Evan

Recipes 

How clear does it need to be when you vorlauf? in the 3 batches i've done, this seems to where i'm not sure i'm getting it as clear as it need to be or not. my last batch i was going to take a picture of how clear i could get my first/2nd runnings but the battery in the camera was dead.

my manifold is CPVC with slots cut in it with a vertical bandsaw and they face down. its similar to ones i've seen on here before.

my last batch i really slowed down how long it takes to vorlauf, thinking that could be the problem. maybe it helped some. there weren't any large husk from the grain, but did have stuff floating in there.

mostly, if you have a picture of what it should look like, or if it should be free of EVERYTHING it'd help a lot.

if it helps, my first few batches have been basic recipes, no wheat or anything, mostly 2-row and vienna, munich, speical B and crystal

devaspawn

Recipes 

I would try using a fine mesh bag and running your mash liquid through it as it goes into your brewpot. I just tried this without a vorlauf for the first time and it worked great. No grains or chunks made it into my wort.

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WBC

Recipes 

Recirculate until the wort will look less cloudy and there will be little to no bits of grain husks seen in the runoff.

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menschmaschine

Recipes 

+1. To put it into perspective, I forgot to vorlauf once with no noticable ill effects.

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beerthirty

Recipes 

As you vorlauf collect a sample in a glass, let it sit for a few minutes. If there is sediment in the bottom or it is cloudier toward the bottom of the glass then continue the vorlauf. repeat the sample taking until there is no sediment or stratified cloudiness. Pour all samples back to the tun.

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cheezydemon

Recipes 

The clearer the better, but you need to draw the line somewhere.

Are you brewing in Louisville now?

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AnOldUR

Recipes 

The importance of vorlauf has me confused. How can it be OK to boil the thick wort during decoction, but not during the regular boil.

I brewed last night after work. It was getting late (and I was drinking) and I did the same thing. Forgot to vorlauf the first runnings. So, hope you're right about no noticable ill effects.

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Evan

Recipes 

yes i am. just got a house and went all grain the next week.

DeathBrewer

Recipes 

it's not a huge deal, but it does make for a cleaner beer. sometimes i vorlauf and filter my runnings. NOTHING gets in my brew pot with that method. sometimes i don't use the filter at all. depends on the style of beer and what i'm going for weighed against how big a PITA it's going to be/how much time i have.

sometimes i don't vorlauf with my cooler. i have to vorlauf with my keg mash tun, tho...grains very easily get through that false bottom.

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menschmaschine

Recipes 

Here's the best answer I can give:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/question-about-decoction-mashing-67058/

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