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Wort color?

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ejsmith1204

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I've tried to brew two light colored brews twice now.  I've done a 60 boil time and when the wort is down to 70 degrees with an immersion chiller.  I take my OG reading and the color of the wort is perfect for what I am shooting for.  I go to pitch my yeast starter in the morning and the wort has gotten darker over night.  What's up with that?  The recipe was an extract with grains.
 
As the yeast propagate, there is an increase in turbidity which makes the wort appear darker.  During the as the yeast do what they do, the wort also gets a bit darker.  The final color will only be known when it is packages and has been chilled to storage temp for a couple weeks.
 
Why are you waiting overnight to pitch the yeast? Typically the fermentation process will lighten the beer depending on the yeast used. Make your yeast starter a couple of days before brew day so you can use it as soon as your wort is at pitching temperature.

George Fix explains a lot ...
http://beerrecipes.org/beercolor.php


 
ejsmith1204 said:
I go to pitch my yeast starter in the morning and the wort has gotten darker over night.  What's up with that?  The recipe was an extract with grains.
Click to expand...

It's possible that proteins and trub continue to fall out overnight, some of which may be lighter than the beer, and leaving wort darker-looking.  I agree with pitching ASAP when wort is cooled.  The quicker the yeast take hold of those sugars, the better. 
 
Thanks for the info...I usual make my starter a day early; however, this time I decided to brew at the last minute.
 
+1 to what Maltlicker said. My fermenting beer is typically darker than my finished product. Although the type of yeast that you use can also have some effect on color. I have read a few studies where they used the same wort  but different yeasts strains. Their were indeed color differences between the various strains.
 
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