Transferring wort to fermenter

Getting ready to brew my second extract kit and got thinking about what issues I had with the first batch and how I could improve my technique. Both kit instructions for the hop additions say to just dump the hops (pellets) right in. Then they say that when the wort is transferred to the fermenter to leave the trub behind. When I did my first batch, I thought I could just pour it slowly, but alot of trub was coming along for the ride. I had to quickly sanitize a strainer which clogged up really fast and had to be emptied several times. I'm thinking there must be a better technique than this. What is the best method to transfer the wort to the fermenter and leave the crap in the pot...?

i use a hop bag for the boil so i can just pull it out at the end...

as for the trub, I always dump the whole thing into the fermenter.

Don't sweat the trub.

I use a big strainer I bought from the HB store. I only had 1 time were it clogged and I just had to dump it, spray it again with my sanitizer and continue. Some people just leave it all in and dump into the fermenter. There is also the whirlpool method.

get hop and grain bags and your troubles are over.

If you dump the trub into the fermenter, then that trub can impart off flavors.
On the other hand, the trub also acts as a yeast nutrient, which will increase the yeast cell count and make the yeasts happier so they produce less off flavors. In other words, it probably doesn't make any noticeable difference.
If you really want to reduce the trub in the fermenter, you can whirlpool after cooling, and siphon into the fermenter instead of pouring. This will leave more trub in the kettle.

-a.

+1 siphon from the top leave the stuff in the bottom behind.
+2 throw it all in the primary leave it behind when you siphon that.

Hey, thanks everybody. I was just about to post the very same question, since I just had a little strainer clog earlier this evening. A hops bag sounds like the veritable nuts.

are a hop bag and a grain bag the same thing? the kit comes with steeping grains and a big grain bag. can I cut off and use some of that?

Shoot, I think I'd just rinse the grain bag and use it again. In fact, I'm going to try that next time around.

ajf said:

If you dump the trub into the fermenter, then that trub can impart off flavors.
On the other hand, the trub also acts as a yeast nutrient, which will increase the yeast cell count and make the yeasts happier so they produce less off flavors. In other words, it probably doesn't make any noticeable difference.
If you really want to reduce the trub in the fermenter, you can whirlpool after cooling, and siphon into the fermenter instead of pouring. This will leave more trub in the kettle.

-a.

Click to expand...

What kind of off-flavors should I get? I've never really strained, and not picked up any off flavors so far.

I've never noticed any off flavors caused by trub either, but I've always brewed tasty (as opposed to delicate) beers until today (Bohemian Lager).
See How to Brew - By John Palmer - Transferring the Wort for one source.

-a.

I went with the dump in the "hops and strain the wort going in" method. My reasoning is that I didn't want to confine the hops inside a bag and wanted them to have a lot of contact area in the boil. I like the "don't fear the trub" theory, but I think that a thick layer on the bottom of the fermenter is tougher to deal with when racking than a thin layer, so I strained it.