First AG (BIAB) - a few questions

[Manitude]

I decided to go to the 'dark side' after finding a 30L boiler at a good price, but I've got a couple of questions. Hopefully everything is fine, but I'd just like to check in case something has gone wrong!
The recipe I'm using is Eskimo Bitter (#2 on the recipe list on this website)
1) The wort smelt very hoppy before I added the yeast. I suspect this might be down to the relatively long cooling time while the hops were still in the boiler. Instead of an immersion chiller I used wet towels on the outside of the boiler, (sanitised) freezer blocks and a freezing cold evening. Managed to cool it to just under 30degC in just over an hour. The brew is also a bit low on volume, coming in at around 17L rather than the 19L I expected, so that may have something to do with it? Will the fermentation process alter the taste such that it appears less hoppy?

2) Lots of particles in suspension at the bottom:
http://i44.tinypic.com/14lhtz6.jpg
This photo was taken just now, about an hour after pitching the yeast. It doesn't appear to be a clumpy mess like you'd get with yeast, but tiny particles in suspension. I think it's bit of grain that managed to get through the holes in my bag. I don't really fancy losing 5L of beer to this sediment, so do you think passing it through a filter when I rack it would sort it out?

3) When should I bottle, and is there need to use stabiliser if I intend to naturally carbonate? On a similar note, I'm bottling into glass bottles and I'm wondering if my standard wilkos bottle capper will get a good enough seal to deal with the pressure? I've used it before for still cider and the caps came off quite easily. I couldn't get them off by hand, but with an opener it was much easier than I'm used to.

On the whole, I'm looking forward to tasting it! :

Thanks.

 

[mattyhall22]

Is the stuff at the bottom the hot break material? I've not made the transition to the darkside yet so that is purely a guess.

:

 

[calumscott]

1) Firstly, good work getting it to cool that quickly!!! I usually just leave my FVs outside for hours on end until they're cool enough to pitch. Things smell VERY different in the AG world. You've just made great beer. Relax. The finished beer will be less hoppy, fermentation does change flavours and particularly the ones that you think are OTT at the start.

2) Trub. Mostly protein which separates out during the boil. A.K.A. Hot Break Material. It's fine, it'll pack down with the yeast during fermentation and you'll syphon clear beer off at the end.

3) Do not stabilise. Any capper will be able to get you a good enough seal. If you are worried you could upgrade, I use an "emily" and it's really good.

 

[Manitude]

Is the stuff at the bottom the hot break material? I've not made the transition to the darkside yet so that is purely a guess.

:

Could well be. I remember noting there was some powder of roughly the same colour in the packet of malt, so I assumed it was that.

 

[nobyipa]

if you are racking to secondary you will leave the yeast cake behind including any crud
you might end up with less than you wanted but it will be still great beer
:thumb: :drink:

 

[Manitude]

1) Firstly, good work getting it to cool that quickly!!! I usually just leave my FVs outside for hours on end until they're cool enough to pitch. Things smell VERY different in the AG world. You've just made great beer. Relax. The finished beer will be less hoppy, fermentation does change flavours and particularly the ones that you think are OTT at the start.

2) Trub. Mostly protein which separates out during the boil. A.K.A. Hot Break Material. It's fine, it'll pack down with the yeast during fermentation and you'll syphon clear beer off at the end.

3) Do not stabilise. Any capper will be able to get you a good enough seal. If you are worried you could upgrade, I use an "emily" and it's really good.

Excellent, good to hear that the flavours will change with fermentation!

It was about minus 1 or 2 outside, combined with the outside of the boiler constantly being wetted with cold water from the towels and a chilly breeze. I'm pretty happy with how fast it was, but I'm planning on constructing an immersion chiller for the next brew as it should be much easier to deal with that constantly ferrying ice packs from the freezer, putting them in freezer bags and sterilising them!

I don't intend to give it a great deal of priming sugar, so in light of that I think I'll stick with the wilkos capper.

Thanks a lot :