2nd batch, dumb question

[Zero]

Got everything laid out to make my second extract batch (yeah I know, all grain is better, etc etc, that's for batch #3), and I have a question that I just realized I don't have an answer to.

I'm going to be adding 2oz of bittering hops during the boil, and I'm just hurling them into the wort loose. Do I need to strain my wort after it's cooled to remove those hops, on it's way to the primary?

My first batch I didn't bother, and thus far it's tasting just fine (2.5 weeks into carb at this point, I tested one the other day).

 

[CDbrews]

No it doesnt matter. You will have more trub in the primary, hence not being able to siphon out as much beer when bottling/moving to secondary.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

This is all a matter of personal preference. I strain mine, others don't. I don't enjoy having to work around that much trub when I'm racking.

As for all-grain being better...that's an opinion, not a fact. I brew all-grain, but still enjoy extract beers if they're made right. The only reason AG is concidered better is because of the ability to customize your beers further.

 

[lehkost]

Yeah...it definitely won't have an effect on the end product, though straining will help two things (in my opinion, and that's why I do it). You'll have to siphon into secondary, and that extra gunk will soak up some liquid you won't end up being able to transfer over, so your batch will be slightly smaller (probably only a cup or so, so no big deal), but I find it is easier to clean up the equipment (especially if you're using an auto-siphon) if you've strained the wort.

 

[Zero]

Cool, thanks for the quick responses!

Another couple questions:

My first batch, I seemed to miss my OG by a bit. My recipe calls for a 2.5 gallon boil, to which I add enough water to equal 5 gallons once it's in the primary. I would think that one could add water in increments until the proper OG is called for. Is that a common practice, or is it better to just add the called for amount, and the OG is the OG and don't worry about it?

Second, I have about 3lbs of specialty grains/malts going into the mash in my grain bag. I'm going to "teabag" sparge the grain bag in another pot, then combine the two worts when done. The sticky on partial mash extract brewing says to have the sparge water at 175 degrees. My recipe calls for a sparge at 150. I know adding the grains will lower the temp of the water, and 175 seems high considering the already warm grains (in the bag) going into the water. Any ideas on what sort of target temp to shoot for with the sparge water?

I may be over-thinking this a bit, considering it's an extract recipe after all, but I hate wasted effort.

 

[thirdedition]

If you did all extract you most likely didn't miss your OG. More than likely the wort wasn't mixed up enough and you tested a less dense portion of it.

On the sparge, either keep some hot water nearby and go lower, or cold water near by and go higher. I don't loose that much heat when I sparge, and I aim for about 155 to 160.

 

[Zero]

Ok, it's in the fermenter. Went really smooth, and hit my predicted OG at the top end of the range. One thing about straining the wort though...I think my strainer may be a little too fine, as it quickly clogged up with hops, so I had to get my stainless spoon out of my bucket of starsan solution and stir it up.

Otherwise it's sitting in the primary over in the corner, here's to hoping I sanitized ok....

 

[pdbreen]

Ok, it's in the fermenter. Went really smooth, and hit my predicted OG at the top end of the range. One thing about straining the wort though...I think my strainer may be a little too fine, as it quickly clogged up with hops, so I had to get my stainless spoon out of my bucket of starsan solution and stir it up.

Otherwise it's sitting in the primary over in the corner, here's to hoping I sanitized ok....

That's the downside of straining! Another option is a hop bag, but you'll get less utilization since they won't boil as actively. But, it's a lot easier than straining. If I'm doing 1-3oz, I generally don't strain/don't use a hop bag. For higher amounts of hops, I may bag some of the additions and keep others loose.

You just have to find what works best for you.

Congrats on getting it in the fermenter! Now the really hard part begins - waiting...

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

I use a very large metal strainer and it still clogs up. Scoop out some hops or pour slower = problem solved.

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

Second, I have about 3lbs of specialty grains/malts going into the mash in my grain bag. I'm going to "teabag" sparge the grain bag in another pot, then combine the two worts when done. The sticky on partial mash extract brewing says to have the sparge water at 175 degrees. My recipe calls for a sparge at 150. I know adding the grains will lower the temp of the water, and 175 seems high considering the already warm grains (in the bag) going into the water. Any ideas on what sort of target temp to shoot for with the sparge water?

I may be over-thinking this a bit, considering it's an extract recipe after all, but I hate wasted effort.

I just wanted to point out here that the process you're describing is not mashing and sparging. Unless you are using all grain with some sort of manifold and sparge system, then you're not doing a mash.

What I think you're refering to is an extract w/ grains recipe. This is concidered steeping. The sparge process you talk about is just called rinsing the grains.

It's not a huge deal as most people will figure it out, it just get's hard to give advice when using the wrong terms.

 

[ChshreCat]

I use a large strainer and pour through it into my pail-type primary. As the strainer starts to clog up, I stop pouring and then after what's in there drains through I just dump the strainer out into the trash. Only takes a few seconds each time and overall it makes the process much faster than trying to get all your wort to drain through inches of pellet hop goo. If I use whole hops, it doesn't so much clog up as just get full of hops, so now and then I'll pour some of my top up water over the strainer full of hops to rinse the valuable wort off them before dumping them into the trash.