Lager won't clear.....

How many pints have you poured? I'm wondering if you're still picking up the settled yeast. Was there sediment in the bottom of the glass when you returned later? If there was (or if you didn't look/notice)...

I'd try pulling a pint, then let it sit in the fridge (go out for the evening again...you deserve it). If it clears (settles) at the cold temp (or not), that will tell you that it wasn't (or was) true chill haze.

If it is chill haze, I admit I don't have a clue what to do about it at this point.

 

Just out of curiosity, which yeast strain did you use?

Cheers!

 

My understanding is that gelatin is effective on chill haze, but the beer must be cold when you add it - the proteins must be coagulated in order for the gelatin to catch them. I'm pouring my gelatin-cleared Cream Ale at about 34F and it's brilliantly clear right out of the faucet. Looks like a Bud Light! (I mean that in a good way). I don't know if it would have had any chill haze, but my ales tend to, so I'm assuming this worked.

FWIW, I used US-05 - not a great flocculator.

 

Permit me to opine a bit about the lagering process. It is my understanding that the principle thing happening during lagering is that the cold temperature is encouraging proteins and polyphenols to precipitate out of solution and settle to the bottom of the lagering vessel.

Below is what Kai Troester states on this topic:

“ …cold stabilization (lagering) : the low temperature causes haze forming proteins and polyphenols come out of solution and drop out of suspension. There is also a mellowing of flavors and some formation of esters happening. The latter becomes only significant after more than 12 weeks [Narziss 2005]”

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Fermenting_Lagers#The_3_phases_of_a_lager_fermentation

So, how is it possible for a lager to suffer from chill haze since chill haze is predominantly caused by protein being in solution?

If indeed the haze is chill haze then all that I can think of is that the beer was not lagered long enough? The solution is to lager longer?

Cheers!

 

I suspected that your yeast was 2278.

Let me tell you some stories about 2278 (and Bohemian Pilsners). I first used 2278 to make a Bohemian Pilsner in 2000. I lagered that beer for 7 weeks and the resulting beer was hazy. I mentioned this to the owner of my LHBS. He recommended that the next time I brew with 2278 I use isinglass in the secondary a few days before bottling (I bottle my beers). So, in a subsequent four batches of Bohemian Pilsner I used isinglass like my LHBS guy told me. Of those four batches, two turned out crystal clear and two still had some haze problems. It took me a period of years (and four additional batches) to finally conclude: just stop using that ‘stupid’ 2278 yeast! I have been using 2124 ever since. My Bohemian Pilsners using 2124 are tasty and clear.

So, in summary I think you are experiencing a yeast issue and not a chill haze issue. I would suggest that you add some isinglass but since your beer is carbonated already I don’t know that this makes sense in this circumstance.

I highly recommend that you don’t ever use 2278 again and instead use 2124.

The good news is that your beers taste good. I get that you would like this beer to be crystal clear. I normally do not fret too much about the clarity of my homebrewed beers but I do have a strong desire for my pilsners to be clear.

Cheers!

 

What temp did you lager at?

I am doing mostly 32F these days.

 

If you want to get rid of chill haze add PVPP (+/- biofine if you want) to cold beer, wait 2-7 days and then pull a couple pints. Beer will be brilliant.

 

Ward, do finings like PVPP, Isinglass, etc. ‘work’ in carbonated beers?

Cheers!

 

I can say, with certainty, that gelatin works in carbonated beer.

 

Do you think gelatin is the 'best' option for the OPs lager?

Cheers!

 

Yes. They may work better in still beer (Have not looked into this), but I've never had any issues with PVPP, Isinglass or Biofine in my carbonated beers or really seen much of a difference in still versus carbed. Never worked with gelatin just because of having some vegan friends and because PVPP and Biofine have worked so well.

 

I have never used Biofine but maybe that would be a good solution to the OPs problem; it is a ‘twofer’ that works on both yeast and proteins:

“Biofine Clear is a clarifier made from Silicic Acid, SiO2, and is added to the secondary during the transfer from primary to secondary to precipitate yeast and other haze-causing particles. Biofine is a vegan product and is not derived from animals or animal by-products. Use can be as little as 1/4 Tbsp (1/10th fluid oz. or 3 ml) to as much as 2 Tbsp (1 fluid oz. or 30 ml) per 5 gallon batch of beer or wine.”

Cheers!

 

Forgot isinglass is derived from fish bladder, another reason I use PVPP and Biofine.

 

Its especially fun to add a drop of biofine to a bottle or glass and watch it clear in real time (ca 10-15 minutes). I've added a drop to competition bottles if a beer refuses to clear.

 

Don't know. To be honest (an obsession of mine, since I have kids), gelatin is the only fining agent I've ever used (not counting kettle finings - Irish moss, for example). It works so well for me that I've never considered the alternatives.