Beer colour changing during fermentation

[DrunkenCanuck]

Hey guys,

It's been a while since I last posted. I've been brewing on and off and trying different styles. A couple of weeks ago I brewed a Gose, and my grain bill was fine, post boil my beer colour was fine, but during the end of fermentation my beer started going orange. I notice this a lot when I try to make pale beers and I can't seem to figure out why. I use UV filtered tap water that I believe is also softened, but I am not sure because I don't have access to the basement water unit. It seems to be a constant that no matter what I brew, if it isn't using dark roasted malts, I can't get that straw and pale colour out of my beers.

One of those cheap water test kits suggested that I have low water alkalinity, there isn't much calcium in the water and my pH coming out of the tap is around 7.8 pH. I plan on rebrewing again this weekend and just racking off the crappy discoloured beer and using the leftover yeast cake to ferment a new back. But before that, I need to figure out why my beer keeps discolouring on me during fermentation.

Any ideas what I might be failing to do with my water?

 

[Ike]

How's your oxidation control? One of the symptoms (among others) that folks here mention is that color darkens with oxidation. "End of fermentation" seems really early to be seeing it, but... maybe?

Color also tends to darken as fermentation completes as suspended particulate catches light and makes the brew seem lighter.

 

[DownstairsBrewing]

A pH of 7.8 should not be that problematic, but alkalinity does increase tannin extraction, and many of the tannins are colour-bearing. If your water is municipal, you should obtain a system-level water report.

 

[DrunkenCanuck]

A pH of 7.8 should not be that problematic, but alkalinity does increase tannin extraction, and many of the tannins are colour-bearing. If your water is municipal, you should obtain a system-level water report.

I am evidently on a well water system. I plan on getting a water test done soon, most of the places in my area charge ridiculous fees to do it though.

Anyway, I just transferred this beer in particular out of the carboy and into a bottling bucket. It looks far more normal (actually straw coloured), is it possible that yeast and trub just create discoloration? But my last brew definitely had this problem where it was orange post fermentation. It happens a lot.

 

[DrunkenCanuck]

How's your oxidation control? One of the symptoms (among others) that folks here mention is that color darkens with oxidation. "End of fermentation" seems really early to be seeing it, but... maybe?

Color also tends to darken as fermentation completes as suspended particulate catches light and makes the brew seem lighter.

I usually keep my vessels closed off until fermentation has completed, I never even opened this batch once. It's possible that it got some oxygen during the kettle souring phase because I did not seal the kettle. I used the Omega Labs Lacto Blend and kept the kettle under a fairly consistent temperature for 18 hours before hitting my chosen pH and bringing it back to a boil. The colour was fine even post boil, and just shifted drastically near the end of fermentation. One day it was a really hazy straw colour, the next it was going orange and I hadn't even touched the carboy. Anyway, it seems to be fine but I get this problem a lot with my beers.