Very cloudy first AG batch

[lhooq]

I've been making kit brews for a while, and having good results, and recently attempted my first all grain brew.

I went for the DIY Dog Jack Hammer kit - it's a beer I like and I thought it would be easier to have a sort of kit structure.

I followed the instructions (such as they are!) *except* I did brew in a bag, following as much advice as I could, as that's the easiest way for me at the moment.

I use a temperature-controlled fridge for fermenting and conditioning, racked to secondary before dry-hopping, and then bottled the beer (all as usual). With the kit brews I've been getting good, really clear beer. With this one, it's... cloudy. Seriously cloudy. Cloudy, like pea soup. Even after several weeks in the bottle. It tastes great - so I'm happy to drink it - but there aren't many other people I could persuade to try it!

So I guess there's probably not enough information here to find exactly my problem, but I did wonder if anyone had general tips for the step up to AG brewing and getting clear(er) beers... I'm going to try another brew in a few days.

 

[Clint]

Hiya! Seeing as it tastes great I doubt an infection is your cause...it could be a few things...suspended yeast...hops..chill haze. I relatively new to ag myself but all my brews have dropped clear!
I’m sure a more informed member will be along shortly with an answer!

Cheers

Clint

 

[MagnusTS]

I think that Jackhammer has a seriously massive amount of hops in it, which would make it a difficult one to get clear.

There are a few things you could try next brew. I had the same problem not so long ago, but now my brews are lovely and clear.

You could use your brew fridge to ‘cold crash’ your brew at 2 or 3 C for a few days before bottling. That should cause protein and stuff to drop out.

You could add gelatine when you cold crash to help drag the particles down to the bottom. It’s really effective. But it is not suitable for vegetarians.

Irish moss in the last 15 mins of the boil helps coagulate haze causing proteins.

Cooling your wort to yeast pitching temp as quick as possible also helps.

Making sure your mash pH is at 5.2 is meant to help too.

 

[chewie]

If the beer is cloudy when you rack it prior to bottling then you may well need to use finings if conditioning and cold crashing aren't having any effect.

If it is clear then you need to ensure that when you rack and bottle you leave as much sediment behind as possible, to much sediment in a high carbonated beer can turn a beer cloudy as soon as you pop the lid on it

 

[Covrich]

As Magnus said did you add any kettle finings to the boil at around 15 minutes..? (usually irish moss or a whirlfoc /protofloc tablet) this helps

 

[lhooq]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

It was cloudy on racking, yes (lots and lots of sediment left behind but even so... possibly it should have sat in primary for even longer after fermentation was done?).

I didn't do kettle finings and I will definitely try that this time.

I do cold crash but possibly not for long enough. I've never been clear how timing works alongside dry-hopping (ie do the days in cold crash count as dry-hopping days? Does it matter if the hops are in for longer?) Still, something to try out. I will think about using gelatin, I'm not veggie but I guess it might be an issue.

Cheers!

 

[MagnusTS]

Good point about dry hopping times. Not sure there is a consensus on fermentation-dry hopping-cold crash schedule. I think people just do what works best for them and the style of beer they are brewing.

I usually do 2 weeks fermentation; then add dry hops to the primary; then leave it 5 more days at room temp; then cold crash for 5 days (adding gelatine on day 2 after temp has got down).

But ask 5 different brewers and you will hear 5 different schedules.

I hear you get grassy notes if you dry hop too long. I think I read it is if you dry hop at warm temperature for too long. Maybe cold crashing doesn’t count? I’ve never tasted any grassy notes, but might just be my palate not sensitive enough.

Some folks rack the beer off the hops into a secondary for cold conditioning away from the hops. But I now follow @Gunge advice and do everything in a single FV. So much less effort.