Cloudy beer

[mampoer]

I've just started brewing my own beer.
Onto the second batch now.

Both batches seem a bit cloudy?
To be honest I may have opened the first bottle
A bit early? Any reasons why my brew may be cloudy?

Thanks

 

[mcspanner]

I've just started brewing my own beer.
Onto the second batch now.

Both batches seem a bit cloudy?
To be honest I may have opened the first bottle
A bit early? Any reasons why my brew may be cloudy?

Thanks

There's a list of reasons that are as long as your arm as to why the beer could be cloudy, ranging from the incredibly simple to those that benefit from an understanding of biochemistry.

The simplest suggestion is that (assuming you've not made a style that is meant to be cloudy, such as a heffe or wit) that you disturbed the sediment in the bottle when pouring, or poured the entire bottle contents including the sediment into the glass. Most people new to bottle conditioned beers don't realise there is a right and wrong way to pour them if you want a clear pint.

 

[Trail]

My bitter is pretty cloudy at the moment - bottled, waiting for it to fully condition. I expect my saison (bulk aging for another month on the yeast cake) to have the same problem. I forgot the whirlfloc tablet on both batches, so it's not likely to clear excessively anyway.

I don't mind, though. Bitter tastes great, and so will the saison. I'll just hav to pay more attention next batch!

 

[DoWBrewer]

Cold conditioning the beer will help with clarity. My solution to remembering whirlflock or Irish moss is to put in into the containers when I weigh out my hop additions. The container for my 10-min hop addition contains hops, whirlflock and yeast nutrient.

 

[RM-MN]

Time spent in the fermenter helps with clarity as you allow the dormant yeast to settle out. Time in the bottle is the next step and many of my beers spend several months in the bottle. A slow pour and stop before the yeast start coming out and I get a clear beer in my glass.