Why Is My Beer Cloudy

[Nashmandu]

Hi everybody,

This brew I used, according to label instructions, copperFlock in the boil & Isinglass & Polybar in the secondary, but still my beer is cloudy.

Could someone suggest what the problem is?

Thanks

so many possibilities....so little time

 

[Acasta]

For this brew I used hop & grain socks, the copperflock & a sieve into the fermenter. I'm actually wondering, though, if there is any method that amatuer brewers use, immediately prior to bottling (no kegging), to filter the beer without losing the yeast count for effective bulk priming.

cheers
dalpets

Yep to 48*C with copper coil chiller then added water to fermenter to bring down to fermenting temp.. I strain into the fermenter

When you take out the wort, do you pour it all into fermenter or just the clear stuff ontop? There will be cold break and other crap in the wort that you should avoid getting into your fermenter if you want clear beer.

Also, there is a way to filter beer prior to bottling. You can use a filter.
Like this. http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=720

 

[np1962]

When you take out the wort, do you pour it all into fermenter or just the clear stuff ontop? There will be cold break and other crap in the wort that you should avoid getting into your fermenter if you want clear beer.

Also, there is a way to filter beer prior to bottling. You can use a filter.
Like this. http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=720

Having 'cold break and other crap' in your fermenter does not lead to cloudy finished beer. I no chill half of my beers and pour all the contents of the cube into the fermenter including break and other crap and don't have clarity problems.
Nige

 

[Acasta]

Having 'cold break and other crap' in your fermenter does not lead to cloudy finished beer. I no chill half of my beers and pour all the contents of the cube into the fermenter including break and other crap and don't have clarity problems.
Nige

Stirring it up does.

 

[dalpets]

How old was the kit?
Nige

Probably 18-24 months, but the grain & hops were all sealed until used. I replaced the hops with hops I had in a freezer & bought new yeast.

 

[np1962]

Stirring it up does.

Are you suggesting dalpets stirred the finished beer prior to bottling?

Under conversion is also unlikely as I would say the grains used are already converted crystal malts. All the steeping does is extract the sugars. At least this is my understanding of the grains in the Masterbrew kits.
Nige

 

[dalpets]

When you take out the wort, do you pour it all into fermenter or just the clear stuff ontop? There will be cold break and other crap in the wort that you should avoid getting into your fermenter if you want clear beer.

Also, there is a way to filter beer prior to bottling. You can use a filter.
Like this. http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=720

Actually I've never differentiated. In it all goes through the sieve!.

Nige seems to take issue that kettle 'crap' cause cloudy beer. I rather tend to go along with the view that in this particlar instance the starch was underutilized due to my improper sparging technique.

Thanks for your input
Cheers
dalpets

 

[dalpets]

Are you suggesting dalpets stirred the finished beer prior to bottling?

Under conversion is also unlikely as I would say the grains used are already converted crystal malts. All the steeping does is extract the sugars. At least this is my understanding of the grains in the Masterbrew kits.
Nige

I certainly did stir the secondary (but it had minimal trub) to mix in the corn sugar priming solution.

 

[dalpets]

If we leave aside the issue of cloudiness for a moment are experienced amateur brewers able to produce bottled beer without any fermentation residues?.

dalpets

 

[dalpets]

(Acasta @ Dec 10 2010, 10:33 PM) *
Also, there is a way to filter beer prior to bottling. You can use a filter.
Like this. http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=720

Unfortunately that setup only seems to be workable with a keg system.


Cheers
dalpets
[/quote]

 

[Mayor of Mildura]

If we leave aside the issue of cloudiness for a moment are experienced amateur brewers able to produce bottled beer without any fermentation residues?.

dalpets

For sediment free bottles google "Brodie sediment catchers".

In regards to your cloudiness issue it is probably the malt extract. I've had the same problem.

cheers

MOM

 

[np1962]

I certainly did stir the secondary (but it had minimal trub) to mix in the corn sugar priming solution.

Then I think we have found the 'problem'.
Two weeks in the bottle and all this will settle, gentle pour will give you clear beer.

I have no problem with kettle crap, this will settle in the fermenter and give you no problems.
How can you say you are underconverting or have a sparge problem when you have no idea what grains you have? If there are no base malts, which I suspect is true, you are not converting any starches. The conversion of cara and crystal malts was done by the maltster for you.
Cheers
Nige

PS. My number is freely available on the contacts page of my website, feel free to give me a call.

 

[dalpets]

Then I think we have found the 'problem'.
Two weeks in the bottle and all this will settle, gentle pour will give you clear beer.

I have no problem with kettle crap, this will settle in the fermenter and give you no problems.
How can you say you are underconverting or have a sparge problem when you have no idea what grains you have? If there are no base malts, which I suspect is true, you are not converting any starches. The conversion of cara and crystal malts was done by the maltster for you.
Cheers
Nige

PS. My number is freely available on the contacts page of my website, feel free to give me a call.

Nige,
Actually there was 2.5K of base malt. I remember that much.
cheers
dalpets

 

[dalpets]

For sediment free bottles google "Brodie sediment catchers".

In regards to your cloudiness issue it is probably the malt extract. I've had the same problem.

cheers

MOM

i didn't use malt extract, MOM, only grain.

 

[np1962]

i didn't use malt extract, MOM, only grain.

I'm out of this, what kind of partial uses no malt extract?
Without a proper recipe and explaination of your process I can't give any more ideas.
Would love to help but need a clearer idea of what and how you are brewing.
Cheers
Nige

 

[dalpets]

I'm out of this, what kind of partial uses no malt extract?
Without a proper recipe and explaination of your process I can't give any more ideas.
Would love to help but need a clearer idea of what and how you are brewing.
Cheers
Nige

Apologies, of course I used extract. I'm sorry my brain was out of gear. It was a dry malt mixed with hops, not canned extract. The extract question hazed my tired brain. Of course, dry or canned, their both malt extracts. Sorry.

Cheers
dalpets

 

[dalpets]

For sediment free bottles google "Brodie sediment catchers".

In regards to your cloudiness issue it is probably the malt extract. I've had the same problem.

cheers

MOM

Thanks for that. I've looked at a couple of independent video reviews & they appear to work as they are supposed to, so I've ordered a half dozen to try out. I notice one brewer said that that they are not cost effective to be practical but one video I watched indicated that they can be cleaned, sanitized & reused.

Have you used them? If so what was your assessment?

Cheers
dalpets

 

[Acasta]

Any luck on clearing up?

I think i may have a starch haze issue with a recent brew of mine.