Is this much sediment normal?

[Eskram]

It's only been about 2 hrs since I got the wort into the carboy and there seems to be a LOT of sediment already.

Superhuge version

I'm waiting for fermenation to start before I move to my lagering fridge, but I don't think I've seen this much sediment after such a short time. Have I just never noticed this before?

On a side-note, if anyone would like an email address from flocculation.org, PM me. I registered the site last week.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

That's more than I'm used to, but I assume you just bit off more of the trub than usual and it's no big deal. Did you use Irish moss or some other protein-precipitator in the boil? In any case, I wouldn't be concerned about it at this point.

 

[ScottT]

You didn't filter out the cold break. That's just protien. It won't hurt anything, I just like to filter it out or leave it in the kettle when I transfer to a carboy.

Some formulas will just have more. I've seen the most with my recent wheat and also had a lot when I used oats.

 

[Eskram]

This is the recipe I used: It had more grain than I have every used.

3.3 lbs. Gold Liquid Malt Extract
1 lb. M&F Light Dry Malt
2 lbs. Lager Grain M&F (cracked)
1 lb. British Pale Grain (cracked)
½ lb. Caravienne Belgian Grain (cracked)
2 oz. Chocolate Grain (cracked)
2 oz. Hallertauer Hops
1 oz. Tettnang Hops
1 pkg. Wyeast Liquid Yeast - Bohemian Lager


Place grains into 1½ gal. cold water. Heat to 160°F. Remove from heat, cover & allow to sit for 60 min. Sparge with 1 gal. 170°F water & return liquid to brewpot. Add Malt & 2 oz. hops. Return pot to heat & boil for 50 min. Remove from heat & add final 1 oz. hops. Steep for 5 min. Stain into 3 gal. cold water & pitch yeast when cooled to 80°F or below.

Hmm.. How does one filter the cold break? I'm still doing extract/partial mash recipes. Normally, I just dump directly from the brewpot into the carboy. I do use a funnel with a mesh filter in it, but I've never noticed this much sediment so quickly.

I'm sure it won't hurt anything, I was just curious what caused so much sediment so shortly.

 

[ScottT]

I have adapted a system to my equipment so I'll just tell you what I do.

I've got a ball valve drain welded into my converted keg kettle. I had tried using straining attachments inside my kettle but found that they were continually clogging with the whole hops that I use.

Now, I just place a nylon mesh filter inside a 5 gallon bucket and place it under the spigot of my kettle. I open the ball valve and let her drain into the bucket as fast as it will go. When the flow stops due to hops, I just push my thermometer through the spigot and leave it there to keep the hops away from the intake of my drain. The whole hops filter most of the cold break out.

Once the chilled wort is drained, I elevate the bucket and siphon into a funnel that's over my carboy. I tie a very fine meshed hop bag over the the end of my siphon hose and put that in the funnel. This filters all but the smallest particles of cold break and accomplishes a lot of oxygenation.

 

[Walker]

I just wanted to add that you might want to keep a careful eye on that carboy. There's very little headspace in it.... once it starts to ferment and foam up, you might have a mess on your hands. The airlock might pop out, but even if it doesn't, you're likely to get foam coming through the bubbler.

-walker

 

[OtherWhiteMeat]

Ive got a couple things:

I wouldent be worried about the extra trub at all. Its going to settle, thats why you go through two stages. Im still amazed at all the trub I get in the secondary after removing so much from the primary. As walker said, be very careful with the amount of room you left in that carboy, it WILL blow out.

Scott- Do you think you loose flavor by straining before going through fermentation? I always thought having all the ingrediants in there rolling around in the fermentation would add to the flavor.

 

[ScottT]

Using whole hops, it's necessary to strain them out. As far as straining the cold break out, I'm just trying to eleminate excess trub in my primary. The protein doesn't fermenent anyway. I don't think I'm hurting my beer by keeping it out.

 

[Eskram]

I just wanted to add that you might want to keep a careful eye on that carboy. There's very little headspace in it.... once it starts to ferment and foam up, you might have a mess on your hands. The airlock might pop out, but even if it doesn't, you're likely to get foam coming through the bubbler.

-walker

I was sort of worried about that.. We'll find out pretty soon, she's starting to bubble now...

This is the first time in 8 batches, I've ever had too MUCH beer. I actually had to dump some out.

I thought I followed the recipe, but I guess somewhere in there I ended up adding too much water - I wasn't really paying attention to the level of it as I was pouring the wort in.. Next thing I know, I have liquid pouring out the top of the carboy as I was waiting for the last bit of wort to strain through the hops.

Edit: Solved the potential mess problem.

 

[PT Ray]

I think the good thing about it being as full as it is, when things start churning, alot of the solids should blow into the bucket. Something off the subject, I noticed extra floor space in the freezer. I fill any extra space with 2 liter bottles of water to help maintain a constant temp., keeping the cycle rate of the compressor to a minimum.

 

[Walker]

Something off the subject, I noticed extra floor space in the freezer. I fill any extra space with 2 liter bottles of water to help maintain a constant temp., keeping the cycle rate of the compressor to a minimum.

Hey.. that's a damn good idea. I'm going to have to fill up some jugs when I get home and throw them into my brewfridge.

-walker

 

[Eskram]

Hey.. that's a damn good idea. I'm going to have to fill up some jugs when I get home and throw them into my brewfridge.

-walker

Definintely a good idea. I'll probably do the same thing tonite..