Brew in Kettle on Trub - seeking thoughts

[Beermonster]

One of the best things about Homebrewing is freedom to experiment, break the rules and oftentimes make shortcuts that save time with little to no impact on the finished product.

I've Googled brewing in the kettle, and brewing with high amounts of Trub, but what I've done is pitch hydrated US-05 directly into my no chilled wort in the brew kettle exactly as it was boiled (@about 25 degrees, for a ferment @18-20). I did pour 2L of chilled water into the work to splash in a little oxygen at pitch. It's now 12 hours and has a nice Krausen.

It's a partial mash Mosaic Pale ale.

Why? Because my 4 fermenters were full, and it didn't seem in my mind to be a major issue. After all, the vessel is sterile from the boil (other than the pitch process and me having a peek just now). Other advantages include the yeast already taking over the wort before further exposure, which seems a positive when it was no chilled for 16 hours.

Downsides obviously include any flavours that may be imparted from the Trub and the fact that the kettle is not really sealed, but I think a little plastic wrap on the rim will suffice.

So putting it out there for thoughts on whether this is going to bring me trouble? More importantly, now that it's done, when I should transfer out of the kettle; I was thinking I could transfer to a fermenter 1-3 days into the fermentation while it's running at full steam (I've never transferred beer mid ferment, always preferred to leave a week or two on the Trub, which seems beneficial, then final packaging), or alternatively wait a week till it's almost completely finished and go straight to the keg which would have to be the easiest and laziest method possible (the disadvantage here is that there's no rest on the Trub, but since I keg condition/ prime perhaps that's less important).

Or I could just go down to Bunnings and buy a couple of 20L Handy Pails and transfer it now, but since it's just starting to Krausen I wonder if now's a good time.

 

[MHB]

Its really not a good idea!
Instead of spending time telling you why, I'm going to attach two documents, one is part of the training material for the IBD introductory certificate in brewing. It tells you a fair bit about why we want to separate hot break (and excess cold break- some is necessary).
The other is a guide to beer faults, I invite you to open it, choose the search (or Ctrl F) put in "break" there are about 32 entries, most of them describe the beer fault caused by hot and excess cold break, not one of them will indicate it's a good idea to ferment on the break material!
Question is do you want to make piss, good, better or the best beer you can. Or is it more important to make the cheapest alcohol possible with the minimum of work?
Mark

PS do your self a favour - avoid Brülosophy

 

[Beermonster]

Thanks for those doc's. So now that I am several hours into the fermentation what is the safest and best time to get it into another vessel? I assume ASAP, but never having interfered mid ferment I'm wanting to minimise any risks.

My aim is to make extremely enjoyable beer whilst cutting corners that may be low impact. For example, the use of no chill. Much less cleaning, added benefit of heat discharge in the winter etc... And hopefully nothing negative flavour wise, to me a haze is not a fault as I just don't see the excitement about beer being clear even if it's not style correct.

 

[MHB]

Well brewing on the trub isn't Low Impact it is one of the major quality control points in the brewing process.
Clearly not fermenting on break is better than starting, but yes get it off as soon as you can.

One point you really should get your head around Haze isn't so much the fault, its the symptom. It tells you your process has problems (within style constraints). If you went through the Fault Guide like I suggested. You will see a heap of problem that can be caused by excess trub, things like Caprylic Acid (Goaty), excess Esters, accelerated Oxidisation (often enzymic), Phenolic flavours.....
These aren't caused by haze but the bad brewing practices that create haze can easily indicate that there process issues that will cause flavour issues.

Some whiskey makers ferment on the grist with just enough of a boil to kill bacteria, you can try that to if you like. Just don't be surprised if it turns up some unexpected flavours.
Mark

 

[Beermonster]

Thanks Mark, I appreciate your help. You've scared me off fermentation on the hot break. Never worried about the cold break, my beers come out as good as many craft beers without the chill. Maybe I'm bias.

Just grabbed a few of the food grade handy pails from Bunnings for $14.50 a piece, drill put the airlocks etc.... I'll have this baby off the hot break 24 hours after pitch.


Just had a smell of the Mosaic Pale ale in the Fermentle, made that up, and oh shit that's got some potent and enjoyable aroma compared to a normal brew. I suspect the fact it's sitting on a significant amount of late addition Mosaic that otherwise would have been filtered out before ferment. Beautiful.