Malt miller speckled hen won’t clear!

Monkhouse · Jun 14, 2022

I bottled this all grain kit over 2 weeks ago now and I’ve got 47 500ml bottles of the stuff and it looks like pond water. The taste isn’t amazing either- it actually reminds me of a Wilkinsons 1 can kit that’s had a kilo of sugar chucked in. It’s not ghastly just a bit thin and tart like what was the point in me spending an entire day brewing to create this.
This beer will be my 6th all grain recipe I’ve done but all the ones before it have been amazing- and all have cleared in the bottle within a week.
I’ve never used any finings of any kind and I bottle exclusively.
Any idea if this is likely to improve with age? I put one bottle in the fridge for a couple of days to see if this would clear the beer but sadly it made zero difference.

Cheshire Cat · Jun 14, 2022

Before you bottled did you
1. add a protofloc tablet or Irish moss to the boil
2. add any finings after fermentation
3. cold crash after fermentation.
4. was the beer clear when you bottled it.
If no then you need to leave the beer for 2-4 weeks and see it clears.

Sandimas · Jun 14, 2022

What yeast did it come with?

Looks like the yeast hasn't settled and might have been stirred up when you opened it. Or was it like that when you bottled it? Personally, I never bottle until a beer has dropped clear.

The Baron · Jun 14, 2022

47 will thin it out taste wise I would expect a maximum of 38 bottles from a batch

Monkhouse · Jun 14, 2022

I’ve never used any finings of any kind. I’ve no way of cold crashing, it was t clear when I bottled it, I bottled at the 2 week mark. I’m not bothered about speed just want to know that it will eventually clear lol

Cheshire Cat · Jun 14, 2022

Sandimas said:
What yeast did it come with?

Looks like the yeast hasn't settled and might have been stirred up when you opened it. Or was it like that when you bottled it? Personally, I never bottle until a beer has dropped clear.

Exactly never bottle a cloudy beer let it clear, time and G are the best finings.

Monkhouse · Jun 14, 2022

the baron said:
47 will thin it out taste wise I would expect a maximum of 38 bottles from a batch

No mate I upped all the malt and hops to allow for a 26l batch

Monkhouse · Jun 14, 2022

Sandimas said:
What yeast did it come with?

Looks like the yeast hasn't settled and might have been stirred up when you opened it. Or was it like that when you bottled it? Personally, I never bottle until a beer has dropped clear.

It was mangrove jacks liberty bell dried yeast- x2 packs.
The yeast it was meant to be supplied with was out of stock and this was supposedly a close match

foxy · Jun 15, 2022

I think if it is 'tart' and cloudy you could have an infection, lactobacillus.
Clear bright beer starts in the mash tun, the pH and the temperature control going through to the boil. pH helps in the precipitation of polyphenols and other haze forming proteins. Leave the break material in the kettle. In the fermenter the Irish Moss/Protofloc will still be working to drop the cold break, after fermentation cold condition or just wait for the beer to drop clear and then bottle.
In answer to your question, if it is lactobacillus it won't go away.

Monkhouse · Jun 15, 2022

Thats just it though I’ve never used any protofloc or Irish moss in any of my brews. I’m not discounting an infection but I’m hoping that perhaps this beer needed Irish moss or similar. Like I’ve said I’ve never had any issue with a beer clearing without Irish moss

AnimatedGIF · Jun 15, 2022

Monkhouse said:
I bottled this all grain kit over 2 weeks ago now

Is that not why it's not yet clear? 2 weeks isn't very long to expect clear beer.

foxy · Jun 15, 2022

Monkhouse said:
Thats just it though I’ve never used any protofloc or Irish moss in any of my brews. I’m not discounting an infection but I’m hoping that perhaps this beer needed Irish moss or similar. Like I’ve said I’ve never had any issue with a beer clearing without Irish moss

Doesn't matter if you used it or not, many of us have forgotten the add the Irish Moss but the beer will still clear. Having a tart taste and not clearing leads me to believe it is an infection. Most probably in the fermenter, which is another thing we are all guilty of is complacency so your not alone there.
Just because you have had success with previous brews doesn't mean you are never going to get a bad batch, tish happens.

Monkhouse · Jun 15, 2022

I’ll give it more time to do it’s thing, hopefully it will come good and if not I guess I’ll call it a ‘wild ale’

It’s not awful it just reminds me of some extract brews I’ve done in the past.
I’m guessing it’s still ok to drink given that lambic style beers are essentially the same thing only their flavour is intended?

Agentgonzo · Jun 15, 2022

Monkhouse said:
I’ll give it more time to do it’s thing, hopefully it will come good and if not I guess I’ll call it a ‘wild ale’
It’s not awful it just reminds me of some extract brews I’ve done in the past.
I’m guessing it’s still ok to drink given that lambic style beers are essentially the same thing only their flavour is intended?

Essentially, yes. You've made an accidental lambic. It'll be a different wild yeast than that from Belgium, but as long as you enjoy it, it'll be fine. All yeasts were wild once upon a time

Monkhouse · Jun 15, 2022

Thanks for that gonzo, I’ll report back if it starts to improve/clear.
I may even look into Irish moss

Sandimas · Jun 15, 2022

+1 to "give it more time"

Liberty Bell is my go-to yeast, drops out nicely and compacts well in the bottom of bottles. You may have bottled a little too early, but put it somewhere cool and they should clear. My only worry would be that if you have bottled too early then it might keep fermenting, so you may have rather lively beer in those bottles.

An Ankoù · Jun 15, 2022

It should be pretty much clear after 2 weeks, even if it isn't fully conditioned. What was your FG?
Liberty Bell isn't my favourite yeast, it has that ghastly twang of Windsor with a second yeast to bring the gravity down and help it clear.
I'd hide it somewhere for three months. Clean all the kit thoroughly and get started on another brew, if I were you.

Sadfield · Jun 15, 2022

An Ankoù said:
ghastly twang of Windsor

Misread this and thought of Andrew.

MickDundee · Jun 15, 2022

Sadfield said:
Misread this and thought of Andrew.

You’ll not get any sort of twang from him, he can’t sweat!

Monkhouse · Jun 15, 2022

Malt miller speckled hen won’t clear!

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