Brew UK Forum | Beer Kits
Woodforde's Wherry not clearing (first brew)
Hi Everyone,
I had a microbrewery kit with Woodforde's Wherry sent over here to France, as living here, the only thing I miss is a pint of real ale and I thought this might be the answer! I have done everything according to the instructions and read lots of tips from the forum, but 8 weeks after being put into the barrel it is showing no signs of clearing although it tastes fine.
After fermentation had stopped in the fermentation bin (around 2 weeks) I put it into the pressure barrel added the amount of sugar specified and kept it at the same temp (22) for a few days and then put the barrel into a wine fridge at a constant 10/12 degs. Should it take this long or am I missing something?.... I tried filtering a small glass full through a coffee filter just to see if it made any difference, but it didn't.
Help, I am desperate for a nice smooth clear pint!
thanks
Brian
Responses
Posted 1 year ago by Moderator
That does sound strange but then I have had different results from the same beers. Now beer has a tendancy to clear when it wants to but 8 weeks is a long time! How many pints have you had from it? If its not many then it may need a few more pulled off to clear. If not then you could add some finings to clear the beer, though I am unsure what kind you would need as the beer is now 2 months old. Hopefully someone else can give you a better answer. In the mean time I will have a llok at some info to try to be more helpful!
Conditionin' - LEB Pale
Conditionin' - Thwaits Nutty Black
Plannin' - A user upper!
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Does seem a bit strange when you have it in a fridge. Is it not getting any clearer as the weeks progress?
It is fine to drink a little cloudy by the way but its always more pleasing when its crystal clear.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi, , thanks both, I have only taken a couple of pints out just for testing and tasting puposes as I expected it to clear as so many other people seem to have had good results.
It doesn't seem to be getting any clearer as time progresses hence the post, in case I have got something wrong but I cant think what.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Chill haze, peut etre? (see what I did there?)
It's harmless and won't affect taste. Actually, come to think on it, you used a kit so probably weren't cooling from a boil at any point. Hmmm.. Then again, chill haze is a crafty little fellow who doesn't live by our rules.
Conditioning (Bottles): Sam Adams Boston Lager Clone
Drinking (Bottles): Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Clone
Drinking (King Keg): McMullen's Country Best Bitter
Posted 1 year ago by Member
So what particles are making it look cloudy if passing it through a fine paper coffee filter makes no difference, can anyone explain please?
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi Brian,
Chill haze is when tannin proteins in the beer become cloudy at a lower temp. It's one of those phenonema whereby you could brew your Wherry exactly the same way next time and not experience the haze.
One way to determine if this is chill haze is to take a sample of your beer from the wine fridge and keep it at room temperature. If it clears at room temp then it is most likely chill haze. Obviously this will mean having to waste a sample of your hard work, so you might not want to do it.
Not sure how to cure it once you have it. In fact, methods of preventing it aren't guaranteed either. You'll find loads of discussions about it out there if you Google it.
Sorry I couldn't be more help. Hope you get to the bottom of it.
-Barry
Conditioning (Bottles): Sam Adams Boston Lager Clone
Drinking (Bottles): Sierra Nevada Pale Ale Clone
Drinking (King Keg): McMullen's Country Best Bitter
Posted 1 year ago by Admin
Chill haze did cross my mind too but I'm pretty sure it doesn't effect kits. The only way to tell if its that is to leave some to warm up in a glass and see if it clears. If it does then it is chill haze and there is nothing you can do about it. Just serve a little warmer.
If not then I would just leave it as it will clear eventually. Wherry can be a bit of a bugger sometimes. If you want it to clear quicker next time you could add some gelatine to the keg or some other finnings to speed things up. Or bottle it as it always clears quicker in bottles.
Fermenting:
Conditioning:Pale with Styrians
Drinking:Cascade Pale Ale, Summer Lightning
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Many thanks guys, I will try pulling off a glass and see what happens at ambient temperature
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Ok, well I did as you suggested and it was a little clearer after a few hours, but then of course a little too warm. I wanted to offer it to our French neighbours and friends to see what they thought of English Real Ale, but as it doesn't look too good, I think I will just have to drink it and try again with maybe a different kit. There is always a silver lining to every cloud(dy beer)....lol.
Seriously, any suggestions to what brew I might try with maybe more success?
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Both the Summer Ale and the Amarillo IPA are excellent extract kits.
Posted 1 year ago by Member
I cannot recommend the Summer Ale kit enough... lovely tasting and when you add corriander to it as well even better. Amarillo is waiting to be made up for my next brew...
Posted 1 year ago by Member
The Amarillo is great and even better if you can keep a few hops back for dry-hopping! The aroma is like a slap in the face!!!
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Thanks everyone for your help, seems like the Summer Ale might be the next one to try......if at first you dont succeed............
Posted 1 year ago by Member
'man in france', i've had exactly the same problem with my first wherry kit brew. i tried a sample after a couple of weeks of bottle conditioning and it tasted and looked liked leffe. the taste has improved a lot over time (another 4 weeks) but it's still cloudy unfortunately
Posted 1 year ago by Member
Hi, I am having the same prob with a wherry kit too, been more than 8 weeks, well feels a lot longer! But around that time. I have a muntons smugglers gold I set off three weeks ago and that's nearly cleared, much quicker. Any chance there is a funny batch of wherry about? This is not the only time I have seen this mentioned recently..?
Reply
You must log in to post.