Anyone ever forget to vorlauf, like me, the idiot?

[menschmaschine]

Is it a big deal? It's an oatmeal stout mashed in a keggle with false bottom. FWIW, the initial runnings seemed pretty free of grain husks (although it's not easy to see through a black stout). For some reason (oats?), I had a killer grain bed this time. Am I going to get tannins or will it be pretty minimal?

 

[BrianP]

I use a braid in my MLT, and I've not really seen any husks. I vorlauf a couple quarts anyway, and it's generally quite clear. If I forgot to vorlauf, I don't think it would hurt much.

The tannins are more of a problem from sparging with water that is boiling hot or over-sparging (from what i've read).

 

[david_42]

You're not likely to get much husk coming through a false bottom. Not to worry.

 

[brewhead]

i use a false bottom with a mash pad - i never vourlouf

 

[RichBrewer]

I had a problem with solids getting under my plastic false bottom and it took a lot of recirculating to get them out. My new stainless false bottom works great. I didn't see any particles coming out.
If you didn't see any chunks or husks you will be fine. Even if a few got through I don't think boiling them would adversely effect your Stout.

Keep us updated on this one!

 

[menschmaschine]

Thanks Everyone. No worries, then.

 

[tbone]

"i use a false bottom with a mash pad"
What is a mash pad?

 

[brewhead]

a mash pad is merely a floor polishing pad that fits over your false bottom.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/4RY27

this one is shown with the center out. you will want to keep the center in and make a hole in it to thread your pick up tube from you false bottom through.

in addition to being a filter base for any husk material thus ending the need for vourlauf, it will also virtually emiminate chances of stuck mashes. i can say truthfully - i've never had one.

 

[32indian]

I used to use a mash pad, just like pictured in the grainger link. Worked GREAT!
I have since gotten used to mashing without a mash pad, I use a stainless steel false bottom, resists floating and letting grain underneath it. I run off about gallon or so to set the grain bed and then just run off from there. The extra 10-15 minutes of run-off is not an issue.

Try the pad and see if it works for you.

If you do, be sure you clean the pad Very Well after use. Any residule sugars on it will encourage mold growth within the pad. Keep it clean and 1 pad will last a long time.

If you have a janitorial supply place near you, try them first. Several grades are available, not sure which is best? but you will need to trim it to fit your mash vessel, and to fit your drain tube thru from your false bottom. They will cut with a scissors.

Good Luck!
Tom

 

[brewhead]

If you do, be sure you clean the pad Very Well after use. Any residule sugars on it will encourage mold growth within the pad. Keep it clean and 1 pad will last a long time.

good advice - what i do is toss mine in a sink of lite bleach/water mix and let it soak for a day then rinse very well d hang up to dry

different color pads aredifferent density. i use the white pad

 

[CBBaron]

Been there with my stout, see this thread grainy astringent stout.
The good news is that the stout is quite tasty, the bad news is that there is still some astringency, but not nearly like I feared. What I learned is, make sure you vorlauf for best results.

Craig

 

[menschmaschine]

Been there with my stout, see this thread grainy astringent stout.
The good news is that the stout is quite tasty, the bad news is that there is still some astringency, but not nearly like I feared. What I learned is, make sure you vorlauf for best results.

Craig

Thanks for the info Craig. I'm going to hope for the best. I'll post back if there is no astringency. I've also read somewhere (?) that oats lead towards astringency, which would make this the worst batch for me not to vorlauf.

 

[tbone]

CB. How long did you allow the stout to age before some of the astringency dissipated? I have the same problem and have followed the thread you mentioned above. Mine will have been in the bottle for 4 weeks this Sunday.

 

[CBBaron]

CB. How long did you allow the stout to age before some of the astringency dissipated? I have the same problem and have followed the thread you mentioned above. Mine will have been in the bottle for 4 weeks this Sunday.

Sounds like you bottled about the same time as I did. I posted the first question after bottling the beer and tasting the last half bottle in the bucket (11/30).
I started drinking it over Christmas and while it does have a little too much astringency, the astringency works pretty well in this,big bold stout. The great news is because I was worried about this stout I brewed up another oatmeal stout the weekend I bottled this one. After 1 week in the bottle my new stout is smooth and tastes of chocolate and roasty. I will enjoy drinking both this winter.

Craig

 

[tbone]

Thanks. What recipe did you use for your new stout? I think that I am going to do another one also.

 

[CBBaron]

Thanks. What recipe did you use for your new stout? I think that I am going to do another one also.

From memory:
OG 1.055
IBUs 36
6.75# Pale malt
0.5# roasted Barley (350l)
0.75# chocolate (330l)
0.5# crystal 40
0.5# crsytal 120
0.75# victory
1# flaked oats
2oz Willamette hops at 60
S-04 yeast

I'll check when I get home and update. I wanted a lighter less roasty stout that would be easy to drink and ready earlier. My target was to have a stout ready to drink for my brothers (birthday) party in mid Jan.

<edit> updated recipe from my brewlog
Craig

 

[menschmaschine]

I checked the gravity today as fermentation seems complete. No astringency! I certainly won't take that as a license to not vorlauf, though. It tastes very good... chocolatey, hints of coffee, and I'm happy about that because I had to fool around with the hops due to the shortage. There's just one problem... the gravity was 1.027, so it's sweet. OG was 1.055, so that's 49% attenuation so far. It's been 5 days since pitching S-04 with an ambient air temp of 62F, which isn't very long and not very warm, so I'll check it in a couple days. I was afraid of this... I overheated my mash into the 160s for 5-10 minutes when I tried to compensate for a the mash temp dropping in the 40 degree weather outside . That's one thing I need to work on... maintaining a constant mash temp better. So, I may have a stuck fermentation here with unfermentable sugars.