So I made a black IPA nearly 2 weeks ago (NB extract), Boil went off without an issue…except I forgot to add my corn sugar at flame out…ended up throwing it in at chill down around 80 degrees. threw off my og (too low for target 1.053) but I’m sure most of it, if not all of it dissolved in the lag. Should have heated it back up, I know, but oh well, live and learn, worst case, I’ll have more of a Session beer. which I am ok with. I used a 36 hour yeast starter on it with liquid yeast. Wyeast American ale I, high floc.
In any case It has been in the Primary for 11 days today, but it is still dark brown. I expected it would clear up better by now. the fermentation is done, has a fairly thin layer of foam on top still though, maybe half an inch thick. I cant see all the way through as the fermentation was violent and made a mess all over the inside of the carboy. had to use a blow off tube. This is a new one for me, usually it clears up pretty well in primary then finishes in the secondary. I did forget to use Irish moss in this boil but by 12 days it should still be black not dark brown. I have it in my cellar (yes it is a real cellar, 55 ambient, carboy is holding at about 58 on the fermometer strip. It fermented at about 68 in the high stage and dropped to about 63 or so as it became more stable. I was thinking of either cold crashing it (which I would normally do the last 4 days of secondary, not primary) or going ahead and racking it over to the secondary and use some Isinglass to help get the remaining yeast to fall out of suspension. I will of course wait a full 14 days before I do anything but I thought it was odd it still has so far to go in clearing. any Suggestions from the host of beer sages here? 
This is my first Black beer. I’m used to making Ambers and lighter thus far. I’m doing mostly allgrain these days or partial mash, had this kit sitting around and decided to go ahead and cook it up.
What you are decsribing (brown not black) is pretty common, especially for a young beer (11 days) like that there are still plenty of yeast in suspension and that is making it look brown. I would even leave that beer alone for 3 weeks then if you want to do secondary go ahead. Give it time and cold temps and the yeast will fall.
WY1056 isn’t high floc, it takes quite awhile to drop actually. This is why it gives good attenuation. My own IBA took some time to clear as well, I think maybe the body of these beers makes things settle more slowly, plus the color makes it tough to judge. I started drinking mine when it was a little cloudy and it tasted more of stout, as it cleared it became most like an IPA. So I’d recommend you let it sit until it clears. Cold crashing will help, your cellar is a good place for it though. You could probably speed things up by racking and crashing with gelatin, but it’ll happen in a couple of weeks anyway.
I didnt use 1056, I used that stuff one time. Never again. takes forever to clear and if you dont cold crash you end up with yeast-burgs floating in your secondary. that was after using Irish Moss and Isinglass. too fluffy, picks back up into suspension way too easy. I Used 1272 ( american ale II ), which is High Floc. thats what concerns me a little. But I think you are right, Let it sit a while longer. if it still doesnt clear up I’ll try cold crashing for a couple days. if that doesnt do it I’ll go ahead and rack to the secondary with Isinglass let it sit a week, dry hop it and cold crash it the last 4 days. thanks Guys.
Just make sure it’s done fermenting before racking.
I recently did a blonde ale with 1272 that was very clear after three weeks in the primary.
Yea, I’m going to let it set. Took a sample. I’m at about 1.022 so its close, like to get it down into the teens. still getting some bubbling in the air lock. not often but its there, nice fat bubbles about 22 seconds apart. I took it out of the cellar and brought it upstairs into the water bath tank. maintains about 70 degree water. maintaining about 65 at the moment on the carboy. tastes ok for its very young age. C02 from the airlock has a fermented grape juice kind of smell though. thought that was a little peculiar. but this is my first dark beer and with the amount of malt and hops in this thing…well. I’m just going to let it sit a week or so longer and see how it turns out. hopefully a decent beer. if not…and it tastes like Satan’s anus…which I don’t think it will, I will have learned something new. My surly bitter is sitting right next to it joyfully bubbling away, and I’m about to crack one of my Rye IPA’s and have some tamale’s. Life is good. Drink good beer.
just ready my original post again. sorry, I meant to say American ale II not I. my mistake.
just an update on this one. put this into the bottles 2 days ago. tastes great out of the secondary. I let it sit for 3 weeks in the primary, racked to secondary with isinglass, dry hopped and day 7. cold crashed day 10 through 14. cleared up nicely. there is a thin layer on the bottom of the bottles, but I expected that much. thansk for the advise guys. we will see how it tastes in about 4 weeks.
