[BrewBama]

Are you getting a good hot break in the boil?

You know, this is a really good question. I know the latest science says use more of a rolling simmer than volcano boil …but I bring to boil quickly for a big hot break, then reduce power to smaller boil/simmer. What do you do Ken?

[ynotbrusum]

That could be a very good point - I give my boil a burst at 100% power to induce a good hot break, back it off to a slow rolling boil for the main boil period, then make my final hop, Brewtan B and then whirlfloc  additions with 10-15 minutes to go, then I give it another full blast for the last three to five minutes after putting in the immersion chiller.  I have had good luck and clear beer since undertaking this process over the last few years. 

Why?  I have no idea, since the "thermal stress" probably happens in either the initial or late full-powered boil and that was the reason for a slow roll in the first place.

[Village Taphouse]

Okay, let's cover that.  When we say HOT BREAK, are we talking about "foam" that is created when things are coming to a boil?  It takes 10-15 minutes for my wort to go from mash/sparge temp to a boil.  I skim the foam from the top of the liquid as best as possible and I know some brewers say this is important while others say it doesn't matter.  I do it because I'm standing there watching it accumulate and my early education on it told me it was protein that could contribute to haze.  I do not use a "wimpy" boil but it's not as vigorous as it once was.  In the middle is accurate.  I use whirfloc with 7-8 minutes left in the boil.  I chill with an IC which can take anywhere from about 8 minutes in the winter to about 15 minutes in the summer.  As the wort is approaching the 70-80° mark, it takes on a new look where things are sort of clumping together if that makes sense.  Earlier in the boil it's just a solid green mess of a color but as it cools you can see liquid and solids separating.  Then I allow things to sit in an ice bath for another 20-30 minutes.  The wort going into the fermenter is almost always crystal clear.  Btw, I noticed this again last night while drinking my blonde redhead (I know that sounds dirty so let's move on... )... the small sample in a cup was crystal clear while my cold sample that I was drinking had some haze.  If any of the above screams CHILL HAZE to anyone, please advise.  I'd love to solve this.  Cheers and thanks.

[ynotbrusum]

Here is something I found on the subject:

https://www.love2brew.com/articles.asp?id=526

I think some of the text is dated by current homebrewing standards (such as the shorter 30 minute boil many of us typically use, rather than older method of extended boil times)...but I leave that to others to critique.

[Village Taphouse]

Here is something I found on the subject:

https://www.love2brew.com/articles.asp?id=526

I think some of the text is dated by current homebrewing standards (such as the shorter 30 minute boil many of us typically use, rather than older method of extended boil times)...but I leave that to others to critique.

Thanks for that.  So I do get a good amount of hot break (foam) and I do try to remove some of it but that doesn't sound like the way to avoid chill haze.  The 30m vs. 60m boil time could be an issue and I also started boiling less vigorously which was something the low-O2 guys were suggesting.  I wonder if ramping up the boil a bit more would help.  The article says "a good, rolling boil for at least 60 minutes" so a strong 30m boil may not be good enough.  Otherwise everything else the article mentions seems to be consistent with what I do.  My ice bath occurs only AFTER the chill with an immersion chiller and it's just to cool things down further and let things settle.  When I went from 60m to 30m boils, I was really liking it.  The 60m boil seemed LONG.  Now the 30m boil seems long because I'm used to it so going back to a 60m boil seems like it could be an issue from a "Ken has no patience" perspective.  But, that said... I would try a 60m for the sake of science and if that beer poured crystal clear then I might have my answer.  For those who went from a 60 to a 30, did anyone notice an uptick in chill haze?  I honestly don't remember. 

[HopDen]

FWIW, I have been using Biofine for about 3 years and am extremely happy with the results. It makes beers crystal clear. TBH though there are times that certain recipes need a little longer time to cold condition. Must be my particular recipe/process IMO. A little pricey but I want clear beer.

[Village Taphouse]

FWIW, I have been using Biofine for about 3 years and am extremely happy with the results. It makes beers crystal clear. TBH though there are times that certain recipes need a little longer time to cold condition. Must be my particular recipe/process IMO. A little pricey but I want clear beer.

I did try it.  $20 per bottle from MoreBeer.  I probably mentioned it earlier but it's possible that it didn't work because of some other variable in my process.  I did say I might try it again so maybe I'll order another bottle and see how it goes.  I used the whole first bottle but that was prior to some other changes I made.  Thanks for the reminder.

[HopDen]

FWIW, I have been using Biofine for about 3 years and am extremely happy with the results. It makes beers crystal clear. TBH though there are times that certain recipes need a little longer time to cold condition. Must be my particular recipe/process IMO. A little pricey but I want clear beer.

I did try it.  $20 per bottle from MoreBeer.  I probably mentioned it earlier but it's possible that it didn't work because of some other variable in my process.  I did say I might try it again so maybe I'll order another bottle and see how it goes.  I used the whole first bottle but that was prior to some other changes I made.  Thanks for the reminder.

https://shop.greatfermentations.com/product/kerry-biofine-liquid-beer-fining-1-kg-bulk/beer-brewing-fining-water-chem?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI64j7-7-9-gIVeMmUCR1O5gf-EAQYAyABEgKKqfD_BwE

This is where I purchase it. I think its cheaper than MoreBeer for the volume but its been a while since I compared. Cheers!

[Village Taphouse]

FWIW, I have been using Biofine for about 3 years and am extremely happy with the results. It makes beers crystal clear. TBH though there are times that certain recipes need a little longer time to cold condition. Must be my particular recipe/process IMO. A little pricey but I want clear beer.

I did try it.  $20 per bottle from MoreBeer.  I probably mentioned it earlier but it's possible that it didn't work because of some other variable in my process.  I did say I might try it again so maybe I'll order another bottle and see how it goes.  I used the whole first bottle but that was prior to some other changes I made.  Thanks for the reminder.

https://shop.greatfermentations.com/product/kerry-biofine-liquid-beer-fining-1-kg-bulk/beer-brewing-fining-water-chem?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI64j7-7-9-gIVeMmUCR1O5gf-EAQYAyABEgKKqfD_BwE

This is where I purchase it. I think its cheaper than MoreBeer for the volume but its been a while since I compared. Cheers!

Oh, shizzle.  I was thinking ClearZyme by Cellar Science.  I did use some Biofine but IIRC, the instructions ask for two doses... one where you add it and swirl/shake the keg and then another treatment where you just let it settle.  Either way my results were not great.   

[HopDen]

FWIW, I have been using Biofine for about 3 years and am extremely happy with the results. It makes beers crystal clear. TBH though there are times that certain recipes need a little longer time to cold condition. Must be my particular recipe/process IMO. A little pricey but I want clear beer.

I did try it.  $20 per bottle from MoreBeer.  I probably mentioned it earlier but it's possible that it didn't work because of some other variable in my process.  I did say I might try it again so maybe I'll order another bottle and see how it goes.  I used the whole first bottle but that was prior to some other changes I made.  Thanks for the reminder.

https://shop.greatfermentations.com/product/kerry-biofine-liquid-beer-fining-1-kg-bulk/beer-brewing-fining-water-chem?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI64j7-7-9-gIVeMmUCR1O5gf-EAQYAyABEgKKqfD_BwE

This is where I purchase it. I think its cheaper than MoreBeer for the volume but its been a while since I compared. Cheers!

Oh, shizzle.  I was thinking ClearZyme by Cellar Science.  I did use some Biofine but IIRC, the instructions ask for two doses... one where you add it and swirl/shake the keg and then another treatment where you just let it settle.  Either way my results were not great.

Hmmm, never read any instructions like that. One dose at about 30ml/5gal. I am pretty sure the dosing works out to roughly 150ppm but I may be wrong w/o looking at my notes. Again, recipe specific.

[RC]

Is your homebrew tasty? That's all that matters. Clarity is mostly cosmetic.

Haze comes with the territory of brewing, both at the homebrew and commercial level. Do what you think you gotta do to get clear beer, but don't forget about brewing good beer to begin with.

I would rather have tasty hazy beer than a crystal-clear crappy beer.

[neuse]

Most of what I've read says that chill haze is cosmetic and doesn't affect the taste. I have read somewhere that it can affect taste (can't remember where). I've found that when my beer has chill haze, it starts to taste better after it warms and becomes clear. Of course, that could be just because it tastes better when a little warmer. But I've compared the change in taste in non chill haze beers, and it really seems to me that the haze actually affects the taste. I'm wondering what others think.

Edit: Maybe what I'm picking up is actually mouthfeel.

[Village Taphouse]

Most of what I've read says that chill haze is cosmetic and doesn't affect the taste. I have read somewhere that it can affect taste (can't remember where). I've found that when my beer has chill haze, it starts to taste better after it warms and becomes clear. Of course, that could be just because it tastes better when a little warmer. But I've compared the change in taste in non chill haze beers, and it really seems to me that the haze actually affects the taste. I'm wondering what others think.

I think that if the haze was actually caused by yeast, yes the flavor could be affected.  My beers are tasty and if I was having a flavor issue I would certainly be more concerned about it.  I do consider this to be a very minor issue but I have always been a "clear beer" person so it does grind on me a bit.  I should also mention that I do serve my beer pretty cold.  I could take the temp of a just-tapped glass of beer but let's just say it's cold.  I just went and checked the info on the Clearzyme and it does not specifically mention "chill haze".  It just says "haze"...

Easily make clear beer by adding Clearzyme to your fermenter at the same time you pitch your yeast. This enzymatic solution targets and breaks down haze-inducing proteins so they cannot later bind with tannins to create beer haze. Clearzyme by CellarScience specifically targets haze-active proteins, so it has no negative effect on flavor, aroma, or head retention. One of the huge benefits of Clearzyme is that it removes the need to cold crash, saving time and energy.

Clearzyme is a protease, or proteolytic, enzyme that partially or totally hydrolyzes peptide bonds in protein. The resulting protein fractions are then too small to bond with the polyphenols in hops. It also breaks down the gluten protein that causes allergic reactions. Beers made with barley and wheat that have had Clearzyme added typically show gluten levels below 20ppm. Store at temperatures under 70°F. Immediately recap bottle after each use.

I may buy another bottle and try it again.  You add a very small amount to the fermenter when you pitch. 

[kramerog]

Hot break is the cause of the egg drop soup appearance in wort. https://beerandgardeningjournal.com/proper-boil-ph/ discusses how to maximize your cold break with the addition of calcium in the boil. I have never tried this because I am somewhat ambivalent about haze (appearance is only 3 points out of 50 in beer competitions). 

[Village Taphouse]

Hot break is the cause of the egg drop soup appearance in wort. https://beerandgardeningjournal.com/proper-boil-ph/ discusses how to maximize your cold break with the addition of calcium in the boil. I have never tried this because I am somewhat ambivalent about haze (appearance is only 3 points out of 50 in beer competitions).

Thanks.  I'm going to read that.  I seem to remember proper levels of calcium being important to yeast health but I'm not sure I have ever heard of it helping with haze, break formation, etc.  I only have 34ppm of Ca in my source water so I always add some CaCl and/or CaSO4 to get to about 50-60ppm.