Just kegged my 1st 10 gallon batch and.........

[Yesfan]

I noticed that one beer is clearer than the other. Also, one of the beers had a slightly lower FG than the other. Needless to say, I'm confused so hoping for some guidance from the brewing collective here.


First, let me say both beers are very good and I'm really going to enjoy knowing when the first keg goes, I'll still have another 5 gallons left.

This was an extra pale ale I brewed. I did a typical hour long mash at 150F (was supposed to have been 152). I also used whrifloc in the boil the last 15 minutes. The yeast I used was 1056 and I believe it was 3.7L. I just "eyeballed" and split even to the two fermenters. I don't know if it matters or not, but one of the fermenters was a Better Bottle, and the other was a BMB. Each fermenter had 5 gallons even.

This is batch one. It had a FG of 1.002, but was cloudier than expected. I'm hoping it will clear over time. If it doesn't, meh.

Batch two. The FG was 1.004. Despite the higher FG, this sample tasted slightly drier and it seemed to have a bit more bitterness (in a good way) in the finish.



How come both batches aren't identical? The only time they were split was going into the fermenters, so I'm confused on that. The only thing I can think of is maybe it's a trub issue. One fermenter got more trub than the other, but both fermenters still had small layers as I used a hop spider doing the boil. Even before with 5 gallon batches, and a lot of hops, I've had beers clear out pretty well with only whirlfloc. Has anyone else seen this before with big batches?

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Interesting, I would guess a yeast cake/trub issue myself but im curious what the pros say. Sub

 

[Brettomomyces]

I haven't seen it, but have heard this can happen. Some stratification definitely occurs in the kettle. Something you can do to prevent it would be to fill both fermenters at the same time, maybe just a taking a hose T and splitting it. I use 1 fermenter for 10g batches and then fill each keg concurrently to ensure they're pretty evenly mixed.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

Could the clearer one have been kept even slightly warmer? That would just mean that the yeast has finished up faster than the other. I would bring the cloudy one up to room temperature for another week or so and see if it catches up to the other as far as attenuation and clarity. Note your first pour will probably be a bit cloudier as any remaining yeast settles out to the bottom of the keg.

 

[Yesfan]

I've already kegged both, but both fermenters were in my basement and the basement temp was 68F.


I'm not going to worry about the cloudy one. I'm more or less just curious why this happened. Stratification was mentioned. Could that have been when I was chilling the wort? I do stir as I'm chilling. What about the fermenters being different? Could one or the other fermenter's designs cause the yeast in one to clear up and drop than in the other? Personally, I'm thinking that shouldn't even matter, but I can entertain the thought.


Forgot to mention, both batches started off at the same time with lots of activity, but I think the batch in the Better Bottle (batch 2) still had bits of airlock activity after the Big Mouth batch seemed to have slowed down.

 

[Rivenin]

How long did they ferment for? was it in a chest freezer? or on the floor?
- reason i ask about the chest freezer vs just out on the floor... i recently did a batch and I can usually pitch pretty quick, but i was in a hurry to get out of the house, so i rushed the chill down and only got to 80 or so, tossed them in the chest freezer and had the thermowell with the sensor in the glass carboy. by the time i got back, the glass was in the 68-66* range, the plastic one was in the low 50's.

i say leave them for like a week, do not disturb the keg... for the clarity part at least. might help a bit.

 

[Yesfan]

How long did they ferment for? was it in a chest freezer? or on the floor?
- reason i ask about the chest freezer vs just out on the floor... i recently did a batch and I can usually pitch pretty quick, but i was in a hurry to get out of the house, so i rushed the chill down and only got to 80 or so, tossed them in the chest freezer and had the thermowell with the sensor in the glass carboy. by the time i got back, the glass was in the 68-66* range, the plastic one was in the low 50's.

i say leave them for like a week, do not disturb the keg... for the clarity part at least. might help a bit.

Both were on my basement floor (lamenent flooring, no direct concrete) at 68F for about 2.5 weeks. Both kegs are in my keezer now. I'm just going to roll with what I have.

I usually use the chest freezer in the garage, set at 62, for my ales. During the winter, the mancave stays around 68F for the winter months so I just use that, especially if the yeast I'm using is US-05/1056.

 

[Rivenin]

was there any late additions of sugar or anything?
even if you "eyeballed" half, it shouldn't account for that much of a difference. That is an odd one for sure!

 

[muels]

I wonder if maybe the cloudier one will clear up with a bit more time in the keg and a pint or two pulled off.

 

[Yesfan]

I wonder if maybe the cloudier one will clear up with a bit more time in the keg and a pint or two pulled off.

I'm going to do a comparison of the last pint of the first keg and the first pint of the second keg.


Sorry if this is a dumb question, but when going to another keg of the same identical beer as the last, would you still recommend flushing/sanitizing the line before hooking up the second keg? I'm thinking "no", but wanted to ask to be sure.

 

[muels]

I don't flush them even when I switch styles!! Only every few brews. Not sure what the norm is but I've never had an issue doing it that way.

 

[Yesfan]

I don't flush them even when I switch styles!! Only every few brews. Not sure what the norm is but I've never had an issue doing it that way.

OK, thanks. I'll just go to the next keg then.


I don't know the norm either, but I usually at least do a rinse and then sanitize between different kegged beer.

 

[lowtones84]

This was an extra pale ale I brewed. I did a typical hour long mash at 150F (was supposed to have been 152). I also used whrifloc in the boil the last 15 minutes. The yeast I used was 1056 and I believe it was 3.7L. I just "eyeballed" and split even to the two fermenters. I don't know if it matters or not, but one of the fermenters was a Better Bottle, and the other was a BMB. Each fermenter had 5 gallons even.

Eyeballing the yeast pitch is a potential issue, but I probably would have done the same Temperature could also be a factor. I know that you say they were both in your basement in the same spot, but did you have thermometers checking the temperature of each fermenting vessel as it was going? Its very possible that because of materials or a couple of feet of difference in where they were placed that one was 2-4F warmer than the other. Not saying that either of these is definitely the cause, but the yeast was in two different environments because of the different vessels. Even something like shape of the vessel or type of airlock could make a difference, who knows?

RDWHAHB!

 

[Yesfan]

Eyeballing the yeast pitch is a potential issue, but I probably would have done the same Temperature could also be a factor. I know that you say they were both in your basement in the same spot, but did you have thermometers checking the temperature of each fermenting vessel as it was going? Its very possible that because of materials or a couple of feet of difference in where they were placed that one was 2-4F warmer than the other. Not saying that either of these is definitely the cause, but the yeast was in two different environments because of the different vessels. Even something like shape of the vessel or type of airlock could make a difference, who knows?

RDWHAHB!

The bold part is the only thing I know that's different. But, like you said....RDWHAHB. I think I'll have one now.......

 

[northernlad]

I flush with a hot BLC mix, flush with water, then flush with Starsan between each fill. At least every other time I break down my party tap, every few times I break down the keg couplings.