Expert: Dave Nyce - 1/13/2003

Question
Just finished brewing my first batch of beer.  I bottled the beer one week ago even though it was still cloudy in the fermenter (brother-in-law said that it should settle out).  The beer in the neck of the bottles is crystal clear but that in the body of the bottle is cloudy.  I chilled a bottle last night and tried it.  After chilling all the beer was cloudy.  Had good flavor but a little tang.  Does this sound like a bacterial infection or a water quality problem.  I have been reading through "The New Complete Joy of Home Brewing" and it says that it may be a reaction between "proteins and tannins" or too much sodium in the water.  I know that my water is extremely hard, but I ran the water through a filter (one of the filters that attach directly to the faucet).  Should I try using bottled water for the next batch or just try doing a better job of sterelizing my equipment?  

Answer
I wait until the fermenter is clear before bottling. Sometimes I rack it once into another fermenter and wait another week for it to clear. If it was not clear when you bottled it, it will become cloudy when chilled. Hard water makes it difficult to get a clear product. This problem may go away after 3 or 4 weeks if the sediment stays on the bottom of the bottle. The cloudiness usually does not affect the taste. But if you bottled it with a lot of sediment still suspended, stirring up the sediment when pouring will give the beer a yeasty flavor. I would suggest using water with less minerals.

The word "tangy" usually means some acid (like vinegar). If that is the case, then some spoilage may have occurred. This means you need to more carefully clean your equipment and keep it sterile during the process.

Hope this helps!

Dave