Trub

[enoughstuff]

I mistakenly dumped the entire contents of my boil into the fermenter and let it work for three days. I have siphoned off about 4.5 gals. into a secondary fermenter and left behind most of the sediment this time. The beer is still quite murkey. How much "Trub" am I in for here, and any recommedations on how correct this batch? There is some great stuff out here for us newbies!

 

[El Pistolero]

Sounds like you left the trub in your primary...couple of weeks and your beer will clear and there will be a thin yeast cake at the bottom, which you'll leave behind when you rack to your keg or bottling bucket. I don't see anything that needs correcting.

 

[loopmd]

Sounds like you left the trub in your primary...couple of weeks and your beer will clear and there will be a thin yeast cake at the bottom, which you'll leave behind when you rack to your keg or bottling bucket. I don't see anything that needs correcting.

Ditto

What El Pistolero said.

 

[enoughstuff]

Sounds like you left the trub in your primary...couple of weeks and your beer will clear and there will be a thin yeast cake at the bottom, which you'll leave behind when you rack to your keg or bottling bucket. I don't see anything that needs correcting.

Well, this is certainly encouraging news! Time to start a second batch!

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Somerville]

If he pitched the yeast in the fermenter with the entire contents of the boil, wouldnt most of the yeast be at the bottom which he then seperated the wort from when he put it in the secondary---wouldnt this cause an incredibly slow fermentation if krausen hadnt taken place? I dunno, Im still a newbie...maybe I read it wrong...

 

[enoughstuff]

If he pitched the yeast in the fermenter with the entire contents of the boil, wouldnt most of the yeast be at the bottom which he then seperated the wort from when he put it in the secondary---wouldnt this cause an incredibly slow fermentation if krausen hadnt taken place? I dunno, Im still a newbie...maybe I read it wrong...

I think I'm good on the yeast. I've got about 1/4 inch white sediment in the carboy now, and the airlock is still bubbling after 4.5 days.

 

[El Pistolero]

He said it had been in the primary for three days, so I just assumed the active fermentation had already happened...particularly since he implied that there was a lot of sediment left behind.

I may be wrong, but I don't think most newbies, particularly those of us with plastic buckets for primaries, strain the boiled wort. Most of the newbie instructions I've read say just dump it in...splashing as much as possible.

 

[El Pistolero]

I think I'm good on the yeast. I've got about 1/4 inch white sediment in the carboy now, and the airlock is still bubbling after 4.5 days.

Sounds like yer makin beer

 

[Somerville]

Oh man, Im a freak about straining. I dont want all those boiled hops and grain fragments floatin around in my beer bottles near the end...Though I know they sink, thats just more paranoia when Im transfering it around...I figured out a cool way to strain...
Get a packet of cheese cloth and cut off a peice large enough to cover the primary (BTW: this is for plastic primaries). Boil it to sanitize it, then when its done boiling (and cooled!), unravel it to the best of your ability without ripping it...kinda shake it around. Lay it over the top of the bucket and push a little bit of a dip into it. Take duct tape or any sturdy take and tape the cheese cloth down all around the sides....pour away! Strained--perfectly!

Well...almost perfectly for me...I was stingy on the tape and the cloth started to cave soooo make sure its sturdy lol

 

[enoughstuff]

Oh man, Im a freak about straining. I dont want all those boiled hops and grain fragments floatin around in my beer bottles near the end...Though I know they sink, thats just more paranoia when Im transfering it around...I figured out a cool way to strain...
Get a packet of cheese cloth and cut off a peice large enough to cover the primary (BTW: this is for plastic primaries). Boil it to sanitize it, then when its done boiling (and cooled!), unravel it to the best of your ability without ripping it...kinda shake it around. Lay it over the top of the bucket and push a little bit of a dip into it. Take duct tape or any sturdy take and tape the cheese cloth down all around the sides....pour away! Strained--perfectly!

Well...almost perfectly for me...I was stingy on the tape and the cloth started to cave soooo make sure its sturdy lol

Thanks Somerville. I'll certainly give that a try next time around.

 

[El Pistolero]

Oh man, Im a freak about straining. I dont want all those boiled hops and grain fragments floatin around in my beer bottles near the end.

Well I can see your point, but almost all of that stuff is left behind in the primary, and what isn't is left behind in the secondary. Now I'm a fo sho newbie at this, and my first brew is pretty dark, but I haven't seen anything floating in the bottles, and I haven't had to pick any hops out of my teeth.

Besides, I need all my duct tape for fixin my car.

 

[vtfan99]

...Get a packet of cheese cloth and cut off a peice large enough to cover the primary (BTW: this is for plastic primaries). Boil it to sanitize it, then when its done boiling (and cooled!), unravel it to the best of your ability without ripping it...kinda shake it around. Lay it over the top of the bucket and push a little bit of a dip into it. Take duct tape or any sturdy take and tape the cheese cloth down all around the sides....pour away! Strained--perfectly!...

I use a metal kitchen strainer. When pouring/siphoning into the primary, I pour/siphon through the strainer. This keeps out almost all large particles and is pretty simple. There is no cheese cloth to boil and no duct taping needed. Just place the strainer over the mouth of the bucket or over the funnel into the carboy. Very simple.

 

[loopmd]

I use a metal kitchen strainer. When pouring/siphoning into the primary, I pour/siphon through the strainer. This keeps out almost all large particles and is pretty simple. There is no cheese cloth to boil and no duct taping needed. Just place the strainer over the mouth of the bucket or over the funnel into the carboy. Very simple.

Exactly what I do. No muss, no fuss. Some guys will tell you there are negative benefits to doing this as too much air gets introduced by straining this way, but it has worked great for me over the years.

 

[DyerNeedOfBeer]

too much air gets introduced by straining this way

I don't think you will find that argument on this site. Aeration of the wort is a positive for yeast to get a good start. Prior to pitching, oxygen introduction by shaking or air stones with air pumps or oxygen bottles is common. The only time this could be bad is if the wort is still hot but it seems that the majority of people are going to cool the wort prior to moving it to the primary.

 

[vtfan99]

I don't think you will find that argument on this site. Aeration of the wort is a positive for yeast to get a good start. Prior to pitching, oxygen introduction by shaking or air stones with air pumps or oxygen bottles is common. The only time this could be bad is if the wort is still hot but it seems that the majority of people are going to cool the wort prior to moving it to the primary.

Definitely cooling beforing straining. I figure the strainer may actually increase aeration, especially during siphoning.

 

[loopmd]

I meant straining before cooling. I know that oxygen is a good thing as after you pitch your yeast you stir everything to introduce oxygen. I'm talking about hot side aeration. After the boil, I put a 7 lb bag of ice my primary fermentor, put the strainer over the top of the bucket, strain the wort through the strainer into the primary with the ice, top it off to the 5 gallon mark with h2o. Chills everything instantly to pitchable yeast temps. Works like a charm. I've never had any bad effects doing this. Just thought I'd add another option/opinion. You do it your way, I do it mine. The cool thing about it is we both end up with beer. I realize there are numerous ways to go about getting the end result, but in the beginner forum, it would be great to let everyone know they can relax and realize that just about no matter how you do it, you will be ok.

 

[El Pistolero]

...in the beginner forum, it would be great to let everyone know they can relax and realize that just about no matter how you do it, you will be ok.

Well said

 

[Somerville]

Ya...its all gravy...but I dont know...I strained everything out but there was just this nasty little group of small yeast clumps that just bobbed around at the top of the carboy...I knew they would be trouble...I was siphoning into the bottling bucket and they came along--again and then even near the last 15 bottles or so I saw some tiny yeast clumps shoot through the hose...oh well, at least the others are crystal clear...until the sediment grows...Im sure all of them will look the same in the end...

 

[Turricaine]

It's packed full of goodness!