Any advantage to NOT removing trub prior to fermentation?
Is there any advantage to not straining (removing) trub prior to pouring into the primary fermenter? It seems there is some talk about hot and cold break material having some good properties for the yeast early in the fermentation process. I was also wondering if I am losing some hop flavor by removing them prior to fermentation. I have been using a sanatized 5 gallon mesh strainer that collects all the hops, as well as everything else while pouring wort into my fermenter (removes everything!) and everytime I get any unexpected flavor I try to figure out what I might change next time. Well this is my "next time" question.
If there is an advantage to keeping trub early in the fermentation process and needing to remove it later, I can dump the collected trub because I am using a conical.
Some strain it all out, some dump it all into the fermentor. Either way one can make good beer. I have not come across any definitive rationale as to why one method would yield better results.
I'm in the 'leave it alone' camp. It's part of the brewing process, don't worry about it. It looks worse than it actually is. After fermenting for a week or two the trub will compact and will be a thin layer in the bottom of the fermenter. Trying to deal with it too early will result in a loss of good beer.
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I cannot answer the "why" part but I have not been straining and let my beers set in the primary for 3-5 weeks. Everything settles out pretty well and the beer comes out really clear.
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I cannot answer the "why" part but I have not been straining and let my beers set in the primary for 3-5 weeks. Everything settles out pretty well and the beer comes out really clear.
Do you brew Ales with lots of hops? I have been straning due to the large amount of hop material in my IPA's. I was concerned about the same grassy flavors associated with dry hopping too long, and figured lots of hops for 3-4 weeks in the primary would do the same thing. But on the other hand even though I am using lots of hops I don't end up with a great hop sensation like the store bought IPA's. Maybe I need to try leaving them in during the primary phase at least?
I'll preclude my comment by saying this: whatever Jamil Z. says to do in terms of brewing, I'm gonna do. He says (for ales only) removing trub doesn't matter. Leaving it all in is ok. Personally I don't take all of it, but not anal about keeping it all out either. BTW, I don't think there is a right or wrong answer, just personal preference. If you're making good beer, do whatcha like.
Most of the time I don't strain. When I do brews with a lot of hops (my last one had 6 ounces in the boil) then I will. Have you ever seen what 6 ounces of hops looks like when its in a liquid solution? I will take a up a lot of space!!! It doesn't pack down into a nice solid layer. It stays saturated with liquid, so no matter how long you let it sit, it will still suck up a lot of beer. Get a paint strainer from the hardware store, they make them for 5 gallon buckets.
The yeast can use trub material when they lack oxygen. But they will make funny flavors in doing so. With enough oxygen, they won't use the trub. Any benefit from break material the yeast need they can get from the cold break. The cold break also seems to have no flavor downside; unlike the hot break.
Any advantage to NOT removing trub prior to fermentation?
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