Trub did not settle

[flynpa]

Hello all. I brewed a German Ale from Williams. Did it per the instructions except that I added 1/2 tsp of spanish moss half way through to ironically improve clarity. When it came time to pour from the kettle to the fermenter, alot of the trub had not settled. I think it was mostly spanish moss. It was impossible not to get a quite a bit into the fermenter. What should I do? Secondary? When? Thanks!!

 

[VikeMan]

My advice is to let the beer finish fermenting, make sure there are no off flavors, then package. If you rack carefully (and when wouldn't you do that anyway?), I don't think the spanish moss is going to cause any problems.

 

[Yooper]

The teaspoon or so of Irish moss won't cause any issues. The trub wasn't all Irish moss anyway- there would be hot break, cold break, etc which are coagulated proteins. It'll all settle out in the fermenter so don't worry about it.

Normally you add the boil finings at the end of the boil, with 10-15 minutes left in the boil and not halfway through, but that doesn't really matter.

 

[IslandLizard]

Irish Moss!

Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is an epiphytic flowering plant that often grows upon larger trees in tropical and subtropical climates [...]

Dried Spanish moss makes good tinder for fires, and you can make it into blankets, rope, and mattress filling. Mattresses filled with Spanish moss are noted for staying cool on a warm summer night. Because it soaks up and retains water, it is also used for garden mulch. [...]

 

[RPh_Guy]

Irish Moss!

Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides) is an epiphytic flowering plant that often grows upon larger trees in tropical and subtropical climates [...]

Dried Spanish moss makes good tinder for fires, and you can make it into blankets, rope, and mattress filling. Mattresses filled with Spanish moss are noted for staying cool on a warm summer night. Because it soaks up and retains water, it is also used for garden mulch. [...]

Man all this time I've been using Spanish moss. No wonder my wort wasn't clearing!

 

[flynpa]

Thanks everyone. It was definitely Irish moss. I put it in half way through per the instructions. Is it a waste of time? Should I stop using it or change to using it at the end of boil?

 

[VikeMan]

Thanks everyone. It was definitely Irish moss. I put it in half way through per the instructions. Is it a waste of time? Should I stop using it or change to using it at the end of boil?

It's not a waste of time. I use carrageenan tablets instead. Carrageenan is the stuff in irish moss that binds with proteins.

 

[IslandLizard]

It's not a waste of time. I use carrageenan tablets instead. Carrageenan is the stuff in irish moss that binds with proteins.

Exactly!

That also makes me wonder how useful it is using it in extract brews. Most, if not all, hot break has been removed at the maltster already when they boiled the wort and condensed it making the extract.

 

[VikeMan]

That also makes me wonder how useful it is using it in extract brews. Most, if not all, hot break has been removed at the maltster already when they boiled the wort and condensed it making the extract.

Ya know, I've discussed this on a different forum, with a long time (and bullheaded) brewer who insisted he gets just as much hot break with extract as with all grain. He even posted a picture of foam on top of wort. So I asked for a picture of "egg drop soup." He promised one, but years later, I'm still waiting.

I agree with you... there's hardly any (hot) break material in extract. If I were brewing extract, I would not bother kettle fining.

 

[IslandLizard]

I put it in half way through per the instructions.

Yeah, that makes me/us wonder what else is in those "instructions."

If they mention anything about transferring to a secondary after xx days, just blindly ignore that, leaving the beer where it is, is best, until you're ready to bottle.

OK, I just read the instructions, they're not sucking you into a secondary. Phew!
https://www.williamsbrewing.com/pdfs/K42.pdf

 

[flynpa]

I was referring to the instuctions on the irish moss. As far a secondarying, it was just a thought on my part since I have never had this much trub make its way into the fermenter.

 

[IslandLizard]

As far a secondarying, it was just a thought on my part since I have never had this much trub make its way into the fermenter.

There's no need for a secondary. All trub will settle out when fermentation has completed. Even if it's 2-3" deep.

Don't stick that siphon all the way down in the trub (so many bad videos).
Rack/siphon from the middle of the beer, about halfway between the beer surface and the trub layer. Lower the siphon as the beer level drops tilting the fermenter toward the end to keep the siphon well deep. When trub starts to suck up, it's done, pinch the hose or pull it out of the bottling bucket.

And use one of those flow inverter tippies on the bottom of the siphon/cane, to further reduce sucking up trub.

 

[flynpa]

Will do. Thanks!

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Ya know, I've discussed this on a different forum, with a long time (and bullheaded) brewer who insisted he gets just as much hot break with extract as with all grain. He even posted a picture of foam on top of wort. So I asked for a picture of "egg drop soup." He promised one, but years later, I'm still waiting.

If I were brewing extract, I would ...

Here's you chance to offer some anecdotal experience on brewing with extract!

Using BBR's "Hop Sampler" approach, one would need 1 lb Briess light DME, 1 lb Muntons light DME, 2 oz of a hop to sample, US-05 yeast. Brew two 1 gal batches with each brand of light DME.

1. add 1 lb light DME at 'flame-on' (not start of boil)
2. observe wort every five minutes or every 5F
3. do not add hops until start of boil.
4. continue with the BBR "Hop Sampler" process

The beers come out fine, so no reason to be concerned about anything that one did (or didn't) see. Adding hops before the start of the boil appears to invalidate the "exBEERiment". @Steveruch has an upcoming article (Zymurgy, July 2020?) on malt extracts. I am waiting to see the article before I say anything more.

 

[pc_trott]

I agree with you... there's hardly any (hot) break material in extract. If I were brewing extract, I would not bother kettle fining.

If the extract kit includes a bag of grain along with the extracts, is it worthwhile to add the Irish moss then?

 

[VikeMan]

If the extract kit includes a bag of grain along with the extracts, is it worthwhile to add the Irish moss then?

Probably. But not IMO as important as with an all grain batch.

 

[IslandLizard]

If the extract kit includes a bag of grain along with the extracts, is it worthwhile to add the Irish moss then?

Depends on what grain is being steeped.
If they are proper steeping grains (Crystal, Caramel, dark/darker roast) there's probably little or no appreciable benefit.

If they contain any flaked goods or other grain that actually need to be mashed (not just steeped), kettle finings will help to coagulate the suspended gunk (starches) they leave behind.
Especially flaked goods, it's better not putting those in at all unless you do a "mini mash" by adding a diastatic malt, instead of steeping.
If they are all mixed together already and contain grains that need to be mashed, do a mini mash instead of a steep.

A mini mash using a voile/mesh bag, as if you're doing a small BIAB, or a sieve to strain takes about an hour. Mash between 148F and 156F. Stick the mash pot in a prewarmed but turned-off oven of 150-160F for the hour to keep temps better. Maybe stir once or twice during the hour, and return to oven.

 

[ncbrewer]

Anecdotal evidence: My extract batches have lots of curds in the trub after racking when I use Irish Moss. When I don't use it, it doesn't have the curds. And I can tell a big reduction in chill haze using Irish Moss.