Why is my wheat beer clear,

[stuknkrvl]

So I've been working on a weizen recipe (I've made three batches so far) and I took a look at one of the bottles I had stashed from the last batch I brewed a few months ago. That beer is crystal clear.

I realize maybe this is a ridiculous question, but can anyone explain to me why my beer is so clear but the professionally brewed stuff I can get at the store keeps that perfect amount of haze in it no matter how long I stick it on the shelf?

(**Disclaimer - my beer is really tasty, I'm just looking to satisfy my curiosity on the matter)

 

[YeastMode]

Some recipie formulations tend to clear more than others. Posting the recipie will help. However, I think I saw somewhere that adding a tablespoon or two of wheat flour in the boil will help keep the beer cloudy.

 

[Sammy86]

I have read that some breweries add yeast before bottling to ensure the wheat beers stay cloudy as well.

Cheers!

 

[stuknkrvl]

Some recipie formulations tend to clear more than others. Posting the recipie will help. However, I think I saw somewhere that adding a tablespoon or two of wheat flour in the boil will help keep the beer cloudy.

Recipe is simple - two thirds wheat, one third pale two row, Wyeast 3068.

 

[Beernik]

They might be intentionally protein hazing their beer.

Pour half your beer. Swirl the bottle. Pour the other half of the bottle.

 

[daksin]

Yeah, all yeast eventually settles out. If it's been sitting for months, then the yeast is just sitting at the bottom, especially if it's been cold. You can toss some flour into the boil to get a permanent starch haze, or you can just turn the bottles upside down before drinking. I prefer the flavor of the beer with yeast in it (hefeweizen means yeast wheat beer) so I'll just agitate the bottle or keg.

 

[Owly055]

Unmalted wheat............

 

[Natdavis777]

Or you could pour half the beer, rouse the bottle, and pour the rest. Ive had to do so on some commercial hefes from Germany

 

[Kahless]

What was your mashing plan?
I had an raw oat witbier that was crystal clear, as I got stuck at an undesired protein rest on the way from a beta-glucanase rest to saccharification.

 

[stuknkrvl]

Unmalted wheat............

Nope. Wheat malt.

 

[stuknkrvl]

What was your mashing plan?
I had an raw oat witbier that was crystal clear, as I got stuck at an undesired protein rest on the way from a beta-glucanase rest to saccharification.

Funny you should ask... Looking back at my notes for this brew (did this one January 4, 2015, 15 gallon batch) I had actually planned a step mash, but because I forget every time I brew that I'm not a rock star and have almost no idea what I'm doing, there was absolutely no rhyme or reason to it.

My notes aren't very thorough because I don't have accurate times for how long I held at each temp, but it looks like I did the first rest @126, a second rest @143, and a final rest @151.

This was the first time I ever tried a step mash, so I have nothing to compare it to. What do you think about those temperatures? Would you have done it differently?

 

[Kahless]

I can't say what I would do as it would change brew to brew just to explore the differences
Plenty of wheat beers have been made with that kind of schedule so that seems fine. Only other thing I can think of is if an extended duration at the first rest broke down protein to much, preventing haze there, but this is only likely to happen if you couldn't get out of the protein rest range in your planned time.