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Brut IPA: To Clarify or not to clarify?

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  • Brut IPA: To Clarify or not to clarify?

    I am just finishing up my first attempt at a Brut IPA. I just did the second dry hop today, and the gravity has fermented down to an insane 0.098. I'm very, very happy with the beer thus far.

    But I have to wonder... is the haze necessary? I know a lot of people keep this beer pretty hazy, as is in vogue right now... but I just am not in love with haze. I'm still rocking the "clear beer is the mark of a good brewer" mindset. I know it won't be fully yeasty (with only a few exceptions I find NEIPAs to taste like licking wet spackling paste), but I'd prefer a clear beer to a hazy one... just a little worried about both not being as in style as I could be (not that those parameters are set yet), and stripping too much hop magic (though I always clarify my standard American IPA, and don't feel like it loses too much character).

    I never filter or centrifuge my beer, replying on temp, time, and gelatin to do the work. Opinions?

  • #2
    Clear is better!

    I'm just dry hopping my third take on the Brut, and wouldn't want to serve it if it was cloudy. Yuck. I'm using Clarex in my dry-hopped beers, which greatly reduces haze from the added polyphenols. All of my beers are fined with Biofine. As you find with your IPA, you can have lots of aromatics without looking like sludge. (Mine, too.)

    For what it's worth, both New Belgium and Sierra Nevada have clear, sparkling Bruts. Why hide the profuse, fine bead with a turbid beer?

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    • #3
      I have one in the tank. I also used Clarex. I would like it to clear but if it stays a little hazy I'm okay with that too. Either way its going to be a great beer.

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      • #4
        We just tapped our 4th batch of Brut IPA at my place in the last week. Its always been clarified.

        Personally I don't think the style works as well being hazy, as the haze seems to give the beer some body and fullness, and I want the Brut I serve to be DRY
        Manuel

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        • #5
          It's unanimous!

          Thanks for the input everybody. As of right now at least, it is unanimous. And now matters, because I'm about to clarify! Feeling good about the decision.

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          • #6
            Just my opinion, but a good Brut, like a fine dry Champagne, should be so bright it sparkles.
            Timm Turrentine

            Brewerywright,
            Terminal Gravity Brewing,
            Enterprise. Oregon.

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