Whats going on here?

[jordanhollins]

2 nights ago I racked my pale ale into a secondary and now it seems to have started to separate. The lower brown looks like beer and the top darker color looks more clear like water.
It had dry hops added in the beginning.
Is this normal?
Thanks!!

 

[Paymygasbill77]

That is perfectly normal. That is what beer looks like when it is clearing. Howerver, that doesn't look like a pale ale.

 

[JLem]

Actually just looks like a lot of material settling out. Shouldn't be anything to worry about - the stuff on top looks nice and clear....the stuff on the bottom looks cloudy. Eventually, as everything settles out, it will all look like the top layer. I'm surprised it didn't settle out in primary. How long did you have it in primary before racking?

 

[djfriesen]

My guess is it's a lighting issue. I bet in a sample tube, it would look pale.

 

[jordanhollins]

Actually just looks like a lot of material settling out. Shouldn't be anything to worry about - the stuff on top looks nice and clear....the stuff on the bottom looks cloudy. Eventually, as everything settles out, it will all look like the top layer. I'm surprised it didn't settle out in primary. How long did you have it in primary before racking?

I had it in primary for 8 days. But had some issues when racking it. Accidentally stirred up some trub. Also still had hops floating on the top when I started and a lot of that made it into secondary.
Do you think I could rack it again and then let it sit another week? There is already tons of yeast/hops sitting at the bottom.

 

[jordanhollins]

That is perfectly normal. That is what beer looks like when it is clearing. Howerver, that doesn't look like a pale ale.

Yeah I don't think it does either. But that's what's on the box. It's a local LME kit. As in it comes in a 4 liter bladder and I just add water hops and yeast.

 

[Paymygasbill77]

Well, either way it looks normal to me. I'm sure it will be a nice, clear, fantastic beer.

 

[JLem]

I had it in primary for 8 days. But had some issues when racking it. Accidentally stirred up some trub. Also still had hops floating on the top when I started and a lot of that made it into secondary.
Do you think I could rack it again and then let it sit another week? There is already tons of yeast/hops sitting at the bottom.

Just leave it be for right now. No need to rack again. Btw, 8 days in primary is pretty short. I'd leave it in secondary for at least a week, if not 2 before bottling, assuming you've reached close to your expected final gravity.

 

[solbes]

I've seen lower floccing yeasts do that. Especially if you add Isinglas to the secondary. It clears from the top down. Should not be anything to be worried about.

As to the color issue, I had an Amber that looked like a Brown using mostly LME (my first homebrew). Look up "Late Extract Additions" here. If you add a significant portion of the extract later on in the boil, say less than 15 minutes, you will carmelize less and be more true to desired color. Works quite well.

 

[Revvy]

That's the purpose of a secondary. To let stuff clear and settle out.

 

[jordanhollins]

I still have broken up hops floating right at top on day 4. Any ideas on how you filter them?

 

[ZamaMan]

Wait till they settle than rack over them