Straining wort in an AG brew

[WelshPaul]

Quick question: is it worth filtering the final wort, post-boil, through a fine sheet of material to remove any unwanted solids before adding the yeast, or will anything that's in the boil settle into the trub as time goes by?

 

[Runwell-Steve]

There shouldn't be any unwanted bits if your hop strainer is doing it's job properly.

After the boil is over and the wort is cooled leave your boiler to stand for a couple of hours so that everything settles, when you start running off the wort gently return the first few jugs back into the boiler. A nice bed of hops will have formed on the bottom of your boiler and this will filter all the bits out of the wort and you should have a nice clear wort going into the fermenter.

Bon't worry if it isn't totally clear as it will fall and collect iun the bottom of the fermenter.

 

[WelshPaul]

I'll be using a hop bag anyway, but will take that advice on returning the first couple of litres back to the boiler. Thanks.

 

[Runwell-Steve]

If you use a hop bag in the boiler that prevents the hops from forming the filter bed.

If you have a hop strainer in your boiler I wouldn't bother with a hop bag.

It's not worth recirculating the wort if you don't have the hop bed on the floor of the boiler creating the filter.

The only other thing that is likely to be in your boiler is the Cold Break, it's not crucial to filter that out, people who use counterflow chillers don't filter it out, it just drops out in the fermentor.

 

[WelshPaul]

The problem is, my "boiler" is just a very large stock pot that we boil on the stove before cooling and decanting to the FV, so a hop bag is usually necessary to prevent the hops from reaching the FV.