Squeezing the Grain Bag

So, today I brewed a Crimson Ale. I steeped the grain, and then without thinking as I took out the bag of grain, I squeezed out all of the water(along with the sediment). Am I going to have a cloudy beer? It's in the fermenter now and I am guessing that it will settle out. Should I just be careful not to siphon off the bottom when I transfer to my bottling bucket?

Thanks,
John

I don't think you'll have to worry about cloudiness. Any sediment should settle in the fermenter. They say that squeezing the bag will result in unwanted tannins, though. But then BIAB brewers always squeeze their sacks (insert childish snicker here) and they don't have a problem. So my guess is you'll be fine. Go ahead and squeeze your sack too.

It will not be a big deal. Some people recommend not squeezing the bag because of possible tannin extraction from the grains, but I have not found this to be a problem. In my early brews I also squeezed the grains bag to extract all the malty goodness, and I did not have tannin problems with those brews. Now, instead of squeezing, I remove the grains bag, place it in a large colander on top of the brew kettle, and slowly pour about 1 gallon of 170 degree water through the grains bag to rinse the grains of any remaining residual sugar/flavor. I then let the grains bag sit on top of the brew kettle and "drip dry" for about 5 minutes. This amounts to the extract equivalent of "sparging" the grains.

Do not worry, your beer will be fine. As long as you give the yeast plenty of time to ferment and settle (I recommend 3 week fermentations), then your beer should not be too cloudy.

Hope this helps.

I put my hops into a nylon bag, and by the end of thing it absorbs quite a lot of liquid and I often have to squeeze the bag myself.

I assume that this is ok?

I've done it many times and so far I have not seen anything negative come of it

You aren't going to do any harm squeezing the bag but its not necessary. You're getting very little fermentables from the steeping grains so your not missing much if you leave that bit of "juice" in there.

Squeeze that hop bag too if you want. But if you're worried about utilization, skip the bag. Unless you're using a plate chiller, there is really no need.

Not a problem. I not only squeeze my grain bag I use two coffee cups one in each had to press every last drop out of the grain.

Bag squeezer here. I steep my grains in only 1.5-2 qts per gallon of water in a second pot while my main brew kettle comes up to temperature. Once I'm done steeping, I'll dip the bag in the brew kettle a couple of times (tea bagging if you will) and then squeeze away before topping the kettle off with the concentrated liquid from the steeping pot.

skullface1818 said:

I put my hops into a nylon bag, and by the end of thing it absorbs quite a lot of liquid and I often have to squeeze the bag myself.

I assume that this is ok?

I've done it many times and so far I have not seen anything negative come of it

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Post boil, that adds too big of a risk for infection for my liking... After the boil, I try not to touch the wort with anything that is unnecessary.

HollisBT said:

Post boil, that adds too big of a risk for infection for my liking... After the boil, I try not to touch the wort with anything that is unnecessary.

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I believe they are squeezing their sacks while it is still plenty hot so no worry about contamination.

grem135 said:

I believe they are squeezing their sacks while it is still plenty hot so no worry about contamination.

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They must have thicker skin than I do, I have no urge to handle something that is 200° or hotter...

HollisBT said:

They must have thicker skin than I do, I have no urge to handle something that is 200° or hotter...

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Use silicon tongs! I keep some around and dunk them in starsan. They come in handy

rifraf said:

Use silicon tongs! I keep some around and dunk them in starsan. They come in handy

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I don't have to worry about that, no bagged hops in my boils

HollisBT said:

Post boil, that adds too big of a risk for infection for my liking... After the boil, I try not to touch the wort with anything that is unnecessary.

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Generally, since steeping is done BEFORE the boil, you wouldn't be squeezing post boil. You'd do it when you remove the grains, which would still be pre-boil. Then, any potential contaminates are boiled and sanitized!

As for the temperature of the grains, they're still around 160F, so I use a pair of silicon cooking mitts to do the squeeze.

I've never had a problem with bitterness or tannin extraction. But I'm hardly squeezing like a wine press . . . my hands don't generate THAT much pressure!

C-Rider said:

Not a problem. I not only squeeze my grain bag I use two coffee cups one in each had to press every last drop out of the grain.

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I like what your doing their good sir! I'm doing that from now on with my hops bag ^_^

Just an update. I bottled last night and it was SUPER clean. So, I guess the worries about the cloudy beer were unfounded on my part. OG was good, so after bottle conditioning we will taste and see how I did!!!

I am not sure why squeezing will contribute to tannin extraction. Appears to be some old wife's (old brewers'?) tale. Tannins are soluble in high pH and high temperature. Not sure how squeezing contributes to either of that.

*scratch head

As attested by squeezers here, tannin extraction is a non issue.

hairy said:

I am not sure why squeezing will contribute to tannin extraction. Appears to be some old wife's (old brewers'?) tale. Tannins are soluble in high pH and high temperature. Not sure how squeezing contributes to either of that.

*scratch head

As attested by squeezers here, tannin extraction is a non issue.

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At least it seems to not be an issue in application. I suppose that there is some theoretical reason that supports the no-squeeze mantra, but, like you said, reality seems to contradict the theory.

I squeeze my BIAB out. In fact, I squeeze, pour wort into the grain and squeeze again. It's standard practice in BIAB to squeeze.

zacster said:

I squeeze my BIAB out. In fact, I squeeze, pour wort into the grain and squeeze again. It's standard practice in BIAB to squeeze.

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Good to know. I plan to try a small BIAB soon, since I got a 2 gallon fermenter for Christmas. I am sure I will be squeezing that grain bag.

I squeeze the bejeezus out of my grains, then a little mini sparge to get all the goodness. I have noticed a better efficiency since doing this and my beers are always great. I plan on continuing this.

Beer-lord said:

I squeeze the bejeezus out of my grains, then a little mini sparge to get all the goodness. I have noticed a better efficiency since doing this and my beers are always great. I plan on continuing this.

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Hmmm, this gives me an idea. Keep about a half gallon to a gallon of water out of the BIAB kettle and use that as a final sparge, rather than my method of using wort to rinse and squeeze. I'd use the same quantity of water as the recipe calls for. Maybe keep the water at 168 to mash out. I'll try this next time.

And squeeze like crazy.