32 replies to this topic

[VirginiaBeach]

I figured I'd put this up for debate/discussion as I'm wondering if removing the trub actually makes a difference. Maybe it's important for a delicate beer like a pilsener but less important for more robust ales?

[No Party JKor]

Ideally, remove it, but I don't think it's a huge issue for homebrewers.

[Deerslyr]

I did not vote. I whirlpool and drain with a bazooka screen offset to the side. Works just fine for me. And FWIW, I don't bag my hops, regardless of whether its leaf or pellet.

[MtnBrewer]

I don't siphon either. I whirlpool and drain just as Deerslyr described.

[Steve Urquell]

I didn't vote b/c of how I handle my wort. I scoop mine out of the kettle with a sanitized 3qt. pot and pour thru a fine mesh strainer. I used to stress over the trub and sanitize a grain sack and stretch it over a large strainer to get every bit of trub I could.After countless batches, now I get out what I can and don't worry about it too much.

[RommelMagic]

I use a counter flow chiller and empty right into the carboy so pretty much everything ends up in there, except hops. That is until I get a whirlpool set up.

[MakeMeHoppy]

I whirlpool with a spoon and let it settle for 20 minutes or so after I chill. I use hop bags that I remove before chilling. When I siphon I have the goal of leaving all the trub behind, but in reality I grab some because I get a little greedy and don't want to leave too much beer behind. I notice no difference with the same beers made when I use to dump all of the trub and hop material into the fermenter.

[VirginiaBeach]

Well I was most concerned with whether or not people take or leave the trub, and any differences in flavor, not so much whether it's siphoned or drained. I just tried to edit the poll but for some reason it won't let me. Anyways, I'm just trying to get peoples opinions on whether they leave the trub in the kettle or put it into the fermentor with the wort, and if there's any effect on the finished product, regardless of how it gets there (siphon or draining, or otherwise)

[No Party JKor]

Well I was most concerned with whether or not people take or leave the trub, and any differences in flavor, not so much whether it's siphoned or drained. I just tried to edit the poll but for some reason it won't let me. Anyways, I'm just trying to get peoples opinions on whether they leave the trub in the kettle or put it into the fermentor with the wort, and if there's any effect on the finished product, regardless of how it gets there (siphon or draining, or otherwise)

Well, there's an effect. There's no debate about that. The question is whether the downsides are a big deal to homebrewers. They are to commercial brewers.

[jammer]

i whirlpool and siphon as much as the wort as i can off the wort and the hops. If i accidently siphon some into the fermenter, no biggie. I'll siphon it off again when it goes into secondary.

[BarelyBrews]

I pour threw a strainer which helps with aeration, then i leave most of the trub in the brew pot.Then i rack a second time almost always anywhere from 10 days or more to a secondary.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I pour threw a strainer which helps with aeration, then i leave most of the trub in the brew pot.Then i rack a second time almost always anywhere from 10 days or more to a secondary.

I've always done this except I don't leave the trub in the brew pot. Some of it might get caught in the strainer bag but most trub gets through I think. This weekend I'll be trying to whirlpool and carefully siphon to avoid as much as I can.

[Stout_fan]

I use a CFWC, so all the cold break goes into the fermenter.I use a 5 gal hop bag, so most of the pellet junque stays behind.My drain tube goes down to the center of the BK. I drain until I see mostly hot break remaining, then I stop.So the answer was yea, kind of really, but not exactly and a tad different.Hope this clears things up

[beach]

i whirlpool and siphon as much as the wort as i can off the wort and the hops. If i accidently siphon some into the fermenter, no biggie. I'll siphon it off again when it goes into secondary.

This except I don't secondary.

[Big Nake]

My brewpot is a completely vanilla 10-gallon SS Polarware pot... no spigot. So I either have to dump or rack. Since I harvest my yeast to use again and because I like to get my beers as clear as possible, I started allowing everything in the pot to settle so I could rack out the wort, leaving the majority of the Schputz™ behind. I voted that there were more off-flavors with all the break material in there, but I have no real proof of that. Remember that I make wimpy beers compared to many homebrewers and small things could come through easier in my beers. I also remember seeing someplace that it's a good idea to keep the hop & break material out of the primary. Now we need a poll on whether or not you skim the foam (hot break?) off the top of the wort when you're bringing it up to a boil!

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

My brewpot is a completely vanilla 10-gallon SS Polarware pot... no spigot. So I either have to dump or rack. Since I harvest my yeast to use again and because I like to get my beers as clear as possible, I started allowing everything in the pot to settle so I could rack out the wort, leaving the majority of the Schputzâ„¢ behind. I voted that there were more off-flavors with all the break material in there, but I have no real proof of that. Remember that I make wimpy beers compared to many homebrewers and small things could come through easier in my beers. I also remember seeing someplace that it's a good idea to keep the hop & break material out of the primary. Now we need a poll on whether or not you skim the foam (hot break?) off the top of the wort when you're bringing it up to a boil!

people actually do that???

[Stout_fan]

... leaving the majority of the Schputzâ„¢ behind. ...

A variation on Schmutz ?

[Big Nake]

A variation on Schmutz ?

Apparently, yes. I have heard of Schmutz, Schmootz and similar. But don't be fooled by imitations... this is the one and only Schputzâ„¢. It gives my beer that certain... Schputzitude.

[Spoon]

I siphon as much clear wort as possible but generally end up w/ trub. But I never had any problems. Of couse I brew for me and not to win ribbons so it doesn't make difference to me.

[denny]

A guy on HBD tested this a couple years back. He made 2 batches of pils, one with trub and one without. IIRC, the differences were very slight, but he actually preferred the batch with the trub left in.

Edited by denny, 17 December 2009 - 01:01 PM.