Questions from weekend brew.

Had great brewing session on Saturday. I have a robust porter being worked over by some hungry yeasties as we speak.

As usual there are always things to change/improve.

1) Due to the cold I mashed in doors. I didn't think it through and drained into a cooler rather than my kettle. As I was dumping the runnings into my kettle I asked myself if this was going to cause Hot Side Aeration. Any thoughts?
2) I have never been successful with the whirlpool method. This brew I used Irish Moss in hopes of getting a nice cone of trub. I chilled, pulled the chiller, whirlpooled like crazy, covered, and let sit for 20 minutes. When I got to the bottom of the kettle there was an even inch or two of trub on the bottom; no cone. What am I doing wrong?
3) I would really like a clip to hold my auto-siphon to the side of my brew kettle so that I can set it to a depth above the trub and free me up to do other tasks while I siphon into the fermenter. Is there a commercial clip available for an auto-siphon? Any DIY's?

Thanks.

edit - maybe this should have been put in General Techniques? If so, feel free to move it.

1) From what I know about HSA, you're probably fine. It sounds like you really have to work your beer up pretty hard to get significant HSA effects.

2) I don't know. It sounds like you didn't get a good whirlpool going. When did you add the irish moss, and how much did you use?

3) I can't help you there.


TL

TexLaw said:

2) I don't know. It sounds like you didn't get a good whirlpool going. When did you add the irish moss, and how much did you use?
TL

Click to expand...

I stirred the heck out of it. I don't think I could physically stir any faster or get a better whirlpool formed. 1 tsp added with 15 mins left in the boil.

Well, then, I don't know what to tell you. Obviously, something messed up the whirpool current or disrupted a forming or formed cone. It could have been the thing you stirred with as you removed it from the kettle, anything else in the kettle, or a pack of gremlins. Even with no irish moss, you should see some effect.


TL

I've stopped whirlpooling as I tend to get what you described - a bit of a cone of hop pellet debris in the middle and an even layer of trub on the bottom of the kettle. My valve sits about 2 inches off the bottom of the kettle which leaves a gallon of trub/wort in there after draining it. I just make that much extra.

I noticed that this inability to get a good cone began once I got a really good hot break, added whirlfloc and chilled it aggressively down into the 60's and waiting 30-60 minutes before racking to the primary. I suspect that alot of the resulting precipitating material is very fine and settling out slowly and the whirlpool has stopped. The result is crystal clear wort so I don't worry about it.

GT

Try adding a little more Irish moss, I found that if i add a little more, like 1.5tsp in the last 15min of the boil I can get a good cone to form, and hold tight while I drain the kettle.

I don't stir too hard ether. I just do 6 of 7 turns from 12 O'clock to 6 O'clock so the wort gets a good spin and put the lid back on and wait 20min. That has been sufficient for me to get a good cone.

On Friday I did a 10 gallon batch in my keggle. I whirlpooled with no cover and watched what happened. The really fine floaties, which I am assuming are the cold break, stayed in suspension until the whirlpool had completely stopped, then started to settle out. If this is the case, you may get a cone of hops, but not a cone of cold break as it will settle evenly on the bottom.

Personally, I don't worry about how much of that stuff goes into the primary. I whirlpool, wait fifteen minutes, then start the siphon. I do try to siphon the top inch all of the way down to let the lower stuff settle some more. I fill them up to the 6 gallon mark and let em rip. That usually gives me a 5 gallon carboy up to the neck for aging. That inch of stuff on the bottom is yeast food.