Failed to remove any break from the wort....doh!

[7Enigma]

So here I am at work, 2 days after starting my first brew and I decided to look over again some of the later chapters in the Howtobrew online book. I come across the more detailed directions for the pouring the wort into the fermenter (I remembered to aerate well during the pour), unfortunately I forgot the part about not pouring the sediment (hot/cold break) into the fermenter. So now I realize I poured ALL of the boiled wort material into the fermenter.

I have a 5 gallon glass carboy I plan on using as a secondary, and had originally planned to wait 2 weeks to go from primary to secondary (I'm in no rush and keep hearing the longer the better within reason for each step). Now I'm wondering if I should wait until the CO2 production tails off and immediately rack to the secondary making sure to separate out the trub from the beer?

I planned on doing this without a hydrometer since I'm using the mindset of the longer the better, and so I don't have one (and didn't measure prior to fermentation so I wouldn't have a way to tell where I am other than a couple days with no change).

Should I just still keep the 2 week primary, or cut it short?

 

[c.n.budz]

I know you planned to not use a hydrometer, but you need to change that plan. That is the only reliable way to judge fermentation. Once you hit you're final gravity, rack to secondary and wait about two weeks.

As for the break material, buy a stainless steel mesh strainer, I got a set of 3 different sizes at Wal-mart for $10 and they work great.

 

[Schlenkerla]

W/O a hydrometer - Keep it there until its clearly done up to three weeks. (Watch the temp - keep it in range) Then rack to the 2ndary wait ~ 2-4 weeks to drop out more sediment. Then bottle or keg.

Don't be greedy and try to get every last drop when you rack you'll just get more sediment.

I do what you did quite frequently. Just try to leave it in the fermenters now.

Its not a big deal.

Edit: Buy a hydrometer!!!

 

[Revvy]

As to adding the hot break, don't sweat that either....Papazian says pour the whole damn pot into the fermentor....

THe yeast will clean up your beer...it knows what it's doing...

And USE YOUR HYDROMETER!!!! It's your friend and the only way to tell when your beer is done fermenting!

The mindset of "the longer the better" only works if you don't have a stuck fermentation...And the only way to tell whether or not your fermentation is stuck is...wait for it...With a Hydrometer!!!!

On saturday I was going to rack a beer to secondary after 14 days and surprise surprise, the fermentation had stalled, probably during a cold snap the week before, I had lowered my heat becasue I was going to be out of town for 2 days and it got colder than anticipated....If I had just followed the "Oh, 2 weeks must be enough" idea and not checked my hydrometer I would have gone ahead and racked it. Instead I stuck it back in the closet and wrapped a thermoblanket around the bucket...I'll take a few more readings later in the week...

 

[7Enigma]

Thanks everyone for the replies....seems like I need to get a hydrometer. Don't know where I would have gotten that idea.

My problem then would be how do I know what my final gravity should be? I had originally taken the easy pale ale recipe from the howtobrew online book, but after a couple questions from the LBS he suggested I steep some grains first and modified the hops (because he didn't have the exact ones I needed).

Do I just take readings on 3 consecutive days when I think its close to being finished, and when they don't change I'm ready to rack?

 

[c.n.budz]

Steeping grains don't do much to the fermentability of the wort, they're mainly for adding flavor, color, and body. Your final gravity should still be whatever the recipe stated. If it doesn't list a FG, you should be fine with it finishing somewhere between 1.012 - 1.016 (That's a ballpark figure assuming you used a normal ale yeast)

 

[7Enigma]

Steeping grains don't do much to the fermentability of the wort, they're mainly for adding flavor, color, and body. Your final gravity should still be whatever the recipe stated. If it doesn't list a FG, you should be fine with it finishing somewhere between 1.012 - 1.016 (That's a ballpark figure assuming you used a normal ale yeast)

I don't know if it would make a difference but I used Crystal something-number grains. From my reading of the howtobrew book this type of grain does add to the amount of usable sugars but by what degree I have no idea. I used the method the store owner recommended which was to bag the grains, put in cold water and slowly bring to close to a boil. I was slowly moving the grains around the pot and steeping like you would a tea bag during the heating. A bit before boiling I removed the grains and squeezed them to get the trapped liquid out (even with my latex gloves on it was quite warm!), and then brought the liquid to a boil, removed from the burner and added my malt extract (both liquid and powder). All told from start to finish with the Crystal was probably 15-25 minutes.

My biggest fear is that this batch will turn out fantastic and I'll never be able to replicate it again. I made so much trash from the intial brewing that I bagged it all up, tied the bag and threw the trash out. When I realized I wanted to write down the exact ingredients and method I used, I was too lazy/tired (your choice) and didn't want to dig through the trash. Here's hoping the beer is good, but not fantastic. <did I really just say that>

 

[Yooper]

The amount of fermentable sugars contributed by crystal steeping grains is negligible. It provides color, body and flavor, though.

Next time, use a thermometer and steep the grains under 160 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Don't squeeze the bag, just remove them when you are done, and let them drip into the pot. Then discard. Near boiling temperatures is way too hot.

 

[pcrawford]

So did you beer clear up? I just finished a brew. it was my first time using a better bottle as a primary, and I don't have a funnel, so i couldn't use a strainer b/c that would have made a mess. And I didn't feel like using my mesh bag around my siphon b/c i used it for a mini mash and it would have been a pain to sanitize. So after all this i just dumped the whole thing in the primary.

Any other suggestions for a good way to do this. i tried wirlpooling but that didn't work out so well...