Top Half Clear, Bottom Half Hazy

[Chris17]

I recently brewed a very hoppy IPA. I usually don’t mind my beers being a bit hazy so generally don’t use fining agents. I just give them a quick cold crash before bottling if required.

However I decided I wanted to see how clear I could make this beer, so used Irish Moss in the last 15 mins of the boil, then cold crashed. After cold crashing for about 4 days it didn’t seem to be clearing at all. So I bought a pack of gelatine and tried to use this to fine. I dissolved 1 tsp of gelatine in water and added this to the FV’s (Total of 8L of beer in 2 separate demijohns). I then left this for three days. After day one, the top half cleared but the bottom half remains Hazy and it has now stayed like this for two days. Picture below.

Does anyone know why this could be and how I can fix it??

I want to free up my demijohns, so would like to bottle ASAP! Cheers for any help!

It is probably worth noting that I don’t have a fridge, so cold crashing was just leaving in the uninsulated garage. It hasn’t been too cold recently, probably down to about 5 Celsius at night at the lowest.

 

[terrym]

For me your options are
a. leave it longer in the coldest place you have and see if it clears some more
b. bottle the clear stuff from both DJs and combine the hazy beer into one in one DJ and see if it clears
c. same as b except bottle the hazy stuff and see if it clears in bottle

I have to say that the one and only time I used gelatin I ended up with wispy bits solids floating in my beer so I have not used it again

 

[BeerCat]

Its normally a teaspoon per five gallons as far as i know. I have seen this in unfined beers but not in your situation. Using excess gelatin should not do this though, would suggest large amounts of proteins or yeast or not cold enough.
The garage is not cold enough to cold crash just condition. You need finings that will work at room temp. David Heath has a video on this. i think Gelatin only works below 10c . Try leaving it outside overnight if you don't have a fridge and follow Terry's advice.

 

[foxy]

I recently brewed a very hoppy IPA. I usually don’t mind my beers being a bit hazy so generally don’t use fining agents. I just give them a quick cold crash before bottling if required.

However I decided I wanted to see how clear I could make this beer, so used Irish Moss in the last 15 mins of the boil, then cold crashed. After cold crashing for about 4 days it didn’t seem to be clearing at all.

Does anyone know why this could be and how I can fix it??

I want to free up my demijohns, so would like to bottle ASAP! Cheers for any help!

It is probably worth noting that I don’t have a fridge, so cold crashing was just leaving in the uninsulated garage. It hasn’t been too cold recently, probably down to about 5 Celsius at night at the lowest.

I don't understand your method, you added the Irish Moss at 15 mins then cold crashed?
Have you added the yeast and fermented the wort yet?

 

[Chris17]

Thanks guys. Gonna try leaving it in the garage for another couple of days then will just bottle regardless of what it looks like. May try and bottle the clear stuff separately to the hazy and see how they both turn out!

I don't understand your method, you added the Irish Moss at 15 mins then cold crashed?
Have you added the yeast and fermented the wort yet?

I added Irish moss in last 15 mins of the boil and then fermented. I then racked it to secondary and dry hopped it for 5 days. It was nice and clear before dry hopping, but then the dry hopping created plenty of haze. I then decided to ‘cold crash’ as best I could by leaving it in the not very cold garage for about 4 days. It didn’t clear at all, so decided to try use gelatine, but then this happened. I don’t think it helped that it was the highest level of dry hops I’ve ever used, so probably could have chosen a better batch to try and make clear!! Sorry for the confusion!!

 

[foxy]

Thanks guys. Gonna try leaving it in the garage for another couple of days then will just bottle regardless of what it looks like. May try and bottle the clear stuff separately to the hazy and see how they both turn out!



I added Irish moss in last 15 mins of the boil and then fermented. I then racked it to secondary and dry hopped it for 5 days. It was nice and clear before dry hopping, but then the dry hopping created plenty of haze. I then decided to ‘cold crash’ as best I could by leaving it in the not very cold garage for about 4 days. It didn’t clear at all, so decided to try use gelatine, but then this happened. I don’t think it helped that it was the highest level of dry hops I’ve ever used, so probably could have chosen a better batch to try and make clear!! Apologies if this was confusing!!

What you are seeing is the beer trying to clear, hence the reason you have clear at the top and cloudy below you really need to get a fridge for cold crashing to -1 C within a couple of days it will clear without any clearing agents.

 

[Chris17]

What you are seeing is the beer trying to clear, hence the reason you have clear at the top and cloudy below you really need to get a fridge for cold crashing to -1 C within a couple of days it will clear without any clearing agents.

Ahh okay cheers. I fridge is on the wish list however I have limited room to keep it!! (No power in the garage)