Latest beers are cloudy

[Mpickem]

The last three beers I have brewed are in the fermenters and all are cloudy .I have never had this problem before and the only thing that is different is my mill is crushing a lot more and my dough in temp has been about 164 . I think it’s the mill issue and I’m over crushing the grain . What’s your experience and thoughts

 

[McKnuckle]

There are a lot of brewing steps between your grain crush and beer in the glass. Grain solids and dust are not likely to make it past the mash, boil, and fermenter - unless you are very careless. So I would be skeptical of the crush as a cause.

Not sure what your actual mash rest temp is, but even if it's on the high end of alpha amylase, we're talking what - 158-160? That's not going to cause a cloudy beer. If anything, a protein rest below beta temps (130ish) can do that, especially if hop matter bonds to the small/medium chain proteins.

Usually cloudy, hazy beer is due either to chill haze or suspended yeast. I'll assume you're avoiding the latter by clearing and conditioning the beer properly. Are you fining in the kettle with Whirlfloc or Irish moss? Getting a clean hot break and a quick cold break?

 

[brownni5]

Cloudy in the fermenter? Why worry now?

 

[Mpickem]

There are a lot of brewing steps between your grain crush and beer in the glass. Grain solids and dust are not likely to make it past the mash, boil, and fermenter - unless you are very careless. So I would be skeptical of the crush as a cause.

Not sure what your actual mash rest temp is, but even if it's on the high end of alpha amylase, we're talking what - 158-160? That's not going to cause a cloudy beer. If anything, a protein rest below beta temps (130ish) can do that, especially if hop matter bonds to the small/medium chain proteins.

Usually cloudy, hazy beer is due either to chill haze or suspended yeast. I'll assume you're avoiding the latter by clearing and conditioning the beer properly. Are you fining in the kettle with Whirlfloc or Irish moss? Getting a clean hot break and a quick cold break?

Something is different from the norm and that’s what I’m trying find out it’s not the yeast bc I’m only 24 hours into fermentation and I have been using same yeasts for years I’m not using kettle finings so you think it’s the crush? My actual rest temp was 168 a little on the high side

 

[Mpickem]

Something is different from the norm and that’s what I’m trying find out it’s not the yeast bc I’m only 24 hours into fermentation and I have been using same yeasts for years I’m not using kettle finings so you think it’s the crush? My actual rest temp was 168 a little on the high side

I usually try to hit between 150 and 154 but have been a little high the last couple times

 

[Jeff...]

I just racked a German Pilsner to cold crash after 2 weeks of primary fermention @ 50 degrees and 1 week of diacetyl rest @ 65 degrees. Yeast is Fermentis Saflager S-189. OG was 1.048/FG 1.006. it's one dry ass beer, I mashed @ 148 degrees and mashed out at 168 degrees.

I'm looking for a sparkling final clear beer.

I brewed this beer, with one of my son's in mind. he is a nutritionist and really watches what he eats and drinks. So far this beer adheres to the German purity law and I would like to finish it that way.

If this beer to don't drop clear after a week of cold crashing. I plan of fining with sparkolloid but I really don't want to.

Has anyone here fined beer with sparkolloid before? Any tips?

I use bentonite & sparkolloid for a one two punch for clearing wines. I already know from experience that one needs to be careful with bentonite or it will strip the flavor out of a wine. But sparkolloid seems to be safer to use.

 

[Mpickem]

Just want to see why this is not the norm and what to not Tin you down this road

 

[McKnuckle]

If I'm understanding, you're only 1 day into primary fermentation and worried that the beer is cloudy? Of course it's cloudy during primary fermentation. Maybe I'm missing something, or you're not sharing what happens once the beer is completely finished, packaged, and conditioned.

Also, careful with those mash temps - 168 is into mashout territory. You'll get only dextrins at that temp and very low attenuation.

 

[Mpickem]

If I'm understanding, you're only 1 day into primary fermentation and worried that the beer is cloudy? Of course it's cloudy during primary fermentation. Maybe I'm missing something, or you're not sharing what happens once the beer is completely finished, packaged, and conditioned.

Also, careful with those mash temps - 168 is into mashout territory. You'll get only dextrins at that temp and very low attenuation.

Yes I’m one day into fermentation but this is not the norm sorry for any confusion but normally it is not this cloudy if milky looking I’m thinking it’s in the grain crush here is a pic

 

[McKnuckle]

I can't see your pic, but even if a fermentation is not exactly like what you've seen before, it's far too early to call it a problem OR to conclude a diagnosis. Grain crush is not going to affect your fermentation. Any solid material that happens to make it past both the mash tun AND the kettle into your fermenter is going to sink straight to the bottom.

 

[ba-brewer]

For me my beers are always quite cloudy for the first 3 to 5day depending on the yeast. The cloudiness comes from a health population of yeast. If your beers are clear the first few days I would say that is abnormal.

I have had mixed results with S-189, sometime it clears fast and sometime it is a little slow, but with an appropriate cold conditioning(4 -6 weeks) it normally drops clear.

Different lots of grain can be more cloudy that others, I believe it is just protein levels. Again with some cold conditioning that goes away.

 

[dwhite60]

If my beer WASN'T cloudy after 24 hours that to me would be a problem,.

Yeast works, it gets stirred up into suspension from the turbidity in the fermenter making the beer cloudy.

All the Best,
D. White