Sediment / Clearing Issue

[Leemond]

Hi all,

New member that jumped straight into all grain brewing (albeit 4L batches). All the batches I've done to date have all tasted fine, but all but one have refused to completely clear. Cooling helped clear them a little more but only one (ironically my first ever brew) cleared completely. Even then this was only weeks after the beer was bottled.

I'd read that Irish Moss can be used to help clear the beer so in my last two batches I've used a small amount in the last 15 mins of the boil (as directed). For some reason, these batches have seen high levels of sediment (assumably yeast) on the side of the bottles or in the case of my latest batch on the side of the demijohn (pic attached). When I chilled down the bottles from my last batch the sediments did eventually sink but the beer still didn't clear.

I had also read that the wort has to be rapidly cooled post-boil and given my current setup I only have the aid of a sink full of ice and water to do this. Could this be contributing to the lack of clear beer?

As I say all are perfectly drinkable but my Dad is old school and won't have any because it's not clear and I wanted to give all the family a bottle for Christmas. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Leemond :)

 

[Dutto]

Actually, your Dad is definitely "New School" because a lot of us well remember cloudy beer being served in pubs! (Hence the joke "Barman, this beer is cloudy!" and the reply "What do you expect for a shilling, thunder and lightning?")

There's nothing wrong with cloudy beer if it tastes okay but to address your queries:

1. Sediment stuck to the side of a bottle usually indicates that A) The bottle wasn't properly cleaned before use. B) One side of the bottle is warmer than the other. (Very rare.) C) One side of the bottle is exposed to the light. (Most common cause.) D. You are using a clear bottle. Don't!

2. Irish Moss used as indicated should assist in clearing the wort but this is very much facilitated by rapidly cooling the wort. I suggest that you look at making a coil cooler from 8mm copper tubing. The photograph shows that even a crap one (all my own work I'm ashamed to say) will do the job.

3. Clearing beer can be achieved after fermentation has been completed by the use of Finings. I use these in wines and can recommend them if you are not allergic to crustaceans.

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/kwik-clear-finings-small

4. Apart from the above, clearing beer is best carried out by "Time and Gravity". It's amazing how clear a beer will become if it is left alone in a cool dark place for a month or so. I made some Gluten Free beer for a mate and bottled it on 6th August. My mate sent me an email in mid-September telling me it was still cloudy. I checked the bottles I kept back in my garage yesterday and it is now crystal clear.

Patience is more than a virtue in brewing; it's essential. :thumb:

 

[Brewmarc]

I agree with Dutto,
Lots of things, & brewing methods cause cloudy beer, if it tastes ok it's probably chill haze Just proteins in suspension Iv had chill haze at normal ale drinking temps 14C what yeast did you use? low floculation is another cause
As has been said definitely invest or manufacture a chiller you can improve clarity by achieving a hot break by boiling vigorously for at least 1 hour or 90 minutes. Keep an eye on it the hot break is quite visible as flecks in the beer you get a further cold break from rapidly chilling with a chiller like the one above will drop your wort from boiling to yeast pitching temp in about 20 minutes. As said this is ware you get the best from your copper finings.
I prefer not to use finings it can prevent the yeast packing down particularly in the bottle after conditioning, so it's difficult to pour the beer of the yeast.
Cheers enjoy your beer.

 

[Leemond]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The bottles have been stored in the dark so it shouldn't be light that's doing it - wondering if the bottles weren't sterilised enough although it seemed to taste alright. It has actually cleared a little more over the last few weeks but still not completely so perhaps I need to give it more time.

I will definitely be getting a copper cooler at some point after Christmas too when I scale up my operation.

I bottled another brew this evening so will let you know how I go on with this batch.

Cheers! :)

 

[Hoppyland]

only one (ironically my first ever brew) cleared completely. Even then this was only weeks after the beer was bottled.
Leemond :smile:

Well, for me this is normal. My beers are usually in bottles for several weeks before I'd expect them to be crystal clear

When I chilled down the bottles from my last batch the sediments did eventually sink but the beer still didn't clear.Leemond

Sounds to me as though you might be bottling too early. I normally ferment, rack off into a secondary and try to bottle about a month after pitching. By this time, the beer is pretty clear anyway so there isn't much sediment to settle out.

I had also read that the wort has to be rapidly cooled post-boil and given my current setup I only have the aid of a sink full of ice and water to do this. Could this be contributing to the lack of clear beer?Leemond

Doubt it. I'm a lifelong no-chiller, and I mainly produce very clear beers (usually - some aren't as clear as I'd expect). Perhaps it takes me a bit longer, don't know because I've never tried chilling.

 

[Leemond]

I'm only brewing on a small scale currently and have only been guided from the instructions I got in a kit (although I am now trying my own recipes). Currently the beer ferments in a Demijohn for 11 days and then gets bottled (as instructed). Could/should it stay in the demijohn longer? I was concerned about potential infections if I did that?

 

[Dutto]

The risk of infection drops off during the colder months as there are less wild yeasts flying around and almost no fruit flies (vinegar flies) are still alive. Although exposure to the air should still be kept to a minimum, a decent sanitising programme should prevent infections to a wort during fermentation and subsequent bottling.

With regard to time, the "Golden Rule" for beer brewing is, as a minimum, "2+2+2" as follows:

o Two weeks fermenting.

o Two weeks carbonating.

o Two weeks conditioning.

That is under ideal conditions but Kits usually cut down on the times to make brewing look to be a lot easier and quicker than it really is.

You will still get a drinkable pint by following the Kit's instructions but as a general rule you will have a much clearer and better tasting pint if you have just that bit more patience and take just that bit longer at every stage.

Enjoy! :thumb:

 

[Leemond]

Ok cool, many thanks for the advice :thumb:

 

[Leemond]

With regard to time, the "Golden Rule" for beer brewing is, as a minimum, "2+2+2" as follows:

o Two weeks fermenting.

o Two weeks carbonating.

o Two weeks conditioning.

With my current setup then (demijohns), should I transfer it from one to another after two weeks - and then bottle after a further two weeks?

The kit currently says bottle straight after Fermentation (11 Days) but to prime to bottles with a sugar/water solution - would I still need to do this if I used a second demijohn for the carbonating process?

Apologies for all the questions - I plan to scale up the process after Christmas so I want to try and get the process correct now while it's not quite as costly to get it wrong:lol:

 

[DoctorMick]

With my current setup then (demijohns), should I transfer it from one to another after two weeks - and then bottle after a further two weeks?

The kit currently says bottle straight after Fermentation (11 Days) but to prime to bottles with a sugar/water solution - would I still need to do this if I used a second demijohn for the carbonating process?

Apologies for all the questions - I plan to scale up the process after Christmas so I want to try and get the process correct now while it's not quite as costly to get it wrong:lol:

The first 2 weeks is in the FV (in your case a demijohn), after that the 2 weeks carbing and 2 weeks conditioning are done in bottles/kegs. Some people use a primary and a secondary FV but that is both usually within the initial 2 weeks. You can't carbonate in a second DJ as the gas will escape through the air lock.

You shouldn't be sorry for asking, we're all here to learn and there is no such thing as a daft question.

 

[Leemond]

Ah ok thank you - is there a supposed to be a storage temperature difference during the carbing/conditioning stages? I've currently just been keeping the beer somewhere cool and dark but again I've only been directed from previous kit instructions.

 

[Hoppyland]

If you're brewing a British-style beer, I'd say no.
To carbonate it you need the yeast to ferment your priming sugar - so why not do it at your fermentation temperature.
After that, people treat the bottled beer differently. Personally, I never cool it at all - it seems to mature very nicely at room temperature.

 

[Dutto]

.......... You can't carbonate in a second DJ as the gas will escape through the air lock.

.........

BEWARE!

You also cannot carbonate in a DJ because they are not designed to take the amount of pressure that is generated during carbonation! :nono: :nono:

 

[Pfeffer]

Depends on the type you have. The reimforced PET ones can handle quite some pressure. Lab glass ones usually too. Ale-ish pressures though, not fizzy Belgian. The cheap glass ones will explode though.

 

[Dutto]

.......... Personally, I never cool it at all - it seems to mature very nicely at room temperature.

I don't like chilled beer either so I drink it at "room temperature".

At the moment, the garage (where most of the beer is stored) is at 9 degrees and the kitchen (where I keep a bottle handy just in case I feel thirsty) is at 15 degrees. :whistle:

I also don't particularly like "gassy" beers so I reduce the amount of priming sugar normally recommended.

That's the joy of home-brewing; beer tailor-made to your own taste! :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Dutto]

........... The cheap glass ones will explode though.

Best to avoid them then!

 

[Hoppyland]

Depends on the type you have. The reimforced PET ones can handle quite some pressure. Lab glass ones usually too. Ale-ish pressures though, not fizzy Belgian. The cheap glass ones will explode though.

Are we talking a 1gal/5l vessel here?
If so, what would you do with a 5l bottle of beer?
I can visualise releasing the pressure - but then what? :)
Maybe have 8 friends line up & try to pour it gently and properly into their glasses :-?
Any more suggestions?

 

[Leemond]

Excellent. Thanks for all the advice :thumb:

I've moved a batch I bottled a few days ago into a slightly warmer environment to condition. Will transfer them to somewhere a bit cooler in a week or so :)

 

[Leemond]

My latest batch is much clearer directly from the demijohn. So much so I'm now worried it could be a bit 'watery'. It is meant to be a very light coloured ale so hopefully it'll be ok.

Bottled most of it in brown bottles following advice on here and capped my first batch of bottles too.

 

[pms67]

I wouldn't worry,i have had very clear beer straight from the fv,i will swap your problem with mine, my first biab is pondwater but tastes good!