To strain or not to strain? THAT is the question

[slantedbolt]

Do you strain your wort before transferring it to your primary?

I do not.

 

[Revvy]

It really doesn't matter either way.

Some dump everything in, without straining, just pour it in the bucket or in the funnel....Some use a big strainer that fit in the funnel for a carboy, or a sanitized 5 gallon nylon paint strainer bag in the bucket...

I have done it all ways. It really doesn't matter...anything will settle.

In other words, there is no wrong way to do it, or better way, or way that will make the best beer...they all work...the choice is what will work the best for you. That's how you develop you own unique brewing process. By trying all ways and deciding what works best for you.

What I do with my IC, is chill the wort, then I lean the bottom of my autosiphon about two coils up from the bottom on the metal of the siphon. That rests it above most of the break material and trub, then I rack it to the fermenter until I'm down to that and carefully lower the siphon down into the gunk, just trying to get as much of the wort as possible without letting in the hops and break matter.

But pretty much up until I got my immersion chiller I just dumped for the majority of my batches. And I still managed to do well in contests...

 

[Clonefarmer]

I've done it both ways. I've found if you use a hop bag there is not as much need to strain going into the fermenter. If you just throw hop pellets in the kettle than there is allot more to be strained going into the fermenter. This really becomes noticeable on big batches with lots of hops.

 

[shroomzofdoom]

I whirlpool, then rack into my fermenter which is lined with a sterilized 5G paint strainer bag from Lowes. IWhen done, I gently lift the bag out. This removes over 99% of the hops from the wort.

I used to boil in the paint strainer bags, but I find the above method to be MUCH easier for me. It works with very hoppy beers and even with my crappy whirlpooling skills.

 

[marubozo]

I use a big kitchen strainer that has large holes in it, but not to separate the trub from the wort, but to help aerate it as it goes into the fermenter. Because of the size of the holes it probably only stops 50% at most of the trub from going back in. No complaints here.

 

[ETCS]

If you like to make stuff, check out this video.

 

[McD]

I do, using the double mesh strainer from Northern brewer. It removes most all the hops/crud and helps aerate the cooled wort.

 

[mixedbrewer]

I don't strain it, but I try not to pour the huge pile of spent hops into the fermenter either. I let the green sludge sit on my counter in the pot for the day... I really like the way it smells.

 

[iron_city_ap]

I use pretty much the same technique Revvy does. Its just less stuff to clean up later and it makes it easier to get a more clear/sediment free beer. There are TONS of techniques you can use to keep sediment out. Pick whichever works for you and go with it.

 

[Golddiggie]

Since I started using hop bags, I find there's very little particles that would need to be strained out.

 

[slantedbolt]

hmm... Do the hop bags hinder the bittering/flavor/aroma of the hops?

 

[Golddiggie]

hmm... Do the hop bags hinder the bittering/flavor/aroma of the hops?

Not from what I'm seeing... The pellets still break down into sludge, you're just keeping it in a bag. Let the bag submerge and your worries will be gone. That's why I need to get a couple more bags. So that I can do the bittering hops in one, then the aroma/flavor hops in another. Thinking that having 2-4 is a good idea, makes for easy hop additions. Just loop the end of the draw string around the pot handle, so you can grab it when it's time to pull it out.

 

[terrapinj]

any issues with a grassy flavor from leaving hops pellets/sludge in during the length of fermentation?

i thought i had read that some people have that issue when dry hopping for too long

 

[Brewenstein]

I strain because I feel that it makes it easier for me to wash the yeast.

 

[msa8967]

I whirlpool, then rack into my fermenter which is lined with a sterilized 5G paint strainer bag from Lowes. IWhen done, I gently lift the bag out. This removes over 99% of the hops from the wort.

I used to boil in the paint strainer bags, but I find the above method to be MUCH easier for me. It works with very hoppy beers and even with my crappy whirlpooling skills.

Is there an easy way to clean the paint strainer bags for reuse? Any special washing techniques or types of cleansers I might use?

 

[mfraier]

It all settles anyway. I used to strain with a strainer that fit in my funnel....but one day I just dumped it in ( except for the hop pile at the bottom of the pot ) and it turned out just the same. That is how I have done it for many batches now. Once it cools a good bunch of the hops is at the bottom anyway.

 

[shroomzofdoom]

Is there an easy way to clean the paint strainer bags for reuse? Any special washing techniques or types of cleansers I might use?

I just rinse them in hot water as soon as I am done. A few flakes will stay behind, but these can be brushed off when dry. I sanitize my bags for about 25 mins in a weak iodophor solution before using. You can also boil them for a few mins to sanitize.

Whatever you do don't put them in the dryer.

 

[msa8967]

I just rinse them in hot water as soon as I am done. A few flakes will stay behind, but these can be brushed off when dry. I sanitize my bags for about 25 mins in a weak iodophor solution before using. You can also boil them for a few mins to sanitize.

Whatever you do don't put them in the dryer.

Thanks for the info. I am going to try this method next time I brew which might be some time because the temps here are below 20 F and i brew outdoors.

 

[elproducto]

I just tried this yesterday for the first time. I made a huge mistake though, I had no idea after pouring the cooled wort into my fermenter with the paint strainer in there, that the paint strainer would pick up 2+ gallons of wort as well! Without thinking, I squeezed the strainer to get the wort out.. and my hands weren't sanitized.

Hopefully I don't get an infection...

 

[shroomzofdoom]

I just tried this yesterday for the first time. I made a huge mistake though, I had no idea after pouring the cooled wort into my fermenter with the paint strainer in there, that the paint strainer would pick up 2+ gallons of wort as well! Without thinking, I squeezed the strainer to get the wort out.. and my hands weren't sanitized.

Hopefully I don't get an infection...

Whoops...you'll probably be fine. Try rocking it back and forth a bit next time and lifting slower. No squeezing. It should take 30 seconds or so with the agitation.

 

[camus]

The kind soul that introduced me to this craft dumped it all, and his beers are great. I dumped, then dumped through a strainer (not good), whirlpooled then racked through strainer (better), now I whirlpool and use the kettle spigot through a strainer. I always ended up stirring stuff up with the siphon, never thought of leaving the IC in. Anyways now I can leave a lot hops/break material behind. Bonus of going through the strainer is it seems to aerate the wort pretty well.