Next Brew Haze Radication Help

Talisman · Post by **Talisman** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:28 pm

Lo all, im going to make another brew this weekend (prob my 6th or 7th now) and so far none of my brews have come clear. Im getting good beer but its always Hazy.

Can you come up with some tips for me to try make my next brew as i hoped it should be.

I mash in a cooler box. Transfer to std plastic 23ltr boiler. boil away with hops in a muslim bag. then cool with an IC straight afteer the boil to bring down to 23*C. then add the yeast and nutrients.

after prev advise i leave in a FV for between 10 - 14 days. then transfer to a Cornie (anything left is put into bottles at this point), i add polyclar(think its that) into the cornie and leave for two hours and then add some gelatine.

Cap it add pressure and leave in a freezer at 12*C for at least 3 weeks minimum. then transfer to the bar.

always had hazy beer... its disheartening...

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:33 pm

What are you using for copper finings? Irish moss? Whirlfloc? What yeasts do you use generally?
Polyclar is intended to be used in secondary fermenter for 4-7 days, then the beer is to be racked off.

Edit: should also be noted that polyclar is an auxiliary fining in beer, see here.

steve_flack · Post by **steve_flack** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:35 pm

Also, is your water very soft?

mattmacleod · Post by **mattmacleod** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:38 pm

There is a very informative edition of the Brewing Network that deals with this topic:

http://www.thebrewingnetwork.com/archiv ... -30-06.mp3

Things that spring to my mind are:

Are you getting complete conversion in the mash? The haze could be starch.

Are you transferring all of your trub and hop matter into the fermenter after chilling or do you leave it in the kettle?

Talisman · Post by **Talisman** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:40 pm

I use a teaspoon of irish moss at the mo (i have used a whirlfloc before but still had same issue, and i have a tub of IM to use up first).

ahhh didnt know that about the polyclar. i may skip this in future then as i dont secondary fermement.

the water definately isnt soft. were medium to hard water here.

Talisman · Post by **Talisman** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:41 pm

mattmacleod wrote: Are you transferring all of your trub and hop matter into the fermenter after chilling or do you leave it in the kettle?

i try to leave it all in the kettle.

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 12:43 pm

Matt's starch theory might be a good'un then.

Polyclar is great for removing chill haze, but if your murkiness is suspended yeast then that's not going to work.

Not sure if using a hop sock could be the issue but i doubt it. I want to think the mechanical action of the hops could help, but i've never heard that.

Talisman · Post by **Talisman** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:06 pm

any ideas what i can try to do to rid the possibility of a starch issue?

jonnyv · Post by **jonnyv** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:13 pm

Get some iodine, after your mash, run off a teaspoon of wort and place on a white plate - add a drop of iodine. If the wort turns purple then you have starch in your wort and conversion isn't complete.

As for suggestions on how to avoid incomplete conversions, someone else will chime in with some help rather than me guessing

Talisman · Post by **Talisman** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:15 pm

jonnyv wrote:Get some iodine, after your mash, run off a teaspoon of wort and place on a white plate - add a drop of iodine. If the wort turns purple then you have starch in your wort and conversion isn't complete.

what do i do if it isnt complete then? do i continue to mash longer?

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:18 pm

Yes, mash longer.

We have at least one member who actually mashes overnight!

jonnyv · Post by **jonnyv** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:22 pm

Mash longer, and make sure you're getting an even temperature throughout your mash tun - take temp readings in different places.

I found this info (second question/answer on the page) while googling... Here's an interesting quote:

... take an iodine test on your last runnings. Most likely, you will discover starch! A traditional brewing practice used to combat this problem is to collect all the wort into the brew kettle prior to heating the wort to boiling. This practice takes advantage of the fact that alpha-amylase activity continues in the kettle (as long as you donâ€™t heat it up). Any starch carried into the kettle with the last runnings can then be broken down prior to boiling.

Matt · Post by **Matt** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:26 pm

How long is your current mash time Talisman?

Are you getting a good rolling boil, and how long is your boil time?

Matt

Talisman · Post by **Talisman** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:35 pm

well i started with my first mashing and boiling for an hour.

i moved up to doing these both for 1 and a half hours each.

my last brew was 2 hour mash and boil!! And the bottles of beer in the freezer are still hazy as hell after 3 weeks in there....

maxashton · Post by **maxashton** » Tue Aug 12, 2008 1:38 pm

Last ditch really... does it clear if you take one out for a few hours?

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Next Brew Haze Radication Help

Next Brew Haze Radication Help