Finally drinking my first batch

[GatorWayne]

Well I am finally able to have my first taste of my home brew. SWMBO Slayer and it is oh so yummy. Even SWMBO who is not much a beer drinker said it is delicious. I have just one concern.

I was given a sanke ¼ keg and CO2 bottle so I bought a coupler and picnic tap. I did some reading to get it carbonated properly. It has been under pressure for the past 6 days. I did move it from the garage this morning to out by the pool to get it on ice. I was cautious but I know I stirred up the yeast and trub. I let it settle 2 hours and started pouring. First quart or two was beer, trub, and yeast. It then cleared up quite a bit so that you could not see the particles but it is still cloudy. I am a big fan of European brews with Chimay being one of my favorites (this is actually my second batch with the first being an extract chimay clone which is bottled but not ready).

What can I do to help clear up my brews? I jumped into all grain as I find it more fun. I am pretty diligent with my sanitation. I’m working on my temperature control. I did use my beverage cooler MLT and that was a complete success. Boiled in my turkey fryer. I fermented in a spare room in a cooler filled with water and the occasional frozen water bottle. Also the beer has absolutely no head at all.

I’m off to fill up my glass so I you have some time to help me make better beer :cross:

 

[brewbama]

Maybe a filter or some Irish moss.

 

[kombat]

Don't bother with a filter, they're more trouble than they're worth and you risk oxidizing your beer if you don't do it right.

Moving kegs is a recipe for cloudy beer. The yeast cake on the bottom of a keg is very sensitive. The slightest movement will stir it back up into solution. That said, there are ways to reduce the amount of yeast and trub that make it into the keg in the first place, without filtering.

My beers are all extremely clear. I take a number of steps to achieve this.

1.) I brew on a propane burner in my garage, which produces a ton of heat and allows me to achieve a good hot break.
2.) I use 1 tsp. of Irish moss in the boil (10 minutes)
3.) I chill with a 40-plate plate chiller, which gets me down to pitching temperatures in 8-10 minutes, achieving a good cold break.
4.) I allow all my beers a full 3 weeks to ferment out fully and begin settling.
5.) I cold crash in a refrigerator
6.) After the beer has cold-crashed (1 day in the fridge), I add gelatin
7.) I rack carefully into the keg, avoiding picking up any of the sediment that has settled at the bottom of the carboy.
8.) Once carbonated, I don't move my kegs.

The result is extremely clear beer, every time.

 

[poptotwoboys]

+1 to Kombat, all great pointers.

 

[bobby4]

+1