chill haze

A haze caused by proteins binding with polyphenols from hops in cold beer. Chill haze itself does not affect taste nor aroma however the temperature at which a beer is sampled certainly does and chill haze is indicative of too cold a sampling temperature in most cases. As the name suggests, the effect is temperature dependent and at higher temperatures a beer exhibiting chill haze should clarify as proteins and polyphenols lose their bonds.


Chill haze may increase nucleation points so that carbonated beer foams more.


A hazy beer that does not clarify as it warms does not exhibit chill haze. It’s lack of clarity might better be explained by yeast bodies in suspension or other issue.