Trub help, please.

[Braufather]

Here is my experience of this topic......

I used to worry about getting the hop debris and break material from the boiler in to the fermenter. So I would whirlpool, wait for it all to settle and then transfer through a hop sock and a sieve with fine mesh material in it to prevent any unwanted stuff in my wort. As time has gone on and I have become more experienced and read quite a lot on the different topics within brewing, I have experimented with different methods within my brewing. Now I tip everything from the boiler in to the fermenter, no whirlpool, no filtering. I usually ferment for at least 2 weeks and sometimes I will cold crash, but recently have not bothered. I am careful when racking in to my kegs from the fermenter and the beer is usually fairly clear at this point. In my experience, I have found no difference in taste from not filtering in to the fermenter. I usually leave the kegged beer to condition for 3 or 4 weeks and its usually pretty clear by then. After a few more weeks (if there is any left) it is very clear.

I'm not saying I am right, but for me and my methods its not worth filtering in to the fermenter.

That’s my method too. Same results too.

 

[GerritT]

The MAIN reason I sieve the lot inbetween brew kettle and fermenter is because it's brewday and I have the opportunity. Racking to secondary, or to bottlebucket is half an hours' work, can be done in the evening without mess. If I had to sieve that some opportunity, it would last much longer with more mess. Similar goes for bottle day, already stressful enough with me taking over the kitchentop with bottles and the like, add extra stress because of trubled beer and things get exciting...

So in short: yes I think it's something worth doing, and I do it early because I feel more comfortable. And my beer is good enough.
Apart from #31, but that one was nasty. #32 and #33 are awaiting in the fridge

 

[Braufather]

I don’t even use a secondary. All the trub goes into primary, it’s keft for around three weeks then straight to keg. Some times I cold crash the fv but mostly I don’t( as cold crashes in keg)Very clear beer.

I think time and low temperature are most important factors. Stress free clear beer!

 

[Duxuk]

I have imitated the Cwtch kit where you leave all the hops and put them in the FV. I've done 2 such brews, both AG, and found that you get additional vegetable or grassy flavour compared to filtering the hops out. I prefer the filtered flavour.

 

[JohnB]

Well, thanks folks for all your input. I have taken on board the comments above and just completed a dark mild all grain brew. One problem I had is where the boiler was located, which was away from the sink/taps (faucets). So rapid chilling was a bit of a problem, hence transferring to FV to cool - no longer. A visit to the local builder came up with 8 yards of nylon pipe and connectors to get the cooling water to the boiler (cooled to 23 DegC. in about 20 minutes). The "Protofloc" also seems to have worked a treat and although there is sediment settling out in the fermenter, it is nowhere near as bad as before. To get rid of the kettle muck I just used a bed of hops in a large sieve, it worked a treat. The wort looks clean and is off to a good old bubble. Can't wait to try it - BUT will be patient (patience young padawan, you all say) and let it condition properly. My first attempt was with a couple of gallons of bitter and it was such a messy process (even though an excellent brew), I thought it'd be a good idea to ask what you folks do. Much improved process, thanks. You all got a big from other family members. So to filter or not to filter. I think it is probably a matter of what works for the individual, rather than being a process to be strictly adhered to. For me, now I've got the cooling sorted it looks like filter directly after the boil.