Over a gallon of sludge

[BigDutchBrewer]

I just racked a 5 gallon porter to a carboy this evening and had over a gallon and a half of sludge.

The two things I had issues with prior to fermentation was the Late addition of DME seemed to create a foam like layer on the top of the wort during the cool down. And it tool longer to cool down the wort -- I normally get it down under 90 degrees in 20 mins pumping ice through my wort chiller.

Any ideas?

I have a controlled ferment of 70 degrees.

 

[MindenMan]

So i've got to ask, is this an AG with a late addition of DME to make up gravity? Did you filter into the fermenter? Did you use a fining agent in the brew kettle?

 

[blackflagbrew]

How long was this in primary?

 

[Jmarsh544]

Did you cold crash prior to racking?

 

[mewithstewpid]

Guessing it needed longer primary to allow yeast to compact. 2-3 weeks minimum with a high floccing yeast works for me

 

[BigDutchBrewer]

It was in the primary 10 days.

It was not an AG batch-- it was a mix.

It wasn't meant to be a "high gravity" beer.

I didn't cold crash.

(This was my 3rd brew, and first porter)

 

[jglazer]

I would have just left it in primary for 20-30 days (closer to 30). Not only would all that sludge compacted more, but there are a plethora of other benefits to letting your beer sit for a bit longer in primary including the yeast cleanup, clarity, melding of flavors, mellowing of off flavors (if there are any), etc...