I lagered a Maibock for 8 weeks at 32 deg. It was clear as a bell when I transferred to the keg. Now that I’m serving it, it’s cloudy as hell! Used 2206. 52 % Vienna, 48% Munich. Used whirfloc in boil. pH of mash was 5.4. Any ideas on what may have caused this?
The first couple pints will probably be cloudy. Beer will look clear most often at room temp, but will develop a chill haze after being chilled. Seems like after 8 weeks it should be pouring crystal clear after you draw off the first couple pints.
If you pull a small sample and warm it up, does the haze disappear? If so, and you’re neither vegetarian nor a stickler for reinheitsgebot, you can use gelatin at a ratio of 1/2 tsp to 1/4 cup hot water per keg. Super clear beer in about 2 days.
For a long time I was anti-gelatin. It stinks when you heat it up to dissolve and I loath where it comes from. But I just recently used it on a Czech pils, and damn, that beer cleared bright and beautiful in 2 days. Might have to start using it more often on my lagers… ugh, it’s a compromise for me, that’s for sure…
Chill haze was the first thing I thought of, but from the original post I assumed it was lagered at 32 and then transferred to the keg. If it was clear at 32, it shouldn’t have chill haze.
Was it transferred to the keg and then lagered at 32?
clear in fermenter at 32F after 8 weeks should be beer clear in keg (may sound silly …was keg cleaned well of everything including any cleansers?). i could only see it getting cloudy if during transfer you sucked up sediment, but that should have settled and poured that off with first few pints or so…this is perplexing.
Poured a glass last night, left it on the counter looked at it this morning. It was still cloudy. I lagered it at 32 for 8 weeks and THEN transferred to the keg. That’s my confusion. How could it be clear in the carboy, plenty of time for everything to drop out, and then be cloudy when I’m pouring out of the keg!?!?
Tap on my beer fridge, I’ll switch lines tonight.
Tastes great, pretty sure its not an infection.
I believe my process was the same as a Dopplebock earlier this year, with the same yeast, clear as a bell.