Make IPA Clear Again

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day_trippr said:
Interesting. A common ingredient in New England IPAs is oat malt (or flaked oats) which "slickness" may be the primary descriptive. As a rather hard core "hazy" brewer I would say that is by design.

And, fwiw, I use a 50/50 blend of Golden Promise and Weyermann Pilsner base malts for all of my neipas. Base malts that are not lacking in character or pedigree. And I don't think that's novel - I bet many home brew hazy aficionados don't skimp on base malt quality :)

Cheers!
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I think you are trying to justify slickness as a positive quality? I certainly wouldn't want beer that felt oily in my mouth!

It's true that base malt has it's own character, I believe the point that was being made is that it's not very much when you compare it to some more robust specialty malts that would be used to make a traditional IPA. For most all things that one would put across their tongue, more flavor is better.

Just in case you didn't look at the subject of this thread, it's about down with the NEIPA! :p
 
I agree with getting rid of ipa's altogether. The definition of an ipa has so been changed, spread out, and altered there is no class for it anymore. There's Black, neipa, west coast, Hazy, froot loop, dark, tree bark ash ipa, athletes foot fungus ipa, belly button lint ipa, etc. Forget it all and go back to the original IPA... and pass me an Irish Stout or a Scottish 80.
 
Here are all the IPAs listed on Wyeasts site under the beers that 1056 can make. Yeah - why is all this necessary?

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Interestingly I'm seeing more labeled West Coast IPAs in stores and breweries near me.
I've also seen Founders advertising West Coast all day (a west Coast session IPA)
Hopefully the pendulum is swinging the other way and we can finally be rid of all these sludge IPAs
 
I don't use finings and haven't gotten my pipeline back up to full depth yet (getting there) so this is about as bright as my wcipa's get these days...

wcipa7.jpg


Cheers!
 
It's not clear yet, but it will be. Zero fining attempts made other than Protafloc. I meant to BrewBrite it but missed the window due to being away. Give it a few weeks.

PXL-20230520-210229651-PORTRAIT.jpg


WC DIPA. 8%, 80ish IBU, 1.010, hopped with Centennial and Mosaic. It's a f'kin banger.
 
day_trippr said:
I don't use finings and haven't gotten my pipeline back up to full depth yet (getting there) so this is about as bright as my wcipa's get these days...

View attachment 820838

Cheers!
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Visited Boulevard Brewing last month in K.C. Really neat place. Tank 7 isn’t my jam, but my Brother-in-Law loves it. They’ve got quite a few good beers that run the gamut of styles.

On a sadder note, my “home town” brewery of Flying Dog is once again on the move, abandoning their huge modern facility in Frederick, MD. Sold out to an old established brewery in upstate NY. Unclear as to why, but I suspect their market research may have suggested a softening of the beer world to competitive forces, like spritzers, etc. Store shelves certainly suggest as much. (Sigh).
 
Until recently I always used well-hydrated Irish Moss but have switched to Whirlfloc for the convenience.
I don't think either really make much of a difference wrt beer clarity post-dry hop.
If they did the plethora of post-fermentation finings on the market would have no reason to exist...

Cheers!
 
day_trippr said:
Until recently I always used well-hydrated Irish Moss but have switched to Whirlfloc for the convenience.
I don't think either really make much of a difference wrt beer clarity post-dry hop.
If they did the plethora of post-fermentation finings on the market would have no reason to exist...

Cheers!
Click to expand...

I know it does help. Getting a good cold break helps too. Give me a minute to pour my latest IPA that had a 6oz/4G dry hop and post a pic...

BRB...
 
And I consider that clear. The color isnt too far off from yours but that does look darker in the pic than it is with good lighting.

But like you, only whirlfloc in the boil at~10 minutes, a good cold break and a decently large dry hop and cold crash prior to packaging.

Still produces a pretty clear beer. You sure cant mistake this beer for OJ...
 
I’ve used Whirflock forever, and often used different finings cold side. Anymore it’s Biofine everytime ‘cold’ in addition to Whirfloc :10 late boil. It’s become my obsession (or more likely passive-aggressive response) to counter all the hazies that are invading my beer space.
 
I've only ever used gelatin for fining on the cold side but never with my IPA's. I've read it can impact hop character in a negative way so no thank you.

I think Brulosophy.com did a test and the results didn't really support that notion. At least not enough to really matter anyway. But I pass on that anyway for my IPA's; not worth the risk IMO when I'm happy with the clarity already.
 
Same beer in both photos. Only used whirlfloc, a secondary, and a cold crash. But not everyone looks at the beer before they drink it and say ahhhhh. I literally watched someone do that yesterday without much consideration. Who's surprised? Yes, the clarity plays a role, but so few people are as picky! The effort may not be worth it in the casual setting. That's the important thing. Casual vs fine setting. An experienced homebrewer knows when to turn it up, and when to turn it down. It's a balance, unless you never make a single compromise, ever.

Let's dive deeper. It's not always about the beer, If you've got a cold glass, a humid day, or both, the glass will gather condensation. If it's dark out, like when most people consume beer outside, or in an opaque cup, or even still in the bottle, forget about it. Does it enhance the experience and add quality, no doubt!


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BrewerofBeers said:
Only used whirlfloc, a secondary, and a cold crash. But not everyone looks at the beer before they drink it and say ahhhhh.
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First impressions are lasting impressions...

For me, clarity adds to a positive impression while murk does the opposite. Even those hazibois I've had that I'd say were actually good kept me looking at the opaqueness and wondering why... I just cant seem to get past it.

The murkiness does absolutely nothing to improve the impression of the beer in my opinion. In fact, anytime I see "hazy" or anything close to it in a descriptor, I pass...
 
Nagorg said:
First impressions are lasting impressions...

For me, clarity adds to a positive impression while murk does the opposite. Even those hazibois I've had that I'd say were actually good kept me looking at the opaqueness and wondering why... I just cant seem to get past it.

The murkiness does absolutely nothing to improve the impression of the beer in my opinion. In fact, anytime I see "hazy" or anything close to it in a descriptor, I pass...
Click to expand...

I definitely agree. But the cold crash entails ramifications which take time, energy, and may even involve a process that can introduce oxidation. Everything I produce has my name and signature on it -- that will never change. The experience of the beer is a holistic process involving so much more than clarity. When I want to produce something special, the choice the 'clear.'

However, we need a metric like SRM or IBU to describe clarity. Do we have that? If not, what should we choose? Clarity is an accomplishment should we shoot for higher standards. May it be recognized.

A quote:
"Like a crystal-clear stream where every detail is visible to the naked eye, the clarity of beer reveals the essence of its craftsmanship, inviting us to savor not only its flavors but also the clarity it brings to our minds, as we appreciate the simple beauty found in a well-brewed glass."
-BrewerofBeers
 
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I'm not sure we need a beer metric for clarity when we have descriptions that seem to do the job. I'm perfectly fine with terms like "bright", "hazy", "cloudy" or my favorite; "murky" as examples.

But if you needed one, it would be turbidity. And when applying the term to water, more turbidity is potentially dangerous. Our eye's do a lot to help us avoid things we shouldn't be consuming. 🍺

https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/turbidity-and-water"Turbidity and human health

Excessive turbidity, or cloudiness, in drinking water is aesthetically unappealing, and may also represent a health concern. Turbidity can provide food and shelter for pathogens. If not removed, the causes of high turbidity can promote regrowth of pathogens in the water, leading to waterborne disease outbreaks, which have caused significant cases of intestinal sickness throughout the United States and the world. Although turbidity is not a direct indicator of health risk, numerous studies show a strong relationship between removal of turbidity and removal of protozoa. The particles of turbidity provide "shelter" for microbes by reducing their exposure to attack by disinfectants. Microbial attachment to particulate material has been considered to aid in microbe survival. Fortunately, traditional water treatment processes have the ability to effectively remove turbidity when operated properly. (Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)"
 
Nagorg said:
First impressions are lasting impressions...

For me, clarity adds to a positive impression while murk does the opposite. Even those hazibois I've had that I'd say were actually good kept me looking at the opaqueness and wondering why... I just cant seem to get past it.

The murkiness does absolutely nothing to improve the impression of the beer in my opinion. In fact, anytime I see "hazy" or anything close to it in a descriptor, I pass...
Click to expand...
Every chef knows the saying, “You eat with your eyes.” First impressions can determine future favor or disappointment.

Some people like the hazy appearance of many contemporary beers and react favorably with the sight of “murky as orange juice”. Others, not so much. The reaction, often visceral, can make or break the enjoyment of the beverage before even taking the first sip.
 
I have a West Coast style IPA in the fermenter now. I replaced standard two row with Rahr North Star Pils malt. As far as finings I just use Irish Moss that I hydrate the day before brew day. It turns gel-like by the time I add it to the BK.
My opinion on hazy beer is not good. I think they should replace the H with L. [lazy]
 
I've had that beer and didnt think it stunk. lol Smell is in the nose of the smeller?

The most "aromatic" beer in that category that I can remember was The Hemperor from New Belgium. That smell would fill a room and have people wondering who brought the weed...

To stay on topic, it was a clear IPA also! :)

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/326798/
 

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