Clouding Up During Cold Crash??

[USMCBrewer]

I have a Newcastle clone in my primary that I'm planning on bottling this weekend. FG has been steady the last 3 times I've checked it, so I decided to try cold crashing it. I put it in my chest freezer and dropped it down to about 40*F. As the temp dropped it started to really cloud up. I'm not necessarily worried about it, as I'm sure as it sits the next couple days it will clear up, but I am curious if this is normal for a cold crash, to cloud up before clearing?

Thanks!

 

[grv]

That's how it goes for me. After a day at the lower temp, things start to clear.

Love the Aberdeen Brown. Just about to kick that keg, and it has been a real crowd pleaser!

 

[USMCBrewer]

Cool. Thanks. Newcastle is one of my favorites so I'm anxious to get it bottled up!

 

[unionrdr]

What you're getting is chill haze from dissolved protiens. Try getting the wort chilled down in 20 minutes or less before pitching. And don't use too fine of a crush with grains.

 

[TopherM]

That chill haze is the cold crash working properly.

Protein bits that are too small to see at room temp that are lighter than the beer float around and cloud up the beer, and won't fall out of suspension until the cold crash.

During the cold crash, essentially frost attaches to those small protein bits, making them heavier and pulling them out of suspension.

So it's all normal. That chill haze will only last about 2-3 days, then all of those uber fine proteins will bond with the settlement layer, leaving clear beer!

 

[mlevings12]

That chill haze is the cold crash working properly.

Protein bits that are too small to see at room temp that are lighter than the beer float around and cloud up the beer, and won't fall out of suspension until the cold crash.

During the cold crash, essentially frost attaches to those small protein bits, making them heavier and pulling them out of suspension.

So it's all normal. That chill haze will only last about 2-3 days, then all of those uber fine proteins will bond with the settlement layer, leaving clear beer!

Thank you for the comments here.....so much on cold crash....so little on how/when it goes away.

 

[BigFloyd]

So it's all normal. That chill haze will only last about 2-3 days, then all of those uber fine proteins will bond with the settlement layer, leaving clear beer!

+1. This is why you cold crash 3-5 days. It typically takes a good part of the first day for that much liquid to chill from the upper 60's to below 40*F.

If you can get it down closer to 35*F, so much the better.

 

[mlevings12]

So maybe I'm misunderstanding this. My beer looked clear at bottling. After bottling, still looks clear. I can see some sediment in the bottom of the bottles. However, after refrigerating the bottles for 3 days, beer pours not as clear. It's an IPA. Am I just not waiting long enough, or is this the result of not cold crashing prior to bottling. I thought refrigerating the bottles would essentially be the same as cold crashing after fermentation, but perhaps I was mistaken. Thanks in advance.

 

[BigFloyd]

What you're seeing now is probably protein chill haze. It shouldn't have any significant impact on the flavor of the beer.

Methods to obtain more clear beer in the next batch are:

1) 1/2 whirlfloc tab (per 5g) at 10 min before flameout.

2) Cool as quickly as possible. If doing full boils, a wort chiller is very useful. After chilling, cover the kettle and let stuff settle for 15-20 min before transferring to the fermenter.

3) Cold crashing 3-5 days before bottling. When moving the fermenter around just before racking to the bottling bucket, try hard to not slosh the beer inside.

Cheers!

 

[mlevings12]

Interesting. I'm doing full boils. I use Irish moss at 15 left in boil and I have an immersion chiller. I only bring the wort down to about 65 degrees F. Perhaps I need to be chilling further? I think that may be half the problem, the other half being not cold crashing before bottling/ kegging. Thanks for the input. This place rocks!

 

[unionrdr]

It also depends on how fast you chill the hot wort down to temp,moreso than to what temp when it comes to chill haze.

 

[BigFloyd]

You're OK at 65*F pitch temp for an ale. No pressing need to change anything there.

Once you get there and remove the chiller from the kettle, giving it the 15-20 min to settle gives the Irish Moss (very similar to whirlfloc) the chance to drift to the bottom along with whatever protein bits they've glommed onto.