From the boil to the primary ???

[kontreren]

As I learn about brewing I have folks telling me that they clear as much of the excess solids from the brew so they have hardly any trub in the primary after fermention, mostly just the yeast. I am struggling with that. For the first time I did not dump all the solids (left over hop & grain debris) from my boil pot into my fermenter (always enjoyed doing that ) but there is still a lot of solids floating in the wort at that time. Naturally I'm losing some liquid as well. Does anyone rack it and let it sit for a day or two to settle then sparge it and add yeast later? Or how does one go about getting the wort clear as possible on its way into the primary before pitching yeast?

 

[Revvy]

The yeast, and gravity does a pretty good job of letting stuff settle, that's why it really is a matter of choice whether or not you dump all stuff, rack over, or filter from the kettle to the fermenter. long primary, using secondary, cold crashing, adding finnings in the boil, some add gelatin finnings, and chilling your beer a long time all contribute far more to a beers clarity.

Although some folks are now embracing no-chill brewing, they are tightly sealing their unpitched wort in special containers.

Under normal brewing circumstances, it really is important to get the yeast pitched ASAP, before any competing micro organisms take hold. You want your strong yeast to quickly take over and start working.

I have done all the above in my beers, dumped, chilled and racked, and used various strainers when going from kettle to fermenter, and really it doesn't matter, it is the other stuff that I do, adding moss, long primary and leaving my beer in the fridge for more than a couple days, that makes by beer really crystal clear.

 

[MMW]

First: don't forget the irish moss. I have one beer that I forgot it and I still have trub in the bottles.

B) Long primary times seem to help too (4 weeks is becoming my norm).

3-- Hop sack. I use the 5 gallon strainer bags from Lowes (they're like 2 for $3). It won't keep all the hop particles in but it will get most of it.

4. Count me in as one of the no-chill types (even if my special container is a highly technical thing called an 'Ale Pail' ). Everything from the kettle goes into the pail. I get 24-48 hours of settling before racking to my fermenter and pitching the yeast.

* Here's one last thing that seems to help: whenever you rack, move your fermenter a couple of hours before hand to let everything settle down before you get started.

 

[kontreren]

Excellent responses both. I do use an immersion chiller but perhaps I should let it settle longer before racking to the primary and pitching. I am using pellet hops so straining bags are no help during the boil. I do use bags for steeping.

 

[Revvy]

Excellent responses both. I do use an immersion chiller but perhaps I should let it settle longer before racking to the primary and pitching. I am using pellet hops so straining bags are no help during the boil. I do use bags for steeping.

What I do with my IC, is chill the wort, then I lean the bottom of my autosiphon about two coils up from the bottom on the metal of the siphon. That rests it above most of the break material and trub, then I rack it to the fermenter until I'm down to that and carefully lower the siphon down into the gunk, just trying to get as much of the wort as possible without letting in the hops and break matter.

 

[kontreren]

What I do with my IC, is chill the wort, then I lean the bottom of my autosiphon about two coils up from the bottom on the metal of the siphon. That rests it above most of the break material and trub, then I rack it to the fermenter until I'm down to that and carefully lower the siphon down into the gunk, just trying to get as much of the wort as possible without letting in the hops and break matter.

I've started doing that going from the primary to secondary and it has really helped. I didn't do that last night in the boil pot but will do it tonight. Oh and what is IC?

 

[kontreren]

First: don't forget the irish moss. I have one beer that I forgot it and I still have trub in the bottles.

B) Long primary times seem to help too (4 weeks is becoming my norm).

3-- Hop sack. I use the 5 gallon strainer bags from Lowes (they're like 2 for $3). It won't keep all the hop particles in but it will get most of it.

4. Count me in as one of the no-chill types (even if my special container is a highly technical thing called an 'Ale Pail' ). Everything from the kettle goes into the pail. I get 24-48 hours of settling before racking to my fermenter and pitching the yeast.

* Here's one last thing that seems to help: whenever you rack, move your fermenter a couple of hours before hand to let everything settle down before you get started.

I just started using SuperMoss. I hope it is as super as the name implies.

 

[Revvy]

I've started doing that going from the primary to secondary and it has really helped. I didn't do that last night in the boil pot but will do it tonight. Oh and what is IC?

You are going to slap your forehead when you see it

IC=Immersion Chiller

 

[kontreren]

You are going to slap your forehead when you see it

IC=Immersion Chiller

LOL, got me!

 

[Revvy]

LOL, got me!

I knew it would

 

[Revvy]

No stuff, you're a mason? I have a couple pics of one of the first Lodges in Ontario in my Labatt's Pioneer Brewery thread. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/labatt-pioneer-brewery-128740/

 

[Homercidal]

I've started making a whirlpool in my kettle during the chill siphon. It's helped to keep the majority of the stuff out of the chiller. I also strain the cooled wort through a kitchen strainer as it drops into the fermenter. This strains the solids and helps aerate the wort.

When the siphon gets to the top of the mass of solid material in the kettle, I stop and simply pour the gunk through the strainer so I can keep most of it from going into the fermenter, not that it makes much difference.

Irish Moss and crash cooling and time have been working very well for me. If you just want less junk in the trub for yeast harvesting, I think it should not be a concern. Proper yeast washing method will overcome that. It's easy.

 

[kontreren]

I've started making a whirlpool in my kettle during the chill siphon. It's helped to keep the majority of the stuff out of the chiller. I also strain the cooled wort through a kitchen strainer as it drops into the fermenter. This strains the solids and helps aerate the wort.

When the siphon gets to the top of the mass of solid material in the kettle, I stop and simply pour the gunk through the strainer so I can keep most of it from going into the fermenter, not that it makes much difference.

Irish Moss and crash cooling and time have been working very well for me. If you just want less junk in the trub for yeast harvesting, I think it should not be a concern. Proper yeast washing method will overcome that. It's easy.

I'm just learning about yeast washing so I'm feeling much better about the future of my batches.

 

[kontreren]

No stuff, you're a mason? I have a couple pics of one of the first Lodges in Ontario in my Labatt's Pioneer Brewery thread. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f85/labatt-pioneer-brewery-128740/

Wow, almost missed this. Yes I am a mason. Getting ready to check out your pics.