Still struggling with chill haze, what cured it for you?

[mrboxpiff]

As the title says, after several years of brewing, probably more than 50% of my brews have chill haze. I boil for about 75 minutes and add protofloc for the final 15 mins. I'd be interested to hear what solved the problem for you?

Thanks for your time and help

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[wolfenrook]

I switched from a rolling boil to a volcanic one, and faster wort cooling.

[orlando]

What alkalinity levels are you brewing with? Do you measure your mash pH?

[mrboxpiff]

Never tested the pH, does that make much difference?

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[orlando]

Never tested the pH, does that make much difference?

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Yep. If you are brewing with high alkalinity water you are not getting the proteins and tannins that combine to form chill haze, could be biological also but doubt it, to combine and removed during recirculation and later in the boil. You might also try crash chilling at the end of fermentation too but if the mash pH is too high 5.6> then you are always fighting that initial problem. Vigorous boiling helps too but again if you get mash pH right a lot of good stuff follows.

[Robwalkeragain]

Clear choice malt will fix it if you want to order a full sack. Super low in polyphenols so it doesn't create a haze in the first place.
The other way is to chill your beer down as low as possible, then use a fining agent. It needs to be cold as chill haze relies on the cold to occur, so the idea is to cause it to happen in the FV and then drop it out.
Filtering will probably do it.
Opaque drinking tankard will do it too!

[spook100]

The other way is to chill your beer down as low as possible, then use a fining agent. It needs to be cold as chill haze relies on the cold to occur, so the idea is to cause it to happen in the FV and then drop it out.

I do this and then take rack the beer off while it is still cold. I assume that if you let it warm up again before racking off then the haze will just go back into solution again (I may be wrong about that?)

[thepatchworkdoll]

Hi there
Try Brewbrite from Malt Miller. Fantastic product.
Regards
Patch

[Kev888]

Do the brews that have haze also have anything else in common - e.g. only when using a particular type of malt, or only very pale recipes or lagers, that kind of thing?

For me, if I use decent malt (low in protein) such as Marris Otter, get the pH about right, ensure there is enough calcium, don't sparge excessively (or badly), do a good strong & long boil, and use kettle finings... then things are normally pretty good. Perhaps if I used grains or adjuncts that contribute protein haze, then I will need to chill after fermentation for a few days - especially if combined with finings once the chill haze has developed, that normally gets it. Though i'm intending to try the brewbrite that Patch mentioned instead, I've heard several people say how good it is.

In extreme cases, or if an absolute polish is wanted, then filtering when cold and/or storing cold for some time can deal with it as well, but thats not usually necessary for ales IMO (which is mostly what i brew), its more of a lager/lagering thing. Similarly the protein rest isn't a traditional thing for British ales, but if you're using less traditional high nitrogen malt (e.g. some modern types or from overseas) then perhaps the protein rest may be beneficial. And over-chilling when serving can also throw more of a haze than if served at the cellar temperatures appropriate for ales.

[alexlark]

I had best results with chilling right down to 0c after fermentation has finished and fining with gelatine. Crystal clear in a few days every time.

[super_simian]

I close my eyes - you can't taste chill haze!

[Jocky]

Is it actually chill haze? i.e. the beer is clear down to cellar temperature of 10-12c but hazy at fridge temperatures (~5c)?

That's pretty normal, but gelatine will pull it down when done properly.

[Mick56]

Used to use PolyClar but now use White Labs Clarity Ferm, add when pitching yeast, never had a beer with chill haze using either of these products.

[mrboxpiff]

Thank you everybody for your insightful and helpful comments. I have quite a few areas to work on and I'm sure I'll crack it soon
Cheers

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[patwestlake]

How much of the above applies to kegs vs bottles? I bottle excusively and wondered if using fining agent (Inc gelatine) in secondary affected carbonation. Obviously not an issue if kegging.

Pat