Good to the last Drop?

[boomtown25]

Ok fellow Brewers:
I just returned from my local Barnes & Nobles where I read during my lunch break and was well into “How to Brew” when I came across a section that discussed when you drink your first brew. I am preparing to brew my first batch more than likely tomorrow and I am a bit of a perfectionist and want my virgin experience to be perfect. (yeah, that was a comical jab at all those girls that wanted their first to be their best). Anyways, it discussed not drinking the last sip because of the leftover yeast, dreg, etc.
1. Is this something that I have to worry about with my extract kit?
2. Is there a way to eliminate this (such as pouring my chilled wort through a stainless steel strainer into my fermenter?
3. Is this something I WANT to eliminate as best as possible or do I want it in?
4. Will cold breaking my wort by chilling with frozen spring water directly in my wort help this?

 

[android]

i think you're talking about two different things here. there is the trub and hop debris that is found in the boil that really isn't a problem (at least never has been for me) if you get some or even all of it into the ferementer. there are things you can do to limit this, but don't worry about it for your first few beers.

and then there is the sediment and yeast that will settle down in your bottled beer. that is pretty much impossible to avoid as a homebrewer. i think what Palmer means by that statement is to pour your bottles into a glass and leave behind the last 1/4" of beer or so in the bottle that contains the yeast and sediment so you are just getting the good beer in the bottle.

 

[thern001]

there is no way to eliminate this through filtering as the yeast that you find in bottom of the bottles are formed during the conditioning of the bottle( the second fermentation when you carbonate the beer in the bottle).

I did see once in a video of these special bottle caps that filter out these yeast search the video archive from craigtube.

 

[kapbrew13]

Yeast poop is formed in the bottle. Sorry.

 

[thern001]

craigtube in youtube*

 

[PantherCity]

I believe that this refers to not pouring the last bit of the bottle into you glass. I am assuming you will bottle because this is your first batch. When you bottle condition beer you add a small amount of fermentables (priming sugar) to the beer in the bottling bucket and then transfer it to the bottles and cap them. You let them sit at 70 F for a few weeks to allow the yeast that is still in suspension to consume the sugar and produce the CO2 for carbonation. When you cool them back down in the fridge, the yeast floculate, or fall out of suspension, to the bottom of the beer bottle. This yeast is what you do not want in your glass. It wont hurt you and its not that big of a deal but it doesn't taste or look good.
You can forget all of that if you keg.

I recommend you purchase a copy of "How to Brew."

P.s. My first time was magical! I'm glad I waited till it was the right time.
(meaning don't rush it, let the batch mature and carbonate. It will be hard to resist.)

 

[hops2it]

Natural byproduct of bottle conditioning. Some brews especially if allowed to set for several weeks, and even more so if refrigerated for a decent timeframe will settle to the point I can pour them out entirely and the sediment won't come off the bottom of the bottle. If not, just leave the last little bit in the bottle when pouring.

Also worth mentioning is to get in the habit of rinsing bottles right after the pour. This will make it a snap the next time you're ready to bottle with no need for intense cleaning.

 

[kapbrew13]

Also heard the sediment has vitamin D also

 

[boomtown25]

Thanks everyone, didn't consider the yeast would be pooping out the priming sugar they eat to carbonate. Thanks everyone for answers- ya'll cleared up my question perfectly!

 

[smalliewader]

If it's heffe or any type of wheat beer, I want all that good stuff swirled up before I pour. I'm not leaving any of that in the bottle.

 

[onipar]

Also worth mentioning is to get in the habit of rinsing bottles right after the pour. This will make it a snap the next time you're ready to bottle with no need for intense cleaning.

Yes! I don't take my first sip until I've rinsed out the bottle. You don't want that stuff sitting int the bottle, getting hard and yucky until the next time you're ready to bottle.

 

[CusterBrews]

Well, it sounds like you may be a little confused about the brewing process. The yeast won't be a problem when you still have wort because the yeast are only introduced when you are ready for the wort to be fermented and made into beer.

For your first question:
The fact that you are using an extract kit doesn't make any bit of difference when it comes to yeast.

For your second question:
The strainer idea will only help aerate the wort (when it is 70 degrees F or below) and should never be used when the beer has already been fermenting since it will oxegenate the beer and leave off flavors. The yeast are essential in carbonating the beer.

For the third question:
You don't want to eliminate the yeast or you won't be able to have beer, you will only have wort. Yeast are essential for carbonating the beer and making the alcohol in the beer.

For the fourth question:
Cold breaking will only help reduce the amount of unwanted proteins and other items such as hops in your beer. The yeast should only be added after the cold break.


If you are concerned about yeast, I would give you this bit of advice:

Once you have fermented the beer for a week or so, you can siphon the partially fermented wort to another container to reduce the yeast in the bottom. Then when you go to bottle(another week or two later), you can siphon the beer to another container where you will add the priming sugar. Then when you open the bottle of beer (after another week or two), make sure it is cold and pour slowly leaving the last little bit of bear and yeast that have settled out in the bottom of the bottle. Just chilling the bottle of beer will help the yeast that are present to settle to the bottom of the bottle.

 

[bechard]

I do a cold crash for two days prior to bottling.

My first brew you had to leave an inch in the bottle or yeast chunks would get into the glass.

I started cold crashing with my second batch, using the same yeast. My cold crashed brown ale has just a thin layer of yeast in the bottle, and even then only small particles with no clumps. I've given it three weeks to carb up, and it was half carbed at two weeks. When I tried a bottle last weekend, the small amount of yeast stayed on the bottom even when fully pouring the beer.

Cheers.

 

[onipar]

When I tried a bottle last weekend, the small amount of yeast stayed on the bottom even when fully pouring the beer.

Cheers.

I've found this to be true with my Belgian White too. Not sure if it's the amount of bottle conditioning time, or the amount of chilling time in the fridge, or maybe both.