Beer getting too 'crisp' in the keg

[badmajon]

Here's my problem. Let's say I have a beer that I really like upon finishing fermentation with lots of complex hop flavor, a good head, and a nice mouthfeel/body. Beer success!

Unfortunately within two weeks or so of conditioning in the keg (I force carbonate so I'm drinking it for about 10 days at this point), the flavor begins to change. The body gets thinner, it becomes less opaque- I like cloudy thick IPAs- the hop flavor fades, and the head disappears.

The beer just becomes too crisp, almost lager like- and that's not what I'm going for. I generally find this happens with all the beers I make, no matter what yeast and/or recipe I use. Sometimes it's good, like when I'm brewing a Kolsch or a Pilsner, but sometimes like when I'm going for a Scottish/West Coast IPA with UK yeast, it's not what I want.

Is there anything I can do? Like something that is the opposite of finings, that will keep those tiny proteins etc suspended in the beer?

Help appreciated!

 

[stonebrewer]

Read the threads on NEIPA...lots of things you can try there. Some suggestions are use LODO kegging, use certain yeast strains like 1318, use ingredients that keep hop oils in suspension like oats/wheat/flour/pectin/etc. I think many of us have had this issue and via trial and error found combinations of things on those threads that worked for us. Best of luck!

 

[AMessenger]

Could too cool a seving temperature and/or carbonation levels could be an explanation for the crispness?

 

[stonebrewer]

Could too cool a seving temperature and/or carbonation levels could be an explanation for the crispness?

Yup. There are many possible causes. I know my kegerater was ice cold at the bottom and warmer at the top and I think that contributed to issues like this. Resolved by putting a fan in to distro the air and smooth the temps.

 

[jwalk4]

Appearance has a lot to do with our perception of flavor and mouthfeel.

Try getting smaller kegs, like 2.5 an 3 gallon ones. It won't solve your clear beer problem, (???) But it will keep that hop flavor up sealed tight a little while longer.