For the first 4 batches I made I simply cooled down the wort and then dumped it all along with trub into the carboy fermenter. The beer came out just fine, but I want to solicit some feedback on how I can strain/filter out the hot/cold break and hop material so it doesn't end up in the fermenter. I thought I'd try whirlpooling, but after swirling the wort around for a couple of minutes I couldn't see if the trub has settled because I could still see particles floating around. Plus, I don't have a racking cane yet, so siphoning off the side might be tough..
Straining trub: whirlpool or something else?
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hammer one
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I've been strggling with this issue for a while because I like to throw hops in the boil loose. I feel like the end result is better. I've tried whirllpooling it works but it takes a long time. I've tried straining...no good. Today I purchased a false bottom for my brew pot (sanke keg) from Adventures in Homebrewing. I'm going to try that I may have to switch to plugs or whole hops. Its an ongoing quest to ferment wort, not littered with brew pot waste.
So I've been trying to do whirlpooling, but with no real success. After chilling the wort, I stir it with the spoon for about a minute or two getting to high enough velocity and then put the lid on and let it rest for 15 mins or so. Then I rack from the side, but when I get to the final inch or so, I see the trub uniformly settled on the bottom, not in a conical shape, so I have to cut the racking short so as not to get trub in the fermenter. Am I doing this right? Last time I had to leave about 0.5gal of wort behind because of this.
If you are using a wort chiller to cool down to a (Non melting) temp you can just autosiphon everything BUT the trub to your fermenter...
If you are fermenting in a bucket a 5 gallon paint bucket nylon strainer bag is what a lot of us use. It has elastic that fits nicely around the fermenter and you just dump in to the bag and lift it out, squeezing the ops...
If you a fermenting in a carboy putting a large strainer inside the largest funnel works too..
But actually many of us just dump the trub in the fermenter....it doesn't harm the beer. Add it usually compacts nicely down especially if you use a long primary...
If you are fermenting in a bucket a 5 gallon paint bucket nylon strainer bag is what a lot of us use. It has elastic that fits nicely around the fermenter and you just dump in to the bag and lift it out, squeezing the ops...
If you a fermenting in a carboy putting a large strainer inside the largest funnel works too..
But actually many of us just dump the trub in the fermenter....it doesn't harm the beer. Add it usually compacts nicely down especially if you use a long primary...
conpewter
Well-Known Member
I love the stainless steel scrubbie over your dip tube (Or racking cane) and whole hops. I won't even buy pellet hops anymore... and the ones in my backyard don't pellitize themselves so I'm good there too 
Right, that's what I did before too and it came out fine. I wanted to get a clean yeast cake for pitching my next batch in, though, so was trying to keep the trub out. Guess I'll be a bit more aggressive with siphoning the next time and try to get almost all wort out and still leave trub behind.
Cpt_Kirks
Well-Known Member
I use my ale pail to mix prior to racking to primary. Yesterday, I tried using a nylon strainer and it did get quite a bit out. Not all, but quite a bit. Nasty stuff to rinse out of the bag.
