Help me figure out this Lemon Ale Haze (pics)

[IXVolt]

A month ago I created a Lemon Ale. My keg is about 2/3rd's empty now and I'm thinking about making another batch.

The beer has had really good reviews. Even my wife who doesn't like beer at all, asked me for a glass last night. I have friends who are asking for it when they come over and I never told them about it, so word must be getting around.

Only thing I don't like is the cloudy almost hefe' like appearance.

I'm not sure if it's just a chill haze or if it has to do with the lemon zest I added.

I would really like to clear this beer up and make some more. The lemon flavor is a burst at the front and followed by a very clean malt flavor. The hops are light and just enough to keep the malt in check.

Here's a pic mid way through fermentation. The color has darkened slightly, but the clarity hasn't changed.

Things that went not according to plan with this brew.

Pitched yeast at around 85deg.
Forgot the Irish Moss.
Had a huge krausen due to the high pitching temp.

Lemon Ale

Brew Type: All Grain
Date: 5/7/2009
Style: American
Brewer: IXvolt
Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Volume: 5.72 gal Boil Time: 60 min Brewhouse Efficiency: 86.0 %

Ingredients

10.00 lb American 2-row (4.0 SRM) Grain 90.9 %
1.00 lb Carmel / Crystal Malt, 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 9.1 %
0.50 oz Zaas [3.80%] (60 min) Hops 6.1 IBU
1.00 oz Zaas [3.80%] (15 min) Hops 6.1 IBU
2.00 Lemons Zested (Boil 15.0 min) Misc

Nottingham Dry Yeast

Measured Original Gravity: 1.050 SG
Measured Final Gravity: 1.004 SG
Estimated Color: 7.2 SRM (2.0-10.0 SRM)
Color [Color] Bitterness: 12.2 IBU (10.0-30.0 IBU)
Alpha Acid Units: 1.1 AAU Actual Alcohol by Volume: 6.0 %

Single Infusion Mash @ 152 deg for 60 minutes.


As I mentioned above, this has incredible flavor and I would really like to perfect it. Any help or direction would be greatly appreciated.

 

[albannach]

You used just the lemon zest right? The lemon juice would be cloudy but I don't think you used the juice.

Did the haze appear after the beer was chilled or is it at room temperature?

 

[TommyBoy]

Don't forget the Irish Moss next time...

 

[IXVolt]

The haze was there before it was ever chilled, which is why I'm not certain it's chill haze. Granted there is probably some haze from the lack of a clarifying agent (IM, wirflock, etc)

I zested 2 lemons, essentially grated the rine off of two lemons but left the white of the lemon on the lemon. So I didn't use lemon juice.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

How long was it between the start of fermentation and pulling the first pint?

 

[IXVolt]

From start of fermentation to pulling the first pint I would say was about 7 weeks.

(love your avatar btw)

 

[Whiskey]

The most obvious cause may be the lack of Irish Moss. Did you get a good hot/cold break?

 

[Corey_James]

I would say Irish moss. This is my recipe:

.5lb Biscut
.75lb Munich
5lbs of Extra Light DME
1oz Tettnang for 60 min
1oz Crystal for 2 min
Zest of 2 lemons for 15 min.
Nottingham

Ferment with the lemons quartered.
Add 1/2 cup of fresh squeezed juice to secondary.
prime to 3 vols.

It is not really cloudy and tastes really good. This took Second Place at the Kitsap County fair last year.

 

[albannach]

Well, since it was cloudy before chilling, it might not have much to do with the lack of Irish Moss. In the future, you may just have to use finings of some sort in this beer to get it crystal clear (or filter it?). My guess would be to use gelatin finings but I have never used finings in a beer so I can't make any good suggestions on what to use and when; someone else should know.

 

[IXVolt]

I don't think it had a good cold break which could account for some of the haze. Perhaps the best thing to do would be to replicate it and make sure to add the IM or Wirflock.

Corey, I like your suggestion of using the rest of the lemon in the primary. Do you soak the lemons in vodka? Since the rine is off and in the boil, the rest of the lemon I would think should be fairly sanitary, I'm sure the citric acid doesn't hurt.

 

[CharlosCarlies]

From start of fermentation to pulling the first pint I would say was about 7 weeks.

(love your avatar btw)

Thanks!

7 weeks should have been plenty long to clear. I didn't use IM for my first couple of batches and they did eventually clear out after 2 months, so I'm not really sure what would be causing this.

 

[Corey_James]

No, I do not soak the lemon. I zest them and then just cut up the lemon I just zested and put it in the bucket. I do keep it in a bowl and covered prior to putting it in the fermenter while I am finishing brewing. This is one of the few beers that I use a bucket as my primary, for that reason alone. This recipe should be fairly easy to convert over to all grain; I have not tried it yet, but I am on the way there. Just bought a 70 qt cooler to become a mash tun. The one I just did is going to be a pain, I just added 4.5 lbs of tart cherrries to a wheat based wit.

 

[IXVolt]

I'll have to use the lemons in the primary like you mentioned. Last time I just tossed them in the beer I was drinking at the time :cross:.

Don't have the bottles or kegs ready yet for another batch. I have 10 gallons of Haus pale ale waiting for a parking spot.

Purchased a 50lb bag of 2 row, and it's gone in 2 months!

 

[albannach]

How did you cool the wort? If it didn't cool quickly, maybe a cold break didnt' form.

 

[Corey_James]

My last batch, I did it with zest of 2 lemons and 1 lime. Then when I transferred to secondary I added 2 parts lemon and 1 part lime juice to total 1/2 cup and bottled yesterday.

 

[TipsyDragon]

well i know with mead if you add fruit you have to add Pectin enzyme (bad spelling). other wise you get a nice haze to your mead that will never go away. i suppose this may be whats happening with your beer. next time add the Irish Moss and some enzyme and see what happens.

 

[IXVolt]

I cooled using an immersion chiller, but I was fairly inebriated so my final temp wasn't ideal b/c I just didn't care at the time. (sometimes less beer = more beer... later on)

I was wondering if the fruit haze was a potiential. I've never had to add any type of pectic enzyme before.