Still having problems with clarity

[RockTheGoodAg]

Howdy y'all,

My Texas Red Amber Ale w/ Honey (to be augmented with chipotles before bottling) has been in primary for two weeks now. When I took a tasting sample last week, it was filled with suspended yeast sediment, as well as what looked to be hop particles from the Cascade hop pellets I used without a hopsack. I took a sample yesterday, and the finer yeast sediment seems to have cleared a bit, but there still seems to be a significant amount of heavier particles (roughly .5-2 cm in size) suspended in the beer. Is something wrong? Does it just need more time to clear? Should I attempt a cold-break (the first for me)? I'm sure there is no infection - the beer tastes and smells great.

Any wisdom is welcome. Danke schön!

 

[JimRausch]

Sounds pretty normal 2 weeks in. Can you work up a swamp cooler with ice bottles to do a cold crash? If you can get her down to 40-45, things will settle out within a day or so. Then if you really want to clear it up, hit her with some gelatin.

 

[flars]

I would check the SG again in another week. As long as there is CO2 in your hydrometer sample, there will be particles suspended by the off gassing CO2 in your beer.
I will usually have clear beer to bottle after a full three weeks in the primary.

 

[JKaranka]

Rousing a couple of times towards the end of fermentation might help you to: a) give a helping hand for the yeast at the bottom of the FV to finish its job, b) remove some CO2 from the solution. After that the floaters should drop and the beer clear faster.

 

[RockTheGoodAg]

Good advice, both.

I do have a large tub that I could use to dunk the fermenter in ice water.

Would it be a horrible idea to thoroughly sanitize a spoon, and use it to sloooooowly stir the fermented wort to help the CO2 dissipate?

 

[mkyl428]

Good advice, both.

I do have a large tub that I could use to dunk the fermenter in ice water.

Would it be a horrible idea to thoroughly sanitize a spoon, and use it to sloooooowly stir the fermented wort to help the CO2 dissipate?

You can just let it sit a bit longer, it will clear with time also dry hopping will cause some haze I'm not sure if you knew that, personally I wouldn't worry too much about it.

also I would recommend not stirring it, you will be introducing air and any wild yeast in it

 

[kombat]

Time + cold = clear beer

You can accelerate the process a bit with finings at various stages of the process (Irish moss/Whirlfloc in the boil kettle, gelatin in the bright tank), but ultimately, leaving your beer undisturbed somewhere cold will eventually clear your beer.

 

[RockTheGoodAg]

Roger.

I think I'll give it a VERY gentle swirl rousing, then cold crash in a week or so.

 

[JKaranka]

I often rouse by just gently rocking the FV. It immediately starts expelling CO2. Here in the UK it's relatively common to rouse and some yeasts pretty much need it to finish attenuating.

 

[jethro55]

I just about always have the same problem. So I transfer to secondary after it hits FG, usually about 5 days after pitched. Things clear up quickly that way for me.