Extra Sparging Lead to Clearer Beer?

[Cpt_Kirks]

When I make an 9 gallon batch (to fill a 3 gallon and a 5 gallon keg), I go ahead and run the extra water through the grain bed. I currently use a 5 gallon MLT, so I have to add a couple of pounds of DME to these bigger batches.

The beers I have made this way have been the clearest batches so far.

I wonder if the extra sparge water has anything to do with the clarity?

 

[cvstrat]

Sparging settles the grain bed, so the longer you are sparging the less particulate matter is in the beer. However a simple recirculating of a pitcher or two of wort usually yields clear wort. The junk in the keg is likely not much of a result of that. It could could be extra yeasties and hop particulate picked up from racking out of the kettle into the carboy, or into secondary, or into the keg. Could be chill haze as well. Most of the junk in a keg blows through the first beer or two. Most kegged beers should look pretty clear.