Straining Your Hops

[Batz]

I am up to number 21 partial mash , and so far after the boil and cold break I strain the hops out as I tip the wort into my fermenter.
Now I have been very happy with the results so far , but today I thought why strain ? So the last brew I did I tipped it all in the fermenter , I can't see a problem here can you?
Perhaps a little stronger in the hop flavour ( no problem there ) and I am sure they will settle out in primary , if not when I rack , then CC most would be left behind I believe.
Anyone else strain or not ?

 

[Snow]

I never strain, batz, and have never had a problem with hop particles, except for the one time I used plugs - then I had to use steel wool to filter the leaves out.

- Snow

 

[Murray]

I always have problems with hop debris blocking my tap.

 

[jayse]

iam the same. the only reason i strain them out is as not to block the lines going to the C.F.C. and the tap in the kettle etc.
otherwise there is no need at all to remove the hops before pitching the yeast.

 

[Trough Lolly]

I stopped straining quite a few brews ago, and have never looked back.

Since I always rack the beer to secondary fermentation, I used the inline filter I got for less than $10 at bunnings, (see separate thread by GMK) when I move the wort from primary to secondary and I've never had problems or blockages.

I use pellets and plugs - no drama's and leaving the hops in the primary fermenter gives a better flavour and aroma profile than before.

Cheers,

TL
:chug:

 

[Batz]

So one of those inline filters is big enough? You don't have to stop and empty it at all?

 

[sponge]

Yes i know im doing a bit of grave digging with the old search function... but instead of posting a new thread, i thought i may as well just continue with this

Ok, so i didnt bother straining my hops (pellets) this time. At the moment, i dont put my brews into a secondary, so if i leave the brew in the primary for a fair while after fermentation has finished... will they eventually settle out?


Also, the brew i did has only dropped 6 points in the 4 days it has been fermenting (using us05). It was my first go using the us05, as i normally use the s04 with my ales, so im just wondering if its normal for it to be taking a while in fermenting? Just for more info, im brewing it around 17'C, to try and keep the beer as clean as possible in terms of fruity flavours.


Cheers, Sponge

 

[browndog]

Good to hear you moved away from those partials and got into AG Batz, you will never look back mate
Sponge, your hops will settle to the bottom of the fermenter eventually, a week in secondary/CC won't hurt for clearing the beer up. As far as the US-56 only dropping your wort 6 points in 4 days, it sounds like there is something wrong there, the best I can come up with this that your thermometer/ temp probe is reading wrong and you temp is actually a lot lower than 17C, as far as fruity flavours go, you can ferment US-56 at 19-20C and still get a clean beer.

cheers

Browndog

 

[sponge]

Ok, so after a week, when i take a sample, i still get a fair amount of hops in there. I have two of those FWK cubes. Would it be worth racking into one all the way, and only filling up the other one to 4-5L or whatever i can get out of the 21L's i originally made and CC for a week or two?

There is also still a large hop 'krausen' on top of the wort. I'll leave the brew another week or so until its finished fermenting and given it a few days to settle out, but is it worth racking into the two cubes? They're really the only way of storing beer atm because my other fermenter is in use.

Would only racking 4-5L in a cube oxidize the beer too much? Would it be better to say, fill them both to 10L instead?


Cheers, Sponge

 

[matti]

You are correct to be concern about oxidisation.
Personally I would have no problem to put it in a second fermenter silently with head space.
Providing you do this in a sanitary environment you should be able to get away with it.
My question is how our you going to get it out of the FWK cubes silently?

 

[sponge]

Thats exactly what i was thinking as well. Theres pretty much no easy way to bottle if i do that. I think i might have to bight the bullet and hope the hops settle out in time.

Ohhhh well.... ill tell my mates thats its only cool if you have little leafy things floating around in ur beer. they wont know the difference haha


Fingers crossed everything will go ok tho

How about just sticking the fermenter in the fridge for a couple of days? Will leaving it on the yeast cake in the fridge cause any damage? Is there a chance that the hops will settle out in cooler conditions?

Cheers, SPonge