Disturbing the trub.

[Jutty]

I have brewed 10 batches of extract kits with steeping grains and hop additions. Beers taste great but look is very hazy and looks thick. The only area I have to really improve on is my appearance. I want the tv commercial crisp clear pour out of my tap (makes a great 1st appearance to homebrew snobs). I've used Irish moss once. It cleared my beer very well but I feel it changed the dynamics of the beer. Another thing I am thinking is, after I cool my wort with my wort chiller, I pour my pot intro my primary through a strainer. I am wondering if I'm stirring up the trub to much? Should I siphon? How are other methods into primary? I'm brewing a American pale wheat this weekend. I'm going to use IM forsure and may change my methods from pot to primary.


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[Hello]

Using the right amount of irish moss should not change the dynamics of your beer at all. Perhaps you used too much or put it in too late? I put it in 15 min prior to flame out. I used to syphon my beer into the fermenter, then did the strainer thing which was a pain because it would clog. I eventually moved to a pot with a valve and I just drain and leave a lot of trub behind.

However, trub or not, you should be syphoning your beer from your primary to a bottling bucket and leaving the yeast cake and trub behind. If you do not rush the amount of time your yeast has to drop out of suspension, you should have pretty clear beer. That with irish moss should be a pretty good solution. I know that using these methods has resulted in pretty darn clear beer. I have not used other fining agents and my pale ale is very clear. Not commercial read the bible through the beer clear, but very clear.

 

[Pappers_]

I use Irish Moss on every batch (added with 10 minutes left in the boil). It has no impact that I can detect on the beer's flavor and settles completely out by the end of fermentation. My understanding is that it helps the proteins to pull together and drop out, leaving a clearer beer.

Pouring your wort through a strainer into your primary isn't going to be a problem, either - think about the agitation that is going on during fermentation.

For clarity, you might consider three post-fermentation approaches in addition to the Irish Moss in the boil.

First, transfer to a secondary vessel after fermentation and give it time, let it sit for a couple of a weeks.

Second, transfer to a secondary vessel after fermentation and cold crash - drop the temp to 40ish and let it sit for a few days.

Third, after fermentation, use clarifying agents or finings like gelatin or Super Kleer.

Have fun with your brew day this weekend!

 

[masonsjax]

In addition to the above comments, make sure you come up to a boil quickly and get a good rolling boil for the duration. A good hot break can help clear the beer.

 

[aiptasia]

Hot break: Make sure you get your wort to a rapid boil to form a hot break. This will remove unwanted haze producing proteins.

Cold break: Be sure to use a wort chiller to rapidly cool your wort. This forms a cold break that also coagulates haze producing proteins and drops them out of solution.

Fining agents during the boil: Add irish moss or a whirlfloc tablet at 10 minutes left in the boil. These drop haze proteins out of your beer.

Auto siphon: Invest in an auto siphon. These usually have a 1" stopper on the bottom to prevent the yeast and trub from getting into your beer while you rack from one container to another.

Cold crash: If your beer is still hazy from yeast, cold crash it for a few days at 35 degrees before re-racking it to another container.

Pre-bottling fining agents: If it just has to be clear as glass, use sparkolloid or two part KC finings. Both are excellent.

 

[masonsjax]

I've seen crystal clear beers come from no chill brewing, so I don't think cold break is doing a whole lot. I haven't noticed a difference in the clarity of beers I've done lower temp hop stands on either. Of course it can't hurt either.

 

[Jutty]

Wow and thanx. A lot of great responses. I am currently boiling on an electric stove. It takes a long time to bring to boil. I am going to purchase a turkey fryer setup and start boiling over a flame. Get my hot break to happen a lot sooner. Also I will give the IM another shot too. Thanx guys.


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[kh54s10]

Another note: Wheat beers are often meant to be cloudy.

Irish Moss should not cause any flavor problems.

How long are you leaving the beer in primary? If you rush too much it will not settle as much as it could.
If you leave the beer in primary long enough there is no need to do a secondary.

Siphon the the bottling bucket as carefully as possible.

How long are you bottle conditioning. Further settling will take place in the bottles. Pour carefully and leave the last little bit in the bottle. The remaining yeast should stay in the bottle.

 

[Jutty]

I primary for 5-7 days. Then another 7-10 in secondary. I then put secondary in kegerator for 3 days then into a keg. I then carb 7 days at 8 psi. Siphoning from primary to sec and also into keg. I normally roll 1 different beer a month. That's a good drinking time and brewing time for 20L.


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[Vaureywwc]

Hot break: Make sure you get your wort to a rapid boil to form a hot break. This will remove unwanted haze producing proteins.

Cold break: Be sure to use a wort chiller to rapidly cool your wort. This forms a cold break that also coagulates haze producing proteins and drops them out of solution.

Fining agents during the boil: Add irish moss or a whirlfloc tablet at 10 minutes left in the boil. These drop haze proteins out of your beer.

Auto siphon: Invest in an auto siphon. These usually have a 1" stopper on the bottom to prevent the yeast and trub from getting into your beer while you rack from one container to another.

Cold crash: If your beer is still hazy from yeast, cold crash it for a few days at 35 degrees before re-racking it to another container.

Pre-bottling fining agents: If it just has to be clear as glass, use sparkolloid or two part KC finings. Both are excellent.

Is cold crashing necessary? I've actually never have done this in my batches. Though this is due to lack of space.

 

[RM-MN]

I primary for 5-7 days. Then another 7-10 in secondary. I then put secondary in kegerator for 3 days then into a keg. I then carb 7 days at 8 psi. Siphoning from primary to sec and also into keg. I normally roll 1 different beer a month. That's a good drinking time and brewing time for 20L.


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You've been given some very good advice and some that is questionable but not negative advice. One of the biggest factors in getting clear beer is to let the yeast have time to complete the ferment and settle out. You're shortchanging your yeast on time. Leave your beer in the primary for a longer time. 3 weeks is what I would recommend for a start and 4 to 6 would be better. That lets the full yeast cake work on the beer until it is completely done, then settle out. The longer you let it settle out, the less yeast will end up at the bottom of your keg to get stirred up when you pour and make your beer cloudy. There is little to no benefit to secondary for most beers. Unless you are long term aging or adding fruit, skip the secondary.
Once kegged, don't rush to pour it either. Give it a few days for the rest of the yeast to settle out, then pour a glass or 2 to eliminate the yeast that is next to the dip tube. From there on your beer should be very clear unless you disturb the keg.

 

[m1batt1]

I agree with RM-MN that you are moving a little too quickly and probably doing secondaries without need. I made a honey wheat back in December and though I did use a secondary(was recreating the process a friend used) where I added more honey I ended up with a very clear beer by just using Irish Moss and patience.