Did some different things on the second batch

[caseymclain]

I made a significantly different beer this time and went heavy on centennial hops (my favorite in commercial ales), and did a lot of different stuff.

I used the existing wort to clean out the malt can.

I kept my temperature under control better.

I made a yeast starter

But my question is this:
on my first batch I dumped most the hops into the fermenter. As a result, when I siphoned it into the secondary fermenter, my siphon got clogged with hops.

This time I went and got a metal mesh pasta strainer and set it into my funnel.

My gravity was about 1.060 (compared to 1.034 on the first one) and looks better in the carboy (if only aesthetically).

Do you think using the strainer, and not putting the boiled hops into the fermenter will have a negative effect on the beer? I didn't dry hop it this time (next time).

 

[BendBrewer]

Not if you sanitized it first.

Next time, dip that sanitized strainer into the wort and try to fill it up with your spent or used hops. Then pour your wort through that. It creates a bed of hops filter and helps filter out break material a bit as well. Sure beats those stupid funnel screens that clog up instantly.

 

[caseymclain]

Well I left the hops in the strainer while I was pouring it through, is that effective do you think?

 

[BendBrewer]

Yeah you want to leave the hops in the strainer to add to the filtering capabilities.

 

[Hang Glider]

plus, pouring wort through the strainer will help oxygenate the wort - good for the yeast. IF you use a secondary, (many do not), do NOT use the strainer - at that point you would not want any more oxygen...

if I'm stating the obvious, please excuse.

 

[caseymclain]

Thanks