Quick Whirlfloc tablet question

[kef300]

I have just collected my wort and plan on adding one tablet at the last 15 minutes of the boil (I know some sites suggest half). I know that irish moss (and obviously whirlfloc tablets) help precipitate some of the proteins so that they settle.

My question is, and it may be a dumb one, the following:

In the past, when transferring my boiled wort to the fermenter, I would pour straight from the pot to the fermenter, as I thought this, besides stirring, would aid in adding oxygen for the yeast. It might have also helped cool the wort quicker. However, as I understand, using a Whirlfloc tablet would require me having to siphon the boiled wort from the pot to the fermenter so that the sedimented material doesn't go into the fermenter. Is this correct? And if so, should I hold my siphoning tool slightly above the bottom of the pot so that it doesn't suck in the sediment?

Thanks!


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[Dryhops]

Even without the whirlfloc you should be leaving the "trub" (as they call it) in the kettle. Trub is composed of proteins that precipitate during the boil as well as hops and such. Too much trub in the fermentor can cause off flavors. Whilfloc, irish moss, merely encourages this precipitation.

While you're correct that pouring the wort into the fermentor adds helpful oxygen, you should always be siphoning off the top and leaving the trub behind as seen here:

 

[kef300]

Thanks! But I forgot to mention a KEY thing. When pouring the wort from the pot into the fermenter, I always use a strainer. That being said, should I still siphon it?


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[Natdavis777]

Yeah, still siphon it. Whirlpool and let sit for 20 min and then siphon into the carboy. If you dont want to spend any money on an oxygen tank and whatnot, look into the venturi effect. Basically, you put two worm clamps on your siphon and drill a hole between the two. This helps oxygenate the beer. Larger breweries use this method but on a different and more sanitized level, but at the homebrew level it should work out fine without issues.

 

[Dryhops]

The strainer is a good thing. But I would still say yes to the siphon over the strainer. If you're going to the trouble to use whirlfloc I'm guessing you want clearer beer. A siphon is gentle and you don't mix up all of that trub into suspension like you do if you pour into a strainer. Inevitably pouring the wort is going to allow more haze forming proteins into the fermentor. Might as well siphon instead and leave as much of that behind as possible.

Besides, it's easier on your back to siphon.

 

[kef300]

Got it, thanks guys! What I also do to help add oxygen is I suck air in through my siphon (using the tool, not my mouth) and push the air into the wort through the siphon. Not sure if this is similar to the venturi effect tip, but hopefully it does something.


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[trefilov22]

Buy a cheap aquarium air pump, sanitize, put the hose in and turn it on! Not as good as pure oxygen and a stone, but better than nothing too. I have noticed a huge difference in my beer since I have switched to pure oxygen though.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thw Whirlfloc will help coagulate the proteins (trub) in the brew kettle making larger pieces out of smaller pieces of trub (proteins).

You can certainly try and screen out the trub, or syphon off the trub. Or you can transfer all to the fermenter and let it settle out there.

People do all of the above with acceptable results, studies have shown that the trub does not have a great impact on the fermented beer.

 

[BigFloyd]

If you don't have a way to adequately aerate/oxygenate the chilled wort (sorry, splashing into the bucket isn't enough), then use dry yeast if possible. It's packaged with sterols that provide sufficient O2 for the yeast to go through the reproductive phase which is aerobic.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

I dump most of the trub into the fermenter. Contrary to what seems like popular belief(in this thread)... there's some good stuff in there for your yeasties. I dump probably about 2/3 into the fermenter. Sometimes all of it. It settles fast anyways, especially with whirlfloc. Just siphon clean when racking. Cold crashing helps even more.

I've left beer on trub for months with no ill effects.

 

[Munchkin]

Ive just been pouring mine straight into the fermenter trying to leave behind as much trub as i can when i reach the last bit.

 

[k_mcarthur]

I dump most of the trub into the fermenter. Contrary to what seems like popular belief(in this thread)... there's some good stuff in there for your yeasties. I dump probably about 2/3 into the fermenter. Sometimes all of it. It settles fast anyways, especially with whirlfloc. Just siphon clean when racking. Cold crashing helps even more.

I've left beer on trub for months with no ill effects.

+1 I've done it both ways and don't see any benefit to stressing about the trub. Chill it and pour directly into fermenter leaving behind last half gallon or so. Sometimes simplicity is the best option.

 

[Yooper]

Even without the whirlfloc you should be leaving the "trub" (as they call it) in the kettle. Trub is composed of proteins that precipitate during the boil as well as hops and such. Too much trub in the fermentor can cause off flavors. Whilfloc, irish moss, merely encourages this precipitation.

While you're correct that pouring the wort into the fermentor adds helpful oxygen, you should always be siphoning off the top and leaving the trub behind as seen here:

I have a huge problem with "you should" do something.

First, I don't have a good way to siphon as I use a CFC and pump to my fermenter, so by that logic my beer should suck. But it doesn't.

"Always" and "you should" really stick in my craw.

I have a CFC, so all of my cold break goes into the fermenter. I don't have a way to separate hot break out (it goes right through a screen), so that ends up in the fementer as well. I don't filter out pellet hops, and some settle in the bottom of the kettle, but a lot don't. Still my beer is pretty darn good, and I would put it against a commercial beer (or just about anybody's) and I think it would compare favorably.

I'd rather see someone say, "I think you should remove trub because xxxxx" than to say "you should or your beer will have off flavors", as I am a BJCP certified judge and I am critical even of my own beer and would definitely admit it if it caused any off flavors or issues.