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Whirlpool
in the past, i have used a mesh bag to add my hops to the kettle. I've heard that I can improve the utilization of the hops by adding them directly to the boil instead of using a bag - so I did just this for my last batch. After I cooled the wort, I stirred it around fast for about 1 minutes with my arm and a spatula. I let it rest for 15 mintues, then racked the beer into the primary. While alot of debris remained in the center bottom of the brew pot, I noticed that there was still alot of debris that made it into the fermenter. Any advice on a better whirlpooling technique?
I like to use a long spoon to whirlpool. I can make it reach the bottom of the pot, and I get it going as fast as I can, but without agitating enough to make bubbles. Start slowly, and build up a gentle circular motion moving on the far side of the pot. Once you get it going, let it go for at least 20 minutes. This will allow it enough time to get all the junk centered, and then calm down enough to make a difference. Last time I brewed, I had a small mountain of stuff peaking in the center....very little trub transfered....
Also, if you use a siphon, try putting a screen on the end. I guess you could use sanitized nylon stockings...I have some very fine SS mesh I can attach to the end if needed.......
What is your style- Extract, Partial Mash, or All Grain? And the size of your brewpot.
I'm doing all grain batches and boiling in a 5 gallon brew bot.
You're boiling a full AG batch in a 5 gallon pot?.........How do you get a good boil going with so little space? That could make a difference, as with a good hot break a lot of the proteins will coagulate becoming bigger, and more easily settle post-boil......
Let me pose this hypothesis:
How much material were you leaving behind when using a hop bag, and were you happy with it?
Because in theory utilization does go up when the hops are free floating in the wort...but we aren't talking about 400% improvement, its probably closer to 4% improvement.
So what is the value of the gain if you were getting better wort separation by using a bag for your hops.
Also using a bigger bag (or more bags) increases utilization too.
As for whirlpooling, you just need to be sure you're getting alot of movement. Really stir it up. If you chill prior to whirlpooling then oxygenation isn't a concern and its actually beneficial right!
Try letting the whirlpool settle longer. I usually get mine spinning and then let it sit for 30minutes or so before I transfer to the fermentor.
The geometry of your pot matters too. I don't get a good whirlpool in my converted keg kettle because there is a coupler and a pick up tube sticking out into the whirling wort. This causes a disruption in the flow and screws up the cone from forming. I get a great whirlpool in my standard flat bottom pot though as the flow is much smoother near the base.
When I had a 5 gallon extract kit, I transferred from the boiler to the primary through a large funnel and mesh screen and this filtered out the hops really well.
With the 1/2 bbl set up, I transfer from mash tun to boiler, then clean the mash tun and sanitize it, then transfer the boiler back through the mash tun and its false bottom and let the wort run through continuously to the primary (just a keg without the ball connection.) The false bottom catches all the hops flowers (I usually take a couple of scoops out at the end of the boil to reduce clogging during transfer) and the splashing in the mash tun provides good aeration, too.
I'm going to try the paint stirrer method. I have a stainless steel paint stirrer and a low speed drill just like Crabnut suggested i'll let you know how it goes. I'm going to chill the wort then whirlpool so agitation won't be a factor as it can only add oxygen which is needed for the yeasties.
I have brewed the same recipes without hop bags and with. A guy I work with suggested paint strainer bags. I got the one gallon size. There is plenty of room for hop pellets to expand and float around, I tie a piece of string close to the top giving the hops plenty of room and tie it off to the handle of my kettle, just so it can't hit the bottom of the pot. I usually bag them up while I am mashing in the correct doses. Then just tie them off when it is their time. I haven't noticed a difference in flavors at all. IPA is still an IPA, and even little clean cream ales still come out the same. So there really isn't a big difference in utilization, not in a full volume boil for 5 gallons anyway. The bags were like $1.50 for a pair, they are nylon and washable/reusable. They really clean up the wort.
I used a metal strainer and pour the wort back and forth 2 to 3 times. What does the whirlpool do and when should I do it. Should I not pour back and fourth?
BK wrote:
I used a metal strainer and pour the wort back and forth 2 to 3 times. What does the whirlpool do and when should I do it. Should I not pour back and fourth?
Whirpooling helps collect any cold break, hop debris, etc in the kettle after chilling your wort. When you whirlpool a kettle all that stuff forms a cone in the bottom of the kettle and it makes for clean transfers into your fermenter. Its not necessary but an extra step some people take.
When do you dothe whirlpool?. I ice bath the pot then I by pouring back and forth. Then I add the remaining cold water to top off to 5.
25 gallons. Then I pitch the yeast and shake for 5 to 10 minutes Right, wrong, thoughts?.
Well I use a pump and plate chiller so I recirculate my wort while I'm chilling and I whirlpool then. Before I had the pump and was using an immersion chiller I would whirlpool after I chilled the beer down to pitching temps. Then rack the beer into the fermenter and pitch my yeast.
Your method sounds fine. Chilling using an ice bath is fine but using an immersion chiller would speed things up. By pouring your wort back and forth you're aerating the wort and introducing oxygen which is necessary for yeast growth.
BK
Your method is more like how I brew. I chill using my immersion chiller and an ice bath. I don't bother with the whirlpool at all. Everything goes straight into the fermentor and then is separated out when I transfer over to secondary after primary firm is all done. I get alot of material in the bottom of the primary though.
I was thinking though that I might start doing something like whirl pooling so that I can remove more of the trub before primary and then skip secondary all together and go from primary to my bottling bucket or keg.
ID
When I transfer the wort to the fermentor I use a metal strainer. My new fermentor allows me to take trub out daily after fermentations with a bottom spot so It does not sit on it. I have been told you can get off flavors if it sits on the trub entire time. I emptied about 2 to 3 cups. The new fermentor allows me to keep it in the primary and not have to rack to a secondary. I just used it for the first time and my bitter sweet amber turned out great.
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