Wort Clarity Out Of Mash Tun

[gwozniak]

Hi all,
Just started AG brewing with an eskie mash tun and a copper manifold. I know that when you drain the wort from the tun, it should be free of any grain husks and bits. But is it supposed to be crystal clear? Mine comes out quite "milky". Should i be recirculating more?

 

[MHB]

Yes
MHB

 

[pokolbinguy]

For this very reason I need to build myself a new mash tun for use down here...this bucket in bucket job just does not cut it.

 

[gwozniak]

Thanks, I'll recirculate more and see what comes out.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I think no - as long as there aren't chunks you are good to go.

Still another minute or two of recirc isn't going to kill you and then you don't have to worry either way.

 

[gwozniak]

I think no - as long as there aren't chunks you are good to go.

Still another minute or two of recirc isn't going to kill you and then you don't have to worry either way.

Not sure if related but had a funny coating form on top of the beer once the krausen was gone. That was trapping the last of the CO2 bubbles and looking like an infection. Had the same thing once bottled. The fermentation from bottling sugar was throwing up this coating. This cleared after a couple of weeks. I now know it's not an infection becouse the beer tastes and smells great. I'm thinking it's protein/crap from too little recirculating forming some coating. I'll see how i go with better recirculation. Any BIAB brewers seen the same?

 

[seemax]

My BIAB worts are never crystal clear like you get from a esky system and recirc....

 

[gwozniak]

My BIAB worts are never crystal clear like you get from a esky system and recirc....

Do you bottle? Do you see a bit of a bubble coating once bottled?

 

[browndog]

Your run off from the kettle does not have to be crystal clear, it is a myth. Have you noticed just when the boil starts, all the hot break forming on top of the wort? If you don't scoop it out as the skimmers do, it gets absorbed back into the wort and ends up aiding in head retention. As TB said, you only need worry about the solid bits and as long the wort ins not the consistancy of milk, you will be OK.

cheers

Browndog

 

[gwozniak]

Your run off from the kettle does not have to be crystal clear, it is a myth. Have you noticed just when the boil starts, all the hot break forming on top of the wort? If you don't scoop it out as the skimmers do, it gets absorbed back into the wort and ends up aiding in head retention. As TB said, you only need worry about the solid bits and as long the wort ins not the consistancy of milk, you will be OK.

cheers

Browndog

Hahaha, mine almost has been the consistancy of milk. I did notice that the last bits of run off were quite clear. I'll try better recirculation.
And yeh, i'm one of the guys who scoops out the hot break.

 

[Thirsty Boy]

Not sure if related but had a funny coating form on top of the beer once the krausen was gone. That was trapping the last of the CO2 bubbles and looking like an infection. Had the same thing once bottled. The fermentation from bottling sugar was throwing up this coating. This cleared after a couple of weeks. I now know it's not an infection becouse the beer tastes and smells great. I'm thinking it's protein/crap from too little recirculating forming some coating. I'll see how i go with better recirculation. Any BIAB brewers seen the same?

So - why do you need to do anything at all? If your beer is good - then you are seeing problems where there aren't problems

 

[gwozniak]

So - why do you need to do anything at all? If your beer is good - then you are seeing problems where there aren't problems

fair call

 

[Peteoz77]

So let me get this straight.... No need to vorlauft? No need to wait until the first runnings come clear? Just run it straight in?

Not for me. I'll run 5-10 litres through until it runs clear. It costs nothing, takes 2-3 minutes, and it gives me piece of mind. I would guess there is a reason that this has been done for centuries... but You go ahead and skip this step, I'm sure it will enhance your beer.... Or not.

 

[bear09]

I need to make what I believe is a very important point on this topic...

I have done about 15 AG's now so I am finally starting to get the hang of things. I can tell if things are going well or not pretty early on in the process. One of my primary indicators is how clear the first runnings are AFTER I HAVE RECIRCED.

For a 30L batch I would say that the max recirc you would ever need should be about 8L - MAX. Some less some more depending on setup. For mine I only need to pull out 4L to get crystal clear wort. Now for my next main point...

I have made brews that after 4L (my usual amount) the wort has no husks or debris but looks 'milky' or 'chalkey'. It never used to bother me much until it got worse and worse. I jumped on the forums and looked for advice. People said mash longer - you aint getting full conversion. I tried this and still - nothing. Then - the catlyist... I mashed a beer once at 68 and went low on the hops. I was trying to make a smooth and creamy English style ale. The bloody thing came out as dry as anything.

Anyhow I finally found out that my thermo was way out of whack - 8 degs out in fact. I thought I was mashing at 68 when really I was just a tad over 60. pervious brews at 66 were really down in the 50's. So it doenst matter how long you leave it to mash, if you aint in sacc range then your beer will look 'chalky' because its full of bloody starch. Once I fixed this up, after 90 mins of mash time I get very clear wort and it looks unreal. The best comparison I can make is like cordial to apple juice. When the wort comes out I thinik it should look like apple juice.

So - please make sure you have checked your mash temps. This helped me immensly in getting clear wort.

 

[tdh]

When I do a vorlauf I bring a few litres at a time to the boil, as soon as hot break appears the boiled wort is run back through.
I continue this until mash temps are in the mid 70*'s, then I run wort to kettle.

tdh

 

[tdh]

Anybody else do this?

tdh

 

[drsmurto]

Anybody else do this?

tdh

As in a thin decoction mash out? A few litres at a time?

 

[gwozniak]

So let me get this straight.... No need to vorlauft? No need to wait until the first runnings come clear? Just run it straight in?

Not for me. I'll run 5-10 litres through until it runs clear. It costs nothing, takes 2-3 minutes, and it gives me piece of mind. I would guess there is a reason that this has been done for centuries... but You go ahead and skip this step, I'm sure it will enhance your beer.... Or not.

If my understanding of BIAB is right than BIAB brewers wouldn't be able to do this. Since they seem to get away with it, it can't be that big a crime.

 

[Greg Lee]

I'd have to agree - no need for clear run off, never really seen the point - I even stir the mash while I fly sparge! - the wort runs off through a SS false bottom, then through a fine plastic kitchen strainer into the boil pot - it is far from being crystal clear - never had a problem after dozens of full mash brews.

Cheers,
Greg

 

[Mickydp1979]

How much trub are you getting at the end of the boil? How about after cold break?

The advantage I can see in having clear runnings is to reduce the amount of leftover sludge before fermenting.