Amber Ale - Cloudy After 3 Weeks

[Marshach]

Hi All,

I am sure this question has been asked a thousand times before, but I wanted to get your input on my first brew. It is an American Amber that I brewed back on September 27th. Everything in the brewing process went fine and my fermentation appeared to go well.

This Sunday, the beer will have been in primary for three weeks (I did not rack to secondary). I was planning to take hydrometer readings over the next several days and then, assuming that it shows fermentation as being complete, I would bottle on Sunday. My only concern is that the beer is still very cloudy. I don't have the capability to cold crash, and I did not use any fining agents in my brew or primary (which may have been a mistake).

Any thoughts on what I should do? Do I leave it in the primary for a while longer to see if it clears? Should I rack to secondary and add a fining agent like gelatin? Or, do I just bottle it (assuming that fermentation is complete) and let it settle while carbonating and bottle conditioning? Sorry for all the questions, but I am a noob and want me first beer to go well.

As always, thank you all for your help.

 

[IwanaBrich]

I'm having a similar issue with my first wheat beer that I started about the same time as you did.

You may want to take a hydrometer reading to make sure its finished fermenting, then transfer it into a carboy (with an airlock). Then I'd leave it sit for a couple more weeks giving it more time to settle out. I've had a few brews act this way. My local brew shop told me to move the carboy into a cooler space and that did the trick. They always seemed to settle out in a couple days. Unfortunately, this little trick isn't working for my batch of wheat beer.

I don't think I'd bottle so quickly, giving it more time can't hurt.

 

[paulDK]

Making different wines for the past 4 years, and beer and ales for the past 2 years, certain ales and mixes take longer to settle than others, as IwanaBrich says, "giving it more time cant hurt." and a sparkling brew in a bottle that looks really clear, for some reason, always seems to tast that little bit better...!!

 

[Marshach]

Great. Thanks for the input. I was afraid that if I left it sit for another couple of weeks that I would have a problem when bottling (i.e. maybe need to repitch new yeast for it to carbonate). Typical noob worry. It doesn't sound like that is the case, so I can certainly be patient. I think I will rack to a secondary this weekend and then let it sit for a few more weeks. I am not in a rush. My priority is making good beer . . . not drinking it soon. Thanks again for all of your help.

 

[Freddy57]

I leave my Amber ales sit for about 5 to 6 weeks in primary before I do anything with them. It usually takes a few months after kegging to get to that crystal clear stage but the less sediment that goes into the bottle the less sediment you will have floating around in there.

 

[Marshach]

So maybe I don't rack to secondary at all? Maybe I just let it sit in primary for a few more weeks and let the yeast clean up after themselves?

 

[Freddy57]

That's what I do Marshach, It works for me and I get better beer out of the deal.

 

[Marshach]

Perfect! Thanks Freddy57. I appreciate your advice.