the fat tire. I cooled the wort as quickly as I could using an ice water bath and a sanitized/frozen 2L bottle of water directly in the wort acting as an ice cube (20 minutes give or take). I was pretty damn close to my target numbers, at least not alarmingly off. I poured the wort into primary through a strainer and a medium mesh bag to retain most of the hops and moss. I used starters for both. After a week in primary, I siphioned through a fine mesh bag into a carboy for a a week of secondary, again at room temp (I added Claro KC to the the fat tire). My FG numbers were almost spot on. After straining again and kegging them both, I had great tasting beers with the clarity of a belgian wit. There was no sediment or off flavor, just a real cloudiness that puts chill haze to shame.
I've tried to do a little research so as not to bother you all every time I have a question, but I'm baffled. I've used very simlar techniques for mini-mash and at most, have gotten a little chill haze. I even bought a water filter and used the kegging syste, to push some beer through it as a trial run with no good results. I have a stout and another pale ale on order and I don't want to make the same mistakes. I also have a bavarian lager in primary and I'm hoping it's not doomed.
I'm wondering if it's a protein issue. My OG was a little short, but not bad for a beginner. I took every step to prevent chill haze as well as sediment. Would that constant stirring be an issue?. I figured the irish moss and/or the finings would've made a difference. I have to assume that it's something I'm doing in the AG steps or the boil. I just brewed an extract for a buddy and it's already clear as a bell in secondary. Any advice/analysis would be of great help. I'd like to prevent this from happening agiain. Thanks in advance for your time.
Guinnessface
I just finished my second all grain batch. While I'm pleased with the taste & texture, I've gotten an unidentifiable haze in both batches. I've done a number of partial mash and extracts in the past with much clearer results.
I brewed 2 kits from Austin Homebrew: an American Pale Ale & a Fat Tire Clone. I followed the recipes to a tee using a cooler MLT built to specs. I recycled the wort for about 20 minutes before I sparged. As far as I could tell, I hit my temps all pretty well. I first added some burton salts (recommended dose for 5 gallons) before mash-in. Instead of letting it boil for the full 60 minutes, I continually stirred the wort with a spatula at boiling temp to prevent scorching (a first time technique for me.....bad idea)? I added hydrated irish moss for the last 15 minutes of the pale ale....I forgot to do so for the fat tire. I cooled the wort as quickly as I could using an ice water bath and a sanitized/frozen 2L bottle of water directly in the wort acting as an ice cube (20 minutes give or take). I was pretty damn close to my target numbers, at least not alarmingly off. I poured the wort into primary through a strainer and a medium mesh bag to retain most of the hops and moss. I used starters for both. After a week in primary, I siphioned through a fine mesh bag into a carboy for a a week of secondary, again at room temp (I added Claro KC to the the fat tire). My FG numbers were almost spot on. After straining again and kegging them both, I had great tasting beers with the clarity of a belgian wit. There was no sediment or off flavor, just a real cloudiness that puts chill haze to shame.
I've tried to do a little research so as not to bother you all every time I have a question, but I'm baffled. I've used very simlar techniques for mini-mash and at most, have gotten a little chill haze. I even bought a water filter and used the kegging syste, to push some beer through it as a trial run with no good results. I have a stout and another pale ale on order and I don't want to make the same mistakes. I also have a bavarian lager in primary and I'm hoping it's not doomed.
I'm wondering if it's a protein issue. My OG was a little short, but not bad for a beginner. I took every step to prevent chill haze as well as sediment. Would that constant stirring be an issue?. I figured the irish moss and/or the finings would've made a difference. I have to assume that it's something I'm doing in the AG steps or the boil. I just brewed an extract for a buddy and it's already clear as a bell in secondary. Any advice/analysis would be of great help. I'd like to prevent this from happening agiain. Thanks in advance for your time.
Guinnessface