2 questions from noob. Removal of hop pellets & low FG's.

[clockwise]

Had 2 questions.

1) When I poor the wort in the primary, am I supposed to be filtering out the boilings hops? I've only used pellets so far and have been just pouring EVERYTHING in the primary... Everything has tasted great so far, but just not sure what the status quo is on this.

2) Check out the FG's on these recipes. They seem low to me. Perhaps I should use a yeast known to have higher attenuation? Should I try to aerate more before pitching? I didn't use a starter for any of these. On the most recent, not listed, I did do a very small "starter", by just taking a cup of hot wart, some cold water to get temps around 80, put yeast in there and let it hydrate for about 30 min. I pitched and it was fermenting vigorously (OG was 1.066 @ 68F) about 18 hours later.

===Batch #3 - Totes McGoats Pale Ale===

Safale US #5
Light DME 6 lbs

1 lb American Pale Malt

Mash 30 minutes @ 160F

1 oz Centennial pellets (60 min)
1 oz Meridian pellets (5 min)

Brewed: 4/6/2014
Racked: 4/15/2014

OG: 1.046 @ 86F (seems low... didnt mix after pouring wort in)
FG: 1.011 @ 69F

( ( 1.05 x ( OG – FG ) ) / FG ) / 0.79 x 100 = % ABV

( ( 1.05 x (0.037 ) ) / 1.011 ) / 0.79 x 100 = 4.86% ABV


===Batch #2 - Captain Damage's Nut Brown Ale===

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f67/captain-damages-nut-brown-ale-419195/

Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.055
Final Gravity: 1.016
IBU: 28
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 24.9
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 27
Tasting Notes: Great roasty flavor, not burnt-tasting, balanced bitterness, not sweet.

6 lbs pale malt
2 lbs brown malt
1 lb caramel/crystal 40L
8 oz caramel/crystal 130L (I used Briess Extra Special malt)
2 oz roasted wheat 380L

2 oz Willamette 4.7%AA 30 minutes (no traditional 60 minute bittering charge used)

Wyeast 1469 West Yorkshire

Mashed at 154F for 75 minutes.

OG: 1.048 @ 66F (wrong I think... was hasty)
FG: 1.016 @ 66F

Brewed on 3/6?
Racked on 3/27

( ( 1.05 x ( OG – FG ) ) / FG ) / 0.79 x 100 = % ABV

( ( 1.05 x ( .032 ) ) / 1.016 ) / 0.79 x 100 = 4.19%


===Batch #1 - Clerk's Pale Ale===

Safale US #5
CBW pilsen light DME 6 lbs
1 oz columbus (60 min)
.75 oz Simile (5 min)

Brewed: 2/14/2014
Racked: 3/5/2014

OG: 1.050 @ 84F
FG: 1.012 @ 58F

( ( 1.05 x ( OG – FG ) ) / FG ) / 0.79 x 100 = % ABV

( ( 1.05 x (.041 ) ) / 1.012 ) / 0.79 x 100 = 5.4%

 

[wilconrad]

1) When I poor the wort in the primary, am I supposed to be filtering out the boilings hops?

Standard practice is to let the wort settle prior to moving into the primary, so much of the break and hop material will condense at the bottom. You can then pour/siphon the wort off without taking all of the gunk over into the primary. It's fine, and even beneficial, to take some of it, but you don't want all it in your primary as it can cause some off flavors and is just cumbersome to deal with later in the process.

2) Check out the FG's on these recipes. They seem low to me. Perhaps I should use a yeast known to have higher attenuation?

If you'd like your FG's to be higher, use a yeast with lower attentuation; the higher the attenuation is, the lower your FG will be.

2) I didn't use a starter for any of these. On the most recent, not listed, I did do a very small "starter", by just taking a cup of hot wart, some cold water to get temps around 80, put yeast in there and let it hydrate for about 30 min.

This process is really just rehydrating yeast in cooled wort, 30 mins isn't enough time for the yeast to start duplicating; if you want to do a starter you'll need to let it sit for at least 24 hrs.

2) Should I try to aerate more before pitching?

Yes is the short answer here. I don't know what process you're using today, but if you're new to the hobby it's likely that there's room for improvement on aeration (not trying to be condescending, just this is a step that most newbies overlook). There are several aeration methods you can consider, namely:
-shaking vigorously for a long time (debatable how long is enough)
-aerating with an aquarium pump for ~10mins
-aerating with pure oxygen for ~1min

 

[Foosier]

There are lots of ways to avoid Hops into the primary. (not that it causes huge issues if you don't as you have learned) I personally use a paint strainer bag from lowes binder clipped to the side of my pot for my hops. works like a champ and keeps 95% of the hops from going into the fermenter. Best part is this is super cheap.

 

[m1batt1]

Your FG's all look to me to be around where you would expect. If anything batch 2 may have finished a bit high.

 

[clockwise]

@wilconrad

ahhh OK. just had that backwards. next batch I'll throw the timer on for 10 minutes and shake the **** out of the carboy till it goes off. I'm not buying additional gear if I don't have too. not for the sake of cost, but storage and less crap to fuss with. also, before I get the wort in there I'll siphon all but the crap @ the bottom. I'll try a different yeast too. the more variables the better.

@foosier

right. so that's basically your cheap version of a hop spider? I'll either do that or a hop spider for the next batch. cheap & simple is good, probably go with your method... lol

thanks fellas.

 

[Foosier]

You got it. super cheap. You get 3 filter bags for around 5 dollars. when you are done with the boil you just pull the bag out and dump the hops gunk out. There is some residual hops dust left but not any where near as much as if you had a few ounces of pellet hops floating free.