[Stevie]

For me this is a really style-dependent question. A pils better be clear...but a saison or dry hopped IPA - clarity isn't paramount.

I've had an imperial pils that was unfiltered. Way better than the filtered version. Added a yummy bready flavor. 

[klickitat jim]

For judges, if an otherwise 45 beer was in front of you, with only problem being lack of clarity, how many points would you dock?

Also, don't you think haze in a beer that is supposed to be clear, doesn't that tend to make you search for other faults? Potentially making you look too hard to where you almost imagine them?

I would only be concerned about haze in a competition entry.

[HoosierBrew]

For me this is a really style-dependent question. A pils better be clear...but a saison or dry hopped IPA - clarity isn't paramount.

Exactly. 

[a10t2]

For judges, if an otherwise 45 beer was in front of you, with only problem being lack of clarity, how many points would you dock?

If we're talking about the BJCP, I would take off at most three points, per the scoresheet. Personally, if it was hazy but otherwise (color, head retention and lacing) to style, I'd only dock one point. Maybe two if the amount of yeast was truly disgusting.

[gmac]

I've been drinking cloudy APA all day and I'm loving it but I would prefer it was clearer if I was giving it to guests. I'm considering a filter just to make sure I've got clear beer. Over-rated...probably . Expected by most...absolutely.

[tommymorris]

I think clarity is underrated. Clear beer makes me happy. Of course some beers are expected to be cloudy and that is fine.

[erockrph]

I brew for myself, primarily. So when I have an exceptionally bright beer, it's merely a pleasant surprise. That's about it, though. As long as I like how it tastes, I'm pretty happy, regardless of appearance.

[duboman]

Perhaps it is over rated but for me, I strive for brilliant clarity in every beer (except of course those that aren't supposed to be) Brilliant clarity in my beer simply makes me smile It also reinforces to me that my attention to the details is paying off in my process to final product.

[hopfenundmalz]

I have made IPAs that tasted the best to me when they dropped bright, right before the keg blows!

[denny]

For judges, if an otherwise 45 beer was in front of you, with only problem being lack of clarity, how many points would you dock?

If we're talking about the BJCP, I would take off at most three points, per the scoresheet. Personally, if it was hazy but otherwise (color, head retention and lacing) to style, I'd only dock one point. Maybe two if the amount of yeast was truly disgusting.

Same here.  It has to have a really visible haze for me to deduct even one point and it would have to be truly disgusting to deduct more than that.

[dkfick]

I think clarity is under-rated.  I think too many brewers rush beers and that's the main reason a lot of homebrew is not that clear.  I don't typically use any finings or filter my beers but I don't really have much trouble getting pretty darn clear beer.  I feel like at least half the hazy beers I drink I'm sucking down a ton of yeast.  You can taste haze when it's yeast.  Protein haze is less of a concern unless you plan on keeping your beers around awhile.  I brew too often to drink my beers very quick... so I'm often drinking beers I brewed 1,2,3 years ago... So clarity is decently important to me but I don't feel I need to do much work to get clear beer.

[Upstate Dan]

I have made IPAs that tasted the best to me when they dropped bright, right before the keg blows!

I absolutely agree. I don't know if it's just perception or what.

If it's something I've never brewed before I'm too anxious to try and let everything drop. If it's a tried and true recipe I won't turn the gas on for a few weeks. Then the first pint is gunk. The rest are crisp, bright, and delicious.

[fistfullofhops]

I've really enjoyed reading all the feedback. I can see how clarity could become a concern once I've reached a certain level of consistency.

[AmandaK]

For judges, if an otherwise 45 beer was in front of you, with only problem being lack of clarity, how many points would you dock?

If we're talking about the BJCP, I would take off at most three points, per the scoresheet. Personally, if it was hazy but otherwise (color, head retention and lacing) to style, I'd only dock one point. Maybe two if the amount of yeast was truly disgusting.

Same here.  It has to have a really visible haze for me to deduct even one point and it would have to be truly disgusting to deduct more than that.

Yep. Clarity = 1pt. Color = 1pt. Head=1pt.

Unless it's truly horrific in one category (e.g. floating chunks), that is the rule for me.

[brick pig]

I virtually always brew ales, and usually fairly heavy and/or dark ones, so I don't generally worry about clarity. If a recipe specifically calls for Irish Moss, I add it, but most of the time I don't. I've never added gelatin. However, my beers are usually pretty clear anyway, because I practically always rack to a secondary, and very very often the brew will sit in the secondary for weeks and weeks. It's not so much that I'm concerned about clarity. It's just that I seem to never get around to bottling a new batch until I start to notice that my drinkable supply is starting to get low.