gQuestion about filterin prior to primary fermentation

Just got done with my first brew. I started with a Brewers Best kit to keep things simple. The instructions were not as thorough as I would have liked and I have read that this is a common problem. Obviously as one becomes more experienced the need for the instructions diminishes but as for now I have one main question.

This kit just said to add the hops directly to the boil. I understand there is an option of using a hop sock as well, but I have heard that it can effect hops utilization.

So...after you chill the wort and are about to transfer it to the primary should you try to avoid the hops and various coagulated proteins from entering the fermentation vessel or not? The instructions say "try to prevent..." but they also did not say anything about aeration at this point either. I have read/seen others just pour it into the bucket/carboy, turb and all, and I have also heard that doing so can be bad.

So is this just a preference kind of thing? Hop sock vs No hop sock, filter vs no filter, and overall can this be bad in terms of taste and potential infections?

Thanks for helping out a newbie.

Personally, I prefer to filter. It makes for a clearer beer at bottling time and less sludge to deal with. I just pour mine through a big SS strainer into my bucket. It aerates at the same time.

I don't filter hops, and I don't filter the particulates in the boil. My fermenter is trubby. It will still clear out when it should, only there is a [thicker] layer of sludge to deal with. No biggie IMHO.

This is strainer vs no strainer going into the primary, correct? Filtering has different connotations and a whole different procedure that you do after fermentation to strip yeast and haze producing compounds from the final product, FYI.

As for straining hop gunk and break materials, I get a whirlpool going in the pot and let things settle out while cooling. Then I'll rack into the fermentor and leave the residue behind in the kettle. One reason I do 5.75 G batches.. it let's me leave some in the kettle and the primary without having less than 5G in the keg.

Yes, I was asking about strainer vs no strainer into the primary. I kind of got the impression this was a preference thing and that is fine. One more thing to play around with I suppose. I just wanted to make sure that it wouldn't cause anything bad to happen to the brew.

I suppose from this I can assume that many people choose not to use hop socks. As I learn more about this process I get the feeling that this all might depend on the brew style, desired taste, and preference in order to obtain what you want in your beer. Let the experimenting begin...

While we are on the subject of "filtering"...you had mentioned the process of stripping yeast and haze products after fermentation. Could you briefly elaborate on this process? How is it done? What equipment is needed?

Thanks for the responses all. Big help.

Spannuta said:

Yes, I was asking about strainer vs no strainer into the primary. I kind of got the impression this was a preference thing and that is fine. One more thing to play around with I suppose. I just wanted to make sure that it wouldn't cause anything bad to happen to the brew.

I suppose from this I can assume that many people choose not to use hop socks. As I learn more about this process I get the feeling that this all might depend on the brew style, desired taste, and preference in order to obtain what you want in your beer. Let the experimenting begin...

While we are on the subject of "filtering"...you had mentioned the process of stripping yeast and haze products after fermentation. Could you briefly elaborate on this process? How is it done? What equipment is needed?

Thanks for the responses all. Big help.

Click to expand...

You basically need a keg setup with two kegs, a transfer tube, and a filter. You'd rack beer into one keg like normal. From that point, you hook up the currently full keg to an empty keg. There will be a filter in-line while transfering to the new keg. The filter will pull out everything in the beer depending on the micron size you use.

I get those 5 gallon nylon paint straining bags, place it in my primary and pour my wort through that. Keeps the hops from being in the primary. I guess you can call that filtering.

I do partial boils and after cooling pour that in the primary. As the pouring gets to the end of the wort, I pour through a strainer to keep all the pigger stuff out. I usually end up with about one inch of trub, but not too much and will still have plenty of beer to bottle. The beer come out really clear too.