beer clarity issues.

[Neil1454]

Hi

Wondered if I could get some advice please?

I'm having issues with my beer clarity.

I brew whole grain in a single vessel.
Only done a few whole grain brews.
I use protofloc last 15 mins of boil.
The beer is not very hoppy.

Transferred wort looks very clear and to ensure I take a closer look when in trial jar and it's clear.

When in fermenter I ferment at room temperature as i dont have a brew fridge.
I leave for 10 to 14 days then transfer straight into 5L and 10L mini kegs.
I dont add sugar as I use C02 to carb.

I put the 5L keg in fridge which is set to max but it will not clear.

I've left a pint out on the side for 2 hours to see if it clears and it does not so I'm relatively sure it's not chill haze.
I do not cold crash the FV after fermentation has finished / just before kegging as I dont have a dedicated fridge yet.

Can anyone suggest something to try please or where the vital is as far as what I am missing or not doing correct ?

Thank you.

 

[terrym]

I suggest you tell us
- what goes into your AG brews
- what yeasts you are using
- is beer clear or nearly clear when you package?
- how long you are leaving your beer to condition before you sample
I assume you don't use finings.
As far as I'm concerned, there's completely clear (aka bright), slight haze, slightly opaque, and murky. Bright beer sometimes takes weeks to attain if you are just relying on time and gravity.

 

[lancon]

have you tasted it?

 

[Neil1454]

I suggest you tell us
- what goes into your AG brews
- what yeasts you are using
- is beer clear or nearly clear when you package?
- how long you are leaving your beer to condition before you sample
I assume you don't use finings.
As far as I'm concerned, there's completely clear (aka bright), slight haze, slightly opaque, and murky. Bright beer sometimes takes weeks to attain if you are just relying on time and gravity.

Hi

The ingredients of my last brew...

Crisp Maris Otter (5200 grams)
Crisp Caramalt (227 grams)
Crisp Dark Crystal Malt (120 grams)
East Kent Goldings ( GOLDINGS ) Pellets (120 grams)
NBS Ale Yeast 12g (1 packs)
Method

Beer Style (main): British Ales
Beer Style (sub): Extra Special Bitter
Batch Size: 23L
Original Gravity: 1055
Final Gravity: 1012
ABV %: 5.6
IBU: 39.5

THE MASH
Temperature °C: 67
Length (mins): 90
Out temp °C: 75
Out time (mins): 10

THE BOIL
Boil time (mins): 60

Additions and timing:

80.00 g East Kent Goldings,
Boil 60 Minutes

40.00 g East Kent Goldings,
Flame out, steep for 30 minutes at 80c

Secondary additions and timing:

N/A

Yeast: NBS Ale Yeast
Fermentation temperature/steps: 20c

The beer is slightly murky not overly in the FV before it goes into a keg.
I usually leave for 7 days at room temp in keg then move to fridge for 24 hrs before drinking.

I did not use finings in the FV.

I've tasted it and it tastes ok.

 

[Clint]

Is that 24 hrs or days before drinking?? You really need the days...it will or should drop clear. It will taste better too.

 

[Neil1454]

Is that 24 hrs or days before drinking?? You really need the days...it will or should drop clear. It will taste better too.

Hi,

7 days in keg. Then into fridge for 24hrs.
So after fermentation. I need roughly 7 days at room temp (although I'm not sugar carbing im c02 carbing) then in fridge for 14 or more days?

 

[Clint]

I think you don't need any time at room temp if you're force carbing but unless you're using finings,filtering or maybe a cold crash,drinking so soon you arent giving it time to settle out.
I don't force carb but I bet if you left it a couple of weeks it would be clear...and taste better.
Do you keg straight from the fv? You may be transferring trub without knowing,taking it off the trub into a bottling bucket may help.

 

[Davvy]

For me, your recipe looks fine - I think I would defintely leave the beer to condition longer. For your next brew I would advise doing a few bottles that you can monitor for clarity etc...
With bottling my own brews the minimum I would look at would be 2 weeks at room temperature to prime my bottles, and then another 2 weeks in the shed to condition, by that time most of my brews are virtually clear or crystal clear (if protafloc is used / caragennan tablets).

As for your bitterness - running it through a calculator for roughly 5.5kg ingredients in a 23l batch with 80 gramme of EKG at 60 minutes gives (without your flameout addition) roughly 46 IBU - which is really quite hoppy for a bitter....?

It may be the case with bitterness - you may be expecting something more like one of the modern IPA "agressive" styles of bitterness which as an example Brewdog are doing, EKG may be too subtle for your tastes ?

Hope this helps somewhat....
All the best,
David.

 

[lancon]

If it tastes ok then what is the problem?

 

[Clint]

...clarity. He's asking about clarity.

 

[lancon]

Why is clarity a problem if it tastes ok?

 

[Clint]

I dunno...ask the OP.

 

[Gerryjo]

Clarity is a perception and given time it will happen.
I don't use protofloc, Irish miss or finings whatsoever and whether in the keg or bottles it clears eventually and cold crashing really helps.
This has been in the fermenter for two weeks and in the keg for 3 weeks and force carved last night as my keg had a leak in the seal which I hadn't realised but all is good.Beer is fine and clear enough but tastes greatwhich it is all about.
As well you haven't brewed a NEIPA.

 

[ACBEV]

Your process seems ok to me. I'd recommend a few things...

* Leave in primary for at least 14 days
* Transfer to a bottling bucket, taking extra care not to transfer trub, then into your keg.
* Store your keg for another 14 days in a cool place.
* Use a yeast with high flocculation, such as London Ale III

 

[Neil1454]

Thanks all. Will give the 'time' advise a go.

As far as anyone asking about it tasting ok so why worry about clarity.
Well, I'm new to all grain brewing and a clear or as near as possible pint is what I see on almost all images from home brewers. As a new starter I want to strive for the best results I can. Also my understanding is that the more clear it is the better the storage time. I'm ti.e I want to brew across a few days and keg up beers.