Hazy beer

KingPaul

KingPaul

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Lately I am struggling to get nice, clear beer in my glass. I think half of the problem might be old, milled grain. I used grains that has been milled about 8-10months ago in my last 3 beers. They were stored in zip lock bags in my freezer. Not sure why, but till last week I thought as long as they are stored in zip lock bags the grains will be ok. In all my brews I add about a teaspoon or so of Irish Moss. Not sure if Irish Moss can go stale? Had mine for also about 8months now. I am due to bottle a Red Ale next week and want to use gelatine as a fining agent. Now I have read that its best to chill the beer down before adding the gelatine. I don't have a dedicated beer fridge, but convinced my wife that I can use the house fridge next week for a day or two. Now, my question, after the beer has been chilled, (12hours or so) do I take the fermentor out of the fridge when adding the gelatine or do I leave it in the fridge till all is clear?
Thanks.
 
Causes of haze:
- Unconverted starches - permanent haze (doesn't change with temperature) and starchy flavor.
- Protein/tannin complexes (chill haze) - temporary haze (goes away as the beer warms), no flavor impact.
- Yeast haze - common in Weizens and Belgian styles, part of style/flavor profile, perhaps resulting from "rousing" yeasts in other styles.
- Bacterial haze - permanent haze accompanied by off-flavors, murky looking.
Old malt: I don't know if it would produce a haze but if it were stale, you'd get musty, stale-cracker flavors in your beer. If you don't have that, I doubt the malt is a problem. One thing you might pursue if this is a new thing is your water: Has your water provider changed source or process? A more alkaline water might produce more haze.
To fine with gelatin, you'll need more than a day or two. First get the beer as cold as you can without freezing. Mix up the gelatin solution and get it to 150 degrees for at least 10 minutes - a few degrees above won't hurt as long as it doesn't gel. Put that in your beer, agitate gently and let it sit for 48 hours. Your beer should be clear. If it isn't, you don't have a protein problem, it's something else.
 
good point on the water, city water supplies change water based on weather, cold temps do not need as much chemicals as warm, some times its more chemicals some times its a new source all together, but the water changing can sure change the brew
 
Basically, for anything I want clear, gelatin fining has become my go-to. Reinheitsgebot be damned, all my German lagers get gelatin. I don't mind chill haze but judges do!
 
I use Irish moss on all batches except hefe's and wheats, and use an emertion chiller. Beer is always crystal clear.
 
Long cold lager. Two months at least. If it has not dropped by then, it must be a starch haze and it will never go away.
Keep on a lookout for cheap/free fridge. Or two. Best thing you can do for your beer is temp control.
 
I had the same issue then I started using white labs enzyme 400, cleraferm. Unless I am brewing a wheat beer that is my go to to clear it up. I have used it on several brews, the last two, a wissebock and a pumkin apa and both turned out crystal clear in the glass with no protien haze or chill haze.
 
Two months' wait? I'm not that patient. Gelatin works fine....
 
adding gelatin to a hazy beer now
there are a number of ways to do it but here's mine

first I boiled city water, let it cool, while cooling the keg to 36 and had c02 on it, then once the keg was ready I heated up the same pan of water back to 150 added 1/2 a packet of knox, stirred until even, poured that into a 1 cup jar, poured the mix into the keg, put the lid on the gently turned the keg upside down and back again at least 4 times. Next I bled the c02 4 times just in case then add the keg back to the keezer and set it to slow carb
 
The only time gelatin didn't work for me was last summer. I bought a couple bags of Great Western Malt 2 row or Pils malt, can't remember. It was like soup and gelatin didn't work at all. I must of had starch haze and it really sucked. I went back to my usual malt and no problems and things are back to normal. I still don't know why this happened. I check for conversion every time now.
 
Thanks guys. Chilled and added gelatin last night. Will bottle in 3days. Any comments on the lifespan of Irish moss? I am still trying to figure out what went wrong with these last few brews of mine...
 
I'd look to the malt (or extract) and your water before looking to the Irish Moss - it's shelf life is pretty much unlimited.
 
my last 2 beers came out cloudy too, what timing :) but I really don't care my self, taste is all that matters to me
 
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