Draining off lees with new fermenter

[fsinger]

I need some advice here, please. I just purchased a fancy fermenter that holds 6-1/2 gallons and has two spigots, one for draining the lees (or junk from the bottom - it is cone shaped at the bottom), and one for bottling.

The instructions say to drain off the lees every day, but I really wonder if that will change the end product. Will it be better? Worse?? or maybe it doesn't have any effect. It would basically be like racking every day, only you won't get the extra oxygen in the process.

Any input would be helpful. BTW, this thing looks cool!! Like the big guys, only in miniature. The best $145 I have spent so far, but let's see if it changes the quality of my brew.

Thanks

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

i dump the trub when primary fermentation is complete, then condition for however long you like, dump the trub at bottling/keeging. maybe my ignorance, but the breweries i have visited don't dump trub everydat from primary tanks?????

it's just nice not having to transfer the beer and expose it to oxygen. cool gadget!

cheers!
DeRoux's Broux

 

[fsinger]

but the breweries i have visited don't dump trub everydat from primary tanks?????

I think you are right. I live near the Red Hook Brewery in Woodinville, WA - that's a good question to ask at my next visit. I think I should do as the big guys do it, only in miniature.

Funny that the instructions that came with the fermenter were so specific about that point. Maybe to tout the convenience of just BEING ABLE TO RACK EVERYDAY! I dunno.

 

[DeRoux's Broux]

it can't hurt i guess, just seems like a waste of time? i could be lazy too????? do a trial and error thing. brew two batches, same style back to back. remove trub everyday from one batch, don't with the other. see if there are any taste/quality differences. i'd be curious to see if there's a difference.
BTW, you lucky SOB! living next to Red Hook. i love the ESB :~)

cheers!
DeRoux's Broux

 

[fsinger]

Removing the junk (trub?) at the bottom is no harder than turning a valve stem and catching the junk on the way out. No racking from carboy to carboy, no sterile washing, etc. I think I'll pull off the crap every couple of days and see if there is any difference when I brew next and leave on for a week, as I usually do.

Living near Red Hook brewery sounds good, but the Microsoft yuppie crew also lives near. You go in there and it is so d*mned commercialized you just want to get outa there (if you can find your car amid all the Lexus SUV's).