Can't get clear runnings

[etrain666]

Howdy,

I am 8 or 9 brews into my AG set-up. I have a 10g round rubbermaid cooler with a steel braid. I can not seem to ever get clear runnings. Here is what I do:

1. Dough in as usual and wait
2. Slowly drain first runnings into a plastic cup and then return to the top as carefully as possible. The cup is about 2 pints.
3. Repeat 3-4 times

Yesterday's brew I used a clear glass to look at the runnings. You can see floating particles and it's very hazy. Beer tends to taste great (as long as I dont mess up the fermentation), but creates a whole bunch of trub in the fermenter and just seems like it should be clearer.

Is there anything I am doing wrong or could do better? Maybe I just invest in a SS False Bottom?

 

[RM-MN]

You may not be returning enough wort to the tun. Getting a false bottom is not the answer as you still need to set the filter bed just as you would with your braid. Try returning half a gallon at a time to get the grain bed set.

 

[itsme6582]

Go to the dollar store and get a nicely sized pitcher. Then vorlauf until clear. It might take more than you think.

You shouldn't get noticable trub from your mash. I think you're over estimating how much is getting through.

 

[kh54s10]

Go to the dollar store and get a nicely sized pitcher. Then vorlauf until clear. It might take more than you think.

^this^

I use a 2 qt pitcher and sometimes it takes 2 fillings to get it clear. Also make sure that you do not pour back too vigorously or you are disturbing the grain and mixing it up again.

 

[etrain666]

That makes sense. Vorloft (sp?) more beer at a time. Thanks all.

 

[bethebrew]

How fine is your grind? How tight is the braid? Mash temp? Also pour over a strainer too. Stock pot one e.g. big holes otherwise you are disturbing the top too much.

 

[beergynt]

It might help to vorlauf a higher rate as well. Cracking the valve open a little more will create more of a vacuum on the grain bed, settling it a little more solidly.

 

[graduate]

Tie a hop bag over the end of the transfer hose to gather the remaining particles after the vorlouf. Picks up the bigger pieces that make it through.

 

[turkeyjerky214]

I typically vorlauf 3-4 gallons to get super clear wort. It adds a few minutes to the brew day, but I think it's worth it.

Even after that, when I'm dumping the wort into my brew kettle, I put a paint strainer over the buckets to catch any little bits that got through.

 

[Biobrewer]

This may be a function of your milling, but the only way to know is to return much more wort to the top of the mash. I usually recirculate about 4-6 gallons worth before things clear up. Sounds like you are only recirculating about 1 gallon.

I would say try recirculating more. Remember, the point of this is not to just recirculate a certain amount and collect. It is to clear your wort up, regardless if it takes 4 or 10 gallons worth of recirculation. Recirculate until clear (however long it takes). If it never clears, you may have a milling issue.

Happy brewing to you!

 

[etrain666]

Thanks for the great tips. Curious, what off flavors should I look for that might be created by letting too much grain particulate into the kettle?

 

[forstmeister]

I usually vorlauf for about 10 minutes. I use 2 pitchers and switch between them so I never turn off the flow. Keep it going for a couple gallons that way and the runnings tend to get pretty clear. A little grain in the boil won't hurt since I use a siphon to transfer to primary and again to secondary and again to keg. After that much careful transfer, there is little to no haze left in the beer. I commonly get compliments on how clear my beers are from my professional brewer friends and I really don't try that hard. I have never even used Irish Moss or whirlfloc or any other fining agents to be honest.

 

[Skagdog]

I put a piece of aluminum foil over my grain bed when I'm sparging and also for vorlauf. I poke a ton of holes in it so the initial impact of the water on the grain bed doesn't mix it back up. I still pour carefully and ensure I'm spreading the water over the entire surface.

Just cut a price of aluminum foil to fit your MT, poke a bunch of holes with a skewer or other sharp object, and place it on top of the grain bed whilst you vorlauf...

This has helped me get clear runnings faster and it's very, very cheap to give it a shot for yourself.

 

[itsme6582]

Thanks for the great tips. Curious, what off flavors should I look for that might be created by letting too much grain particulate into the kettle?

None

 

[Biobrewer]

I put a piece of aluminum foil over my grain bed when I'm sparging and also for vorlauf. I poke a ton of holes in it so the initial impact of the water on the grain bed doesn't mix it back up. I still pour carefully and ensure I'm spreading the water over the entire surface.

Just cut a price of aluminum foil to fit your MT, poke a bunch of holes with a skewer or other sharp object, and place it on top of the grain bed whilst you vorlauf...

This has helped me get clear runnings faster and it's very, very cheap to give it a shot for yourself.

+1 on the foil! Exactly what I do, and it really helps to prevent the settling grain bed from being disrupted by recirculating wort.

 

[Denny]

"Clear" doesn't mean you can read a newspaper through it. It just means "free of chunks".