Trub in the carboy...

I have always used Ale-Pails for my primarys, as they were cheap and easy to clean. When transfering my wort, I always strained the trub out using a nylon mesh bag in the pail that I pulled out at the end (similar to the ones professional painters use to screen paint).

Last weekend I decided since I had a few empty 6-gallon carboys from the wine I just bottled, I would use then as Beer primaries and "see" what the fermentation looked like. On Saturday, I made a honey-amber and used my nylon mesh bag inside the carboy, tied to the neck. This caught most of the trub, but it made it nearly impossible to pull out as the trub was too big. It made a mess as it squeegied itself on the way out the carboy neck.

Last night I made a Belgian Strong Golden and decided to try using the bag around the end of my Auto-Siphon in the kettle. It pulled too much air and clogged instantly. SO I ripped it off and siphoned normally, pulling a ton of trub into the fermenter.

So, those who use glass primaries.....how do you guys keep the trub out of the fermenter? And if you can't, is there any harm that can be done by it? (IE, is my Belgian Golden going to taste like crap because of it?)

-Todd

Well, all the stuff from the brewpot won't harm your fermentation- it'll all settle out to the bottom. The problem with using a 6 gallon carboy for a 5 gallon batch, though, is that you'll have very little headspace and might have to rig up a blow off tube. Since you have little room, I'd recommend straining the wort like you want to do anyway.

I use a colander over a funnel. Also, after the wort is cool, I use a sanitized spoon to "whirlpool" it, and let that settle for about 15 minutes. Then siphon off the clear wort while the break material is in the middle. Then, I pour through the colander/funnel (sanitized) set up. This catches most of the "stuff" and helps aerate the wort, too.

Perhaps I was just able to cool my wort down quickly but when I poured from the pot into the primary I didn't strain anything and the trub was mostly left behind in the pot as it settled quickly. Any remaining stuff settled out during primary fermentation and secondary conditioning.

I have tried the straining method with a funnel and colander as well but as the original poster stated, my colander would clog up and make a mess.

For my last bacth, I whirlpooled the wort and once it settled, the trub formed a nice cone in the middle and I then just siphoned the wort directly to my ale pale and made sure my racking cane was close to the side of the kettle to make sure I didn't get any of the trub.

Has anyone else siphoned like that or do most pour the wort and strain?

Most people (I think) tend to whirlpool. I do, because I'm a weakling and can't lift 5.5 gallons of wort and pour it. Then, though, I strain that last gallon or two left in the kettle, down to the sludge. Especially if I've used whole hops- I strain because they sure do hold alot of wort in them!

I have never strained anything going into the primary. I tilt the primary when syphoning out of it and catch as little trub as possible. You can't let the end of your hose or syphon just sit on the bottom sucking up trub and hope to filter it.

You may lose 1/4 cup of beer, but it is worth it to leave the trub behind.

If necessary due to lots of hop debris, filter the outgoing end of the syphon hose when going into secondary or bottling.

I have read, and I feel I have proven that, hop debris allowed into the primary actually aids the beer in clearing, by giving protiens something to glob onto and sink.

My beers are very clear.