Lager Cloudy after kegging! Why?!

[Kazi the Younger]

I brewed a german pils that fermented for 4 weeks, then lagered for 4 weeks @ 32 degrees F. When I pulled a sample of
it before kegging it was clear as crystal. Absolutely the clearest beer I have ever brewed. I was so excited that it came out this good.

When I went to keg it, I just let the autosiphon hit the bottom of the fermenter and it sucked up a little bit of trube. I figured no big deal--I've sucked up trube before in my ales and carbonated and they are still extremely clear. WEll, not so with this one--it's slightly hazed now! Why?! Is it because the little bit of trub got redisolved in solution after carbonating? Doesn't make sense though--I've got trub into my kegs before with my english pale ales and they are still totally clear after carbonating.

Why could this be? I don't understand. I swear the beer was clearer then just about anything you've ever seen right before it went to the keg. Now the haze--Depressing! The keg was thoroughly washed and cleaned--I even took it apart and cleaned all connections right before i kegged. Driving me nuts. Where could this haze have come from? It's not even like the first few pints--EVERY pint is hazed! Blast!

First of all, why could this be? Second of all, do I have any recourse? Dump Silica Gel or anything in there, to flush out whatever is causing the haze?

[straight cash homey]

second off, does it taste like haze. no, just close your eyes and drink it. keep it simple, adding extra crap seems like a formula for wrecking beer that's totally drinkable.

[Kazi the Younger]

The beer is totally drinkable--goes down very easy, no yeasty off flavors or sanitation-related flavor flaws.
It just would fail outright if it was judged a comp because of the haze, and I want to know why it's there so I can prevent it next time

[Lars]

Maybe chill haze? pour a bit let it warm up and see if it gets clear. If it does, you have chill haze, one way to remove it is to filter at serving temp. I don't remember if clarifiers work on chill haze...

[Kazi the Younger]

Nope, it's not chill haze for two reasons:

A. The beer was lagered @ 33 degrees for 4 weeks and was not hazy.
B. I did actually let the beer warm up to room temp and there was no difference in appearance.

Blast! What could it be!?

[Chris_J]

Perhaps you were mean to nuns in a past life?

[Bugeater]

The beer is totally drinkable--goes down very easy, no yeasty off flavors or sanitation-related flavor flaws.
It just would fail outright if it was judged a comp because of the haze, and I want to know why it's there so I can prevent it next time

This isn't exactly true. On the BJCP scoresheets, appearance only counts for a total of 3 points. It is highly unlikely you would be docked the entire 3 points as this section includes color, clarity, and head (retention, color, and texture). You would have to have all of these messed up to lose all 3 points. Even at that, it's only 3 points out of a possible 50.

Wayne

[Kazi the Younger]

Ah yes, you are right about that--perhaps I'm weighting it too much. It's more depressing then anything. I just
don't get why the haze now, where it could it possibly be coming from? Has anyone else noticed a lager becoming hazy after kegging?

I used whirlflock
I got a good hot break and cold break
Rapid chilling with Jamil's Chiller
Only Minimal cold break entered the fermenter
4 weeks @ 48-50
4 weeks @ 33-34
Crystal clear in the glass with sample taken by wine thief
In the Keg--Cloudy!!!!!

Is this something that might clear up in time?