Vorlauf questions/sediment in boil

I have three all grain brews under my belt after a year of doing partial malt extract brew. The first all grain brew I did was an Irish Red, and it went really smoothly for a "first run". The second and third brews went fine, however it seems like there has been an unusually large amount of "sediment" in my brew kettle during the boiling phase, despite vorlaufing 2+ quarts and having a relatively clear runoff from my mash tun (relative to the first runnings from mash/sparge).

I'm using a 70 qt Coleman Xtreme cooler w/ a 3 foot steel braided hose for filter, and I don't know if it's a bit on the large side for doing the 5 gallon batches I have been brewing and the grain bed is too shallow or what.

I guess I'm wondering if the sediment (fine husks, misc particles, etc) is normal and if that's going to have any effect on the taste or clarity if not. I do two stage fermentations, and typically have good success of filtering sediment by the time I keg.

Also, I am in the process of building a single tier HERMS setup and will be fly sparging, should I expect to have greater success getting clear runoff using this method?

Input is appreciated!

It could be that your sparge is upsetting the grain filter causing more sediment to go into your brew kettle. Fly sparge might help that. Do you go through a screen or filter when pouring into the fermenter? If not, I would, that helps keep the junk out of the fermenter.

I have a funnel with a screen that I got with the brewing kit I started out on that I pour the wort through. It's a pretty fine screen and it clogs easily. The first half of the kettle went through fine, but by the time I was done chilling the wort most of the sediment had settled to the bottom and as I got to the last 2 gallons of liquid, it clogged very quickly (probably every 16 oz or so). I just went ahead and poured the last 2 gallons in the fermentation vessel in hopes it would settle and I could siphon out the beer without it when I rack to secondary.

When I sparge I just dump the sparge water into the mash tun and stir it up, wait 20-25 minutes and start vorlauf. Perhaps I need to wait longer before I drain after sparging and let the grain settle better, I don't know.

Hopefully my new brew stand will remedy these issues, but I figure it'll still be 3-6 months before I even use it. Beer must be brewed until then!

I think the pelletized hops may contribute to sediment as well - they seem to break down into a very fine sludge and probably escape my reusable nylon bag.

sudsandswine said:

When I sparge I just dump the sparge water into the mash tun and stir it up, wait 20-25 minutes and start vorlauf. Perhaps I need to wait longer before I drain after sparging and let the grain settle better, I don't know.

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I sounds like your batch sparge is indeed upsetting the grain bed. A batch sparge will do this. You can try a few things to help with this. A fly sparge will not upset the grain bed as much. If you want to continue to batch sparge, try adding the hot liquor very slowly through a hose. This will help minimize the amount of grain agitation. Also, the 2 quarts is not a hard and fast rule when performing a vorlauf. Trying running until clear and slowly add the runnings back to the mash tun.

Regarding the hop residue and the cold break using Irish moss or whirlfloc will help clarify your wort. Additionally, a good whirlpool will help precipitate out the cold break material. Let your kettle stand for 10- 15 minutes after you finish the whirlpool and most of the cold break will drop out. Then use a siphon to rack into your primary fermenter. You will get more of the cold break dropping out in your trub during fermentation. Lastly racking into a secondary and cold crashing around 35F for 2 or 3 days will drop just about everything out of suspension for an ale. A long lagering will do the same for lagers.

The braid could very possibly be passing some material. I have a false bottom. I brewed my first AG yesterday and was suprised at home much break material I ended up with. Underneath the break was the disolved hop pellet material. I didn't notice any husks or anything that I would have immediately associated with grains. No doubt some very fine particles but no chunks. As I was sparging, however, I "suddenly" ended up with some floaters that were likely husk material. Only think I can figure is that I had part of the grain bed collapse. I just fished them out with a sieve and all was good.

Chuck_Swillery said:

The braid could very possibly be passing some material.

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That's quite possible, I think I might have stretched out the braided coil accidentally with my stir stick a couple brews ago - maybe the stretching created bigger holes in the coil wall and therefore bigger particles get through.

I'm ready for my new rig!

Are you sure the "sediment" is not break material? With AG you will get a lot more hot break than with PM or extract, and if you don't take steps to remove it, it will end up in the fermenter.

-a.

Ya, sounds like break material to me. You and I have the exact same setup, even up to the length of the braid. It's not too small for 5 gallon batches, and you wait way longer than I do with your sparge. I also stir the **** out of it after adding the sparge water. Only difference is I recirculate with a pump for a vorlauf.

Here's a trick I use. Get that funnel with the screen and hand it on the inside of your pot. I use my paddle and lay it across the pot for the other side of the funnel to rest on. After vorlaufing drain your runnings through the funnel with the screen. Even after recirculating for 10 minutes with a pump, the funnel still catches little bits.

But like I said, it sounds like break and hop matter.