Are chill haze proteins good proteins?

[Brew_Meister_General]

Are they the 'medium' proteins that contribute to body and head retention? If not, what kind of proteins are they?

I'm often curious whether to use gelatine or not, whether these proteins would have a positive effect in stouts for example.

 

[Brew_G]

I used gelatin in this beer:
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1445194281.224832.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1445194298.439285.jpg

You can take from that what you will, but I don't think it hurt head at all!

 

[unionrdr]

I don't think it affects head too much myself. And I use half a Whirlfloc tablet in my 5 gallon kettle of wort, topped off in the FV with chilled spring water to drop the temp about 10 degrees real quick. It lessens the effects of chill haze, but still allows a head to form in the glass. It also depends on the grains used & protein content.

 

[thethirstyweasel]

Are they the 'medium' proteins that contribute to body and head retention? If not, what kind of proteins are they?

I'm often curious whether to use gelatine or not, whether these proteins would have a positive effect in stouts for example.

I think this is something that's not well understood. There has been a lot of studies on foam for a long time. I tend to think that some of the proteins that cause good foam formation/stability and body probably do cause chill haze especially if they are in high concentration.

As far as gelatin is concerned it has been very effective in clearing my beers since I started using it. I have not noticed issues with the body that is thinning, or negative impact on head formation/retention. I will say I still have some chill haze a very low temperatures that clears up quickly once the beer warms a bit. If gelatin has a draw back it may strip some hop flavor, but even if that's true I think its rather benign.

I haven't used gelatin on my darker beers such as porter or stout yet, I probably will, but it really shouldn't be necessary as mine are pretty opaque. I wouldn't hesitate in using it, it has really made my light beers sparkle.

 

[thethirstyweasel]

I used gelatin in this beer:
View attachment 310285
View attachment 310286

You can take from that what you will, but I don't think it hurt head at all!

Amen. Wish I could reach through the screen and grab that pint
that's a tasty looking beer

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

I used gelatin in this beer:

You can take from that what you will, but I don't think it hurt head at all!

Wow, that's impressive, how much of your grainbill was flaked oats/barley? Did you use any lactose?

 

[unionrdr]

I've thought it possible that high protein levels make it easier for chill haze to form, if the hot wort isn't cooled down in 20 minutes or less. That's the time they always claimed, at any rate. So using gelatin, Whirlfloc, etc cuts those levels down by settling some of them out...but only to a degree by the calculated amounts we use. So a good head can still form, but again, depending on the protein levels of the grains used.

 

[Brew_G]

Amen. Wish I could reach through the screen and grab that pint

that's a tasty looking beer

Thanks, weasel. I'm pretty proud of it!

I think it stands as a good example of a beer that doesn't suffer poor head retention with gelatin use.

 

[Brew_G]

Wow, that's impressive, how much of your grainbill was flaked oats/barley? Did you use any lactose?

8 oz of rolled oats in a (very) brown ale with a grain bill of just over 12lbs - so about 4% rolled oats. I decided to use them for head retention and some mouthfeel. I've also recently taken to adding about a pound of wheat malt to most of my other ales in order to increase head retention. Works really well.

For some reason, it ended up with a high FG (1.021), which I wasn't planning on, but it turned out nicely. No lactose in it, but you might be tricked into thinking it has some in there.

 

[Brew_Meister_General]

For some reason, it ended up with a high FG (1.021), which I wasn't planning on, but it turned out nicely. No lactose in it, but you might be tricked into thinking it has some in there.

I was actually planning on aiming for a FG of 1.021 for my forthcoming milk stout, how was it? Was it a bit too thick or rich?

 

[thethirstyweasel]

8 oz of rolled oats in a (very) brown ale with a grain bill of just over 12lbs - so about 4% rolled oats. I decided to use them for head retention and some mouthfeel. I've also recently taken to adding about a pound of wheat malt to most of my other ales in order to increase head retention. Works really well.

For some reason, it ended up with a high FG (1.021), which I wasn't planning on, but it turned out nicely. No lactose in it, but you might be tricked into thinking it has some in there.

I want to say that I think oats can hurt head retention because of their high fat content. That being said however I have used them a lot because they create a creaminess to the mouth feel that is very similar to a nitrogen effect. At 4% though your not going to have a problem in general as is clear I have as of late leaned more towards flaked barley in my recipes. Wheat definitely helps head retention. In my experience the unmalted wheat flakes works better than malted wheat.