I made the below beer today (batch #10!) and encountered massive trub for the first time. There are multiple possible culprits, and they may be collaborating: I used a bit more whirlfloc than I usually would, a little over a half tablet for 2.75gal batch, I kept a more roiling boil going than usual, my cold break was particularly fast, and I used marris otter for the first time.
My hopes are that it will compact, but I see mixed feeling about this as some say that the whirlfloc trub is fluffy and easily disturbed even when settled, while other say it's not an issue. I wonder if the fluffy side doesn't do long primaries? At any rate, I'm interested on opinions why this is so trubby and whether this will compact firmly in 3 weeks.
6lb Marris Otter
8oz Caramel 40L
8oz Victory
7oz Carapils
7 hop additions, but basically 0.5oz Magnum and 3oz East Kent Goldings
BIAB style mash, which was a bit of a cluster****, as the calculator said to mash in at 166 for a target of 154, when this actually gave me 158-159. I was able to bring it down over 15 minutes. Mashed for 75 minutes, staying 153-154 for the last 60 minutes. I squeezed the bag a lot. Took a SG from a cooled sample, kettle efficiency at 57%, calculated brewhouse at 64%. Added 1lb DME at 15 minutes to make up for it. OG 1.072.
I'm thinking my high mash-in may have denatured too much beta amylase, and my mash PH may have been a touch high at around 5.5. Any thoughts on improving efficiency? I did adjust my mash water with 2g CaCl2 and 1g Gypsum, so I know the water nutrients aren't the problem.
5 min after pitching and 5 hours after pitching (72 and 68 degrees, heading for 64 degrees in a timely manner):
My hopes are that it will compact, but I see mixed feeling about this as some say that the whirlfloc trub is fluffy and easily disturbed even when settled, while other say it's not an issue. I wonder if the fluffy side doesn't do long primaries? At any rate, I'm interested on opinions why this is so trubby and whether this will compact firmly in 3 weeks.
6lb Marris Otter
8oz Caramel 40L
8oz Victory
7oz Carapils
7 hop additions, but basically 0.5oz Magnum and 3oz East Kent Goldings
BIAB style mash, which was a bit of a cluster****, as the calculator said to mash in at 166 for a target of 154, when this actually gave me 158-159. I was able to bring it down over 15 minutes. Mashed for 75 minutes, staying 153-154 for the last 60 minutes. I squeezed the bag a lot. Took a SG from a cooled sample, kettle efficiency at 57%, calculated brewhouse at 64%. Added 1lb DME at 15 minutes to make up for it. OG 1.072.
I'm thinking my high mash-in may have denatured too much beta amylase, and my mash PH may have been a touch high at around 5.5. Any thoughts on improving efficiency? I did adjust my mash water with 2g CaCl2 and 1g Gypsum, so I know the water nutrients aren't the problem.
5 min after pitching and 5 hours after pitching (72 and 68 degrees, heading for 64 degrees in a timely manner):