American pale ale problem

[Dangerous]

I have brewed a Youngs American pale ale. As instructed I added the hop pellets to the brew 3 days before bottling.
Well yesterday I bottled the 2 week old brew and I am rather concerned.
Not only is the beer cloudier than a january weekend in newcastle , there appears to be particles floating around. I am guessing it is remnants of the hop pellets.
I have continued to put the bottles upstairs for carbonation but I cant say im confident about this brew.

 

[mike-os]

No help now but you would have been better waiting another week or so to bottle.

It will clear given a bit of time

 

[Blinky]

I'm sure it will clear down, did you crash cool before bottling?

 

[wheazy_joe]

I've not made that one but have made the youngs American IPA and even though I gave it three weeks in the fv, 2 weeks to carb then out to the cold garage it never completely cleared. That said, it was still an excellent beer so didn't bother me that it wasn't clear.

Try using a muslin bag for dry hopping.

 

[ManseMasher]

Give it a couple of weeks in the warm to carbonate, then a couple of weeks somewhere cool. It should settle. If it doesn't I'm sure it will still taste lovely, and if the cloudiness is a concern, get a pewter tankard (my stock answer for cloudy beer).....

 

[terrym]

Not only is the beer cloudier than a january weekend in newcastle , there appears to be particles floating around. I am guessing it is remnants of the hop pellets.

I always use a muslin bag for dry hopping. This keeps the hops bits out of my brew. The possible slight loss of hop aroma is hardly worth bothering about compared to messing about with filters etc at bottling/kegging. It really is a shame that most kit suppliers don't state that dry hopping the brew could mean suspended hop solids floating about at the bottling stage, or perhaps suggest a muslin bag to get round this problem, or even provide one since it cost pence. This would be especially useful to first timers although more experienced brewers can decide what they want to do i.e. use a bag or not.
As far as the Youngs AIPA and APA are concerned I have done both and although they take time to clear you will be rewarded by your patience when you crack the first clear one open. Serve slightly chilled :thumb:.

 

[clibit]

The hop solids will settle down but will not stick to the bottle so you will need to pour the beer carefully and leave the last half inch or so in the bottle.

As an alternative to dry hopping you can make a hop tea. Put the hops into a litre of boiling or hot water (80C is good) for 20-30 mins. Strain and add the liquid to the FV. A cafetiere works well. You could also boil the hops for 5-10 mins. Rather then just steep. Add this to the beer a day or two before bottling, or when you bottle.

 

[fourbob]

The festival kits contain a little bag / filter to tie around the end of your siphon tube to stop flotsam and jepsom jetting in your beer, I've got loads now, because I like the festival kits! I generally siphon into without the filter bag into a second fv to batch prime with the priming sugar, because sometimes it just gets clagged up and most of the solid material gets left behind anyway. Then I use the filter bag when I'm siphoning from the second FV into the bottles.

 

[Dougal7878]

Hi,
I'm onto day 17 of the young's apa...it too is super cloudy and rather dark. As a first timer does this seem normal and should I just give it another few more days before transferring it to a keg/barrel and then leave it a further 2 weeks from all that I've read? It seems a hell of lot longer than the instructions tend to suggest?!??!?!?

 

[mike-os]

Hi,
I'm onto day 17 of the young's apa...it too is super cloudy and rather dark. As a first timer does this seem normal and should I just give it another few more days before transferring it to a keg/barrel and then leave it a further 2 weeks from all that I've read? It seems a hell of lot longer than the instructions tend to suggest?!??!?!?

leave it for a bit, i have only done 1 but that sounds like mine

have you dry hopped yet?

 

[terrym]

Hi,
I'm onto day 17 of the young's apa...it too is super cloudy and rather dark. As a first timer does this seem normal and should I just give it another few more days before transferring it to a keg/barrel and then leave it a further 2 weeks from all that I've read? It seems a hell of lot longer than the instructions tend to suggest?!??!?!?

My advice is to take some daily hydrometer readings, and don't be concerned by the colour or clarity.
If the SG is still falling then its not ready.
When you get the same SG reading on consecutive days or more you can bottle or keg.
If you have dry hopped already then you can go ahead when the readings are the same.
If you have not yet dry hopped, I would leave it until the readings are the same, dry hop, and leave it a further five days before you bottle/keg.
It won't cause any problems leaving it in the FV provided it remains sealed.
Kit instructions are for guidance only. So don't be concerned if your brew takes longer.
And leave it two weeks in the warm after priming, and a further two weeks in storage preferably in a cool place before you sample, longer if its not clear which it will do eventually.
If you haven't done so already you might find this useful.
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=57526

 

[Dougal7878]

I just threw the hops in on day 15 as stated. ..that was just over 3 days..I'm gonna give it another few days before I transfer to keg with priming sugar and will add some finings and then wait a couple of weeks..see what happens..will use a Muslim bag when I move from fv to keg though...
The readings have been the same so I added the hops.. I'll still waiting then follow ur advice...cheers

 

[mike-os]

dont leave beyond 5-7 days after hopping as you can get off flavours apparently

 

[terrym]

I just threw the hops in on day 15 as stated. ..that was just over 3 days..I'm gonna give it another few days before I transfer to keg with priming sugar and will add some finings and then wait a couple of weeks..see what happens..will use a Muslim bag when I move from fv to keg though...
The readings have been the same so I added the hops.. I'll still waiting then follow ur advice...cheers

Agree with mike-os, no need to dry hop beyond seven days. I find five days is enough.
And in my view there is no need to add finings. Home brew usually clears by itself, plus early precipitation of the yeast through fining may prevent the beer carbonating properly, although I have no personal experience of this.