is it worth it?

I tried my hand at whirlpooling a kettle of czech style pilsener this evening. i got it going with my racking cane. it didnt go so well. it ended up just stirring all the hot/cold break back into suspension and then racking it into my primary. now I have about three inches of sediment in the bottom my primary. I havn't pitched the yeast yet.

Here is my question. Would it be worth racking the beer out of the primary (i only have one 6.5 gallon carboy) and back into it to get it off the sediment. As it is a lager it will be sitting on that stuff for a few weeks. Or, should I just relax and have a homebrew?

Some say it's worth it, others not.

I'm in the "worth it" camp, especially for lagers, but I do this for all my beers. It takes a little more time and effort, but I like fermenting a crystal clear wort with no trub-- it makes me RDWHAHB.

-Steve

Once cool, I just dump the whole damn thing from kettle to fermenter. It can't be too bad seeing as how my beers have come out taste wise. Some come out clear, some not so much, although I think when they've been clear I used Irish Moss. I keep them in primary for 3-4 weeks. Not worth the trouble to me, but to others it may be. I brew a lot of Stouts anyway.

I will respectfully take the opposite view of Steve and go for the not worth it. You will get sediment in your primary no matter how much you strain or whirlpool. What do I care if it's an extra half inch because I didn't whirlpool?

To answer your question, no matter which side you are on, do not move that beer until it has finished fermenting!

ODaniel said:

Once cool, I just dump the whole damn thing from kettle to fermenter. It can't be too bad seeing as how my beers have come out taste wise. Some come out clear, some not so much, although I think when they've been clear I used Irish Moss. I keep them in primary for 3-4 weeks. Not worth the trouble to me, but to others it may be. I brew a lot of Stouts anyway.

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This is a lager he's referring to. Slightly different animal and a bit more sensitive to break material in the fermenter from what I've learned. No firsthand experience myself though, so I'm living vicariously through other's experiences until I have temp control.

I suppose I could brew a batch and ferment it with the entire 1/2 gallon of trub I usually end up with in the wort... you know, shake up my belief system a little... :cross:

-Steve

I usually leave my beers so long in the primary that the trub layer is compacted down really tight. Sometimes it pays to be a procrastinator.

I've done everything from filtering on the way to the fermenter, dumping it all in, whirlpool, and any other trick I have found. For me, dark beers get the whole mess, and lighter brews get strained off the top of the trub. I just compensate in volume requirements to make sure it all comes out groovy.

SavageSteve said:

I suppose I could brew a batch and ferment it with the entire 1/2 gallon of trub I usually end up with in the wort... you know, shake up my belief system a little... :cross:

-Steve

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if only we were all so willing to try out another way... the world would be a better place, I think.

:fro:

Maybe you didn't wait long enough after whirlpooling. You need to get the wort spinning fast, then wait until all motion has stopped and the crud has dropped out, 20-30 minutes.

I've never noticed a difference in terms of racking or not.

Maybe you didn't wait long enough after whirlpooling. You need to get the wort spinning fast, then wait until all motion has stopped and the crud has dropped out, 20-30 minutes.

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thanks. I definitely didn't wait long enough. a little knowledge is dangerous.

I've tried whirpooling since brewing an IPA and worried about clogging the chiller (CFC). I get it spinning and wait a few seconds and then start siphoning off the top and moving down as the beer gets lower. It's worked amazingly well.

I agree about pilsner needing to be moved off the break material too. I've heard JZ talk about it many times. I think it has to do with the DMS or maybe lagering time.