Cold filtered beer still hazy?

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elcarter

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I'm a little stumped not something I've encountered before. Filtered a few light coloured beers with great success but this kolsch is giving me grief.

Usual process:
I've let it sit for a week on the yeast cold crashed 3 days and then another week in the keg. Failed to clear so I used my backup plan to filter it.

Filtered:
Usual 1 micron filter, stupidly cold beer a little ice left in the keg post filter.

Recipe:
Has about 13% wheat.
WLP 29 German / kolsh.

Should be crystal but hasn't changed a bit. Tastes fine. Am I dealing with chill haze despite the cold filtered beer or something else?

I'm thinking of letting a glass warm up just in case it's chill haze. If not I might re-filter with another cartridge.

Any experience / ideas would be appreciated.
 
polyclar it and refilter, should sort it if its chill haze (has to be as you have removed all of the yeast)
 
Yob said:
Doesn't wheat often add haze?
Sure does but I was under the impression in low qty shouldn't stop the beer clearing once filtered but at the moment that may be it.

I ran a small amount through a new filter and similar clarity a little better but stripped flavour so stopped. This will teach me for not doing the usual gelatin step.

The style does state slight haziness but in the unfiltered form;

Kolschbier is golden in color with a somewhat hazy finish, partly due to the addition of wheat, but mostly the result of being unfiltered. The style should have a delicate, lightly fruity flavor with a dry and medium hoppy finish. A very refreshing beer that is often enjoyed in the warmer summer months.
 
Can't you still add gelatine to the keg? I did an American wheat (50:50 Trad Ale & Wheat) and used wb06. Crystal clear via gelatine in the keg.
 
I think this may be my last resort. Certainly added it a few weeks in with good success in the past.

Warmed up version still exhibits a haze. So by what I can find from internet knowledge should not be chill haze.
 
It is not chill haze if still evident when warmed. It could very well be permanent haze, yeast haze doesn't sound likely after all that time chilled.
It could be starch haze (permanent haze) caused by incomplete conversion but that is unlikely with the well modified malts we use today, do you do an iodine test? Does anybody do an iodine test any more?
Was a protein rest utilised in the mash?
Is it possible hot break made its way into the fermenter?
Could it be a biological contamination (permanent haze)?
Could your filter cartridge be cactus?

If it tastes good, I would leave it be and be aware it will probably have a short shelf life. Finer filtering will strip flavour and colour and head forming proteins...

Judanero said:
Can't you still add gelatine to the keg? I did an American wheat (50:50 Trad Ale & Wheat) and used wb06. Crystal clear via gelatine in the keg.
Gelatin works on yeast.
 
Good questions,

Tried iodine once but was to impure to give a result (pharmacy) never attempted again.

Tried another filter - slightly clearer but no where near crystal like I expected and no flavor left.

Mash rest 30 mins.

I whirlpool in the kettle and then pump from the fermenter post cold crash. It was also a double batch and both kegs have the haze so I'm sort of confident not to much if any hot break material got into the final product.

There were a few odd things during this brew that differed from the normal process so one of these may be the culprit.

No chill. First time I've had wheat in a no chill cube.

had to mash for quite some time to get expected OG 1.5 hrs. - may look at PH next time possibly related to the Adelaide fires and the city changing water supplies.

I changed my mill settings to a bit finer to account for the wheat malt.


I'm not too fussed about the haze so much but more the reason so I can fix my process. I've got another kolsh in the fermenter now with a reduced wheat content. Hopefully this one clears up.

Thanks for all the idea's appreciated.
 
Cause is a biological contamination (permanent haze)
 
elcarter said:
Cause is a biological contamination (permanent haze)
As with SITT I'm curious how you came to that conclusion. Biological contamination isn't the only cause of permanent haze. You could be right, but please explain why.
 

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