Using Mesh bag/sleeve during racking. Good vs. Bad?

[nwbeer]

Hey guys. I gotsa question fer yeh.

I typically use a fine mesh bad over the bottom of my autosyphon when racking after dry hopping. I have been hooked on using it everytime I rack beer lately (dry hopped and NON dry hopped). I feel I get less yuckies racked in this way.

Will I lose valuable flavors using this filter over the syphon?

Ive been using it and have noticed very little to no trub development when my beer is in secondary. I like this aspect.

But do you think I am missing out on flavor???

Thanks,
J

 

[hezagenius]

I use a mesh bag over the outlet end of the autosiphon when I rack to kegs. I've tried putting it on the intake end but it kept getting sucked into the siphon and breaking the flow. I catch quite a bit with it so I think it is doing a good job.

 

[hezagenius]

And no, I don't think it will impact the flavor at all.

 

[1977Brewer]

Are you racking to secondary after dry hopping, or did I miss something? If so, you're losing the flavor there, mesh bag or no.

 

[jbb3]

Hey guys. I gotsa question fer yeh.

I typically use a fine mesh bad over the bottom of my autosyphon when racking after dry hopping. I have been hooked on using it everytime I rack beer lately (dry hopped and NON dry hopped). I feel I get less yuckies racked in this way.

Will I lose valuable flavors using this filter over the syphon?

Ive been using it and have noticed very little to no trub development when my beer is in secondary. I like this aspect.

But do you think I am missing out on flavor???

Thanks,
J

If you were talking about filtering when you rack from your BK to your fermenter, I would say; yes, that can have an impact on your flavor. But since you're talking about filtering after primary, I don't think you have any worries on effecting flavor at that point.

If you bottle carb, you obviously don't want to filter out the yeast but that would require about a 1 micron filter. Don't think your mesh bag is anywhere close to that so you should be fine.

 

[jbb3]

Are you racking to secondary after dry hopping, or did I miss something? If so, you're losing the flavor there, mesh bag or no.

Oh boy. Here we go... LOL...

 

[1977Brewer]

Oh boy. Here we go... LOL...

I'm not trying to go anywhere, I promise. If you're pulling it off the dry hops and into a secondary, it's going to lose some flavor. Dry hop in the secondary if you feel you must secondary.

 

[Yooper]

I don't use a bag at all. It clogged up so badly that I ended up restarting the siphon over and over and oxidized my beer.

if you can do it without it clogging or otherwise aerating the beer, then it won't be an issue.

 

[ffaoe]

I use a BIAB bag over the auto-syphon ONLY when racking a beer off fruit. Believe me there is nothing more of a pain in the a$$ than having raspberry seeds clogging up your beer line from the keg.

 

[jbb3]

I'm not trying to go anywhere, I promise. If you're pulling it off the dry hops and into a secondary, it's going to lose some flavor. Dry hop in the secondary if you feel you must secondary.

I thought this was headed down the no secondary debate path but I re-read your comment and agree. Dry-hopping works best in/during secondary.

BTW, you don't need to rack to a secondary LOL...

 

[nwbeer]

I got the bag from my LHBS. It is sold by BrewCraft usa I think its a 2x5" Fine nylon keg hop bag.

I use it at the bottom of my syphon (never had any problems). I use a sanitized piece of 4x fly fishing tippet to keep it tied on.

Yes jbb3, I bottle carb. AND you are right, I doubt it is enough to hold back yeast. The bag has had no effect on achieving good bottle carb.

I first used the bag when racking into my bottling bucket after a 4 day "raw dog" "bareback" (no condom/bag) pellet dry hop.

I figure heck why not use it all the time...

I haven't noticed any loss in flavor but I have yet to do the same beer twice.

I guess what i wanted to know was if i would lose any valuable flavor using the bag when racking from primary to secondary OR from primary to bottling bucket OR from secondary to bottling bucket.

Thanks,
J

 

[nwbeer]

Thanks yooper.

I got slightly worried because I have noticed little to no trub development in my last beer that has been in seconday for almost a week. I didn't want to miss out on valuable flavors.

I understand secondary is an old school thing that most people have abandoned.

I personally dont use it much. unless dry hopping or adding fruit. But i want a nice clear beer this time. Lme really screws that up sometimes.

Believe me the last thing i want to do is start another dang secondary argument thread lol.

Thanks for the help and quick feedback people.

Found this today. Enjoy.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/10-reasons-to-have-a-beer-right-now/ss-AA2fRan?ocid=mailsignout#image=1

Thanks again,
J

 

[ZebulonBrewer]

I agree with Yooper, I tried the bag once and it wasn't for me, BUT then I saw a thread where someone used a reusable coffee filter twist-tied onto the end if the auto-siphon.

It works great!

The only problem this method has is that you can't use it with a traditional carboy, but I use buckets! so it's only a problem when I use my 3G better bottle (rarely for beer)

 

[grrickar]

I take some of mine to secondary so I can reuse the yeast cake for another batch, but I otherwise agree - none needed really.

 

[nwbeer]

Thanks guys. I think i will continue using the bag. Like i said it has never clogged on me.

I hope im not losing flavors......lol