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Author Topic: OK, the noob did a stupid.....  (Read 1730 times)

Offline oscarvan

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OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« on: November 28, 2010, 09:53:29 pm »
The first batch is a partial extract kit from the local brew store. Two bags of grains, two bags of dried extract three little baggies of hop pellets and a yeast whack pack. After just re-reading the instructions I realized I failed to put the hop pellets in the supplied muslin baggies..... so THAT'S why I had three of them left..... DUH!

OK, what does this mean?......1: I'm hoping that whatever solid matter was left will be on the bottom, and since I'm not saving this yeast batch it'll "go away"...... or even better: 2: I would think that these pellets would disappear anyways. I mean, they were pretty powdery in the ziplock baggies, don't see how the muslin would have kept it inside anyways.....

So, I can take it.....give me the bad news and tell me how this will produce "off flavors" (beer speak for: Dude, go ahead and CHUCK IT.....) or shall I follow Charlie's advice and "don't worry, have a brew?"
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2010, 10:12:36 pm »
RDWHAHB.

Most of it will settle out, a lot of people don't use bags.  If you let the beer settle, are careful racking, let it settle again in the bottle and then are careful pouring, you won't get all that much carried over into the glass.

And yes, the pellets will fall apart in the liquid, there won't be big chunks floating around, just some small bits of the cones.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline oscarvan

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #2 on: November 28, 2010, 10:18:58 pm »
Thanks, I feel better, although rational thought anticipated your answer.

Now, I will be kegging, racking with an auto syphon. Any change in your handling suggestion?
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #3 on: November 28, 2010, 10:33:22 pm »
In that case, I'd chill it to 32F to crash out whatever you can, then dump the first bit (or let it settle out again before you drink it).  Then warm it up and carb as normal.  You might get some bits as the keg goes, but you won't care. :)

You could always try wrapping one of the muslin bags around the autosiphon before you rack it, that will keep some stuff out.  I haven't tried it and would worry about it clogging, but it could work.

<edited for clarity>
« Last Edit: November 28, 2010, 10:35:30 pm by tschmidlin »
Tom Schmidlin

Offline rabid_dingo

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #4 on: November 28, 2010, 11:38:15 pm »
I use a clamp on my autosiphon to suspend it just barely in the trub. I lower slowly until it starts to pick
some up and raise it back up above the point where the trub was being drawn up the autosiphon. Preemptivly
though I will prop one edge of the bottom of  my fermenter on a 2X4 (raise it 2" not 4") and that way
when I go to siphon to the keg I level the fermenter and place the bottom of the siphon in the shallow
side of the yeast cake. You'll notice that there is an obvious angle to the level of the cake. Then follow what
Tom said for the keg part.
Ruben * Colorado :)

Offline theoman

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #5 on: November 29, 2010, 03:39:02 am »
I never use a bag for pellets, but I'm also one of those weirdos who usually does a secondary. I get pretty much no gunk at the end.

Offline dzlater

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #6 on: November 29, 2010, 04:50:26 am »
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 Preemptivly  though I will prop one edge of the bottom of  my fermenter on a 2X4 (raise it 2" not 4") and that way
when I go to siphon to the keg I level the fermenter and place the bottom of the siphon in the shallow
side of the yeast cake. You'll notice that there is an obvious angle to the level of the cake. Then follow what
Tom said for the keg part.
I never thought of tilting the fermentor before racking to push the yeast cake to one side.
That's the kind of simple thing that one learns on the forum that is actually a really great idea.
Dan S. from NJ

Offline richardt

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #7 on: November 29, 2010, 07:48:36 am »
A Duplo block often works well (it is like an oversized Lego for toddlers) if you're using a fermentation/bottling bucket.

Rouse the yeast--keep the bucket or carboy on the counter; hold the bucket with both hands and make a big "O" on the counter a couple of times.  Keep going in the same speed and circular motion--you're trying to stir the beer and get the yeast back into suspension.  Don't change directions suddenly (i.e., right-left-up-down-right-left)--you're not trying to aerate the wort/beer by agitation (so, you shouldn't hear a lot of sloshing).   Do this step when you're about 2/3rds of the way done with fermentation (...let's just say one week, since you're new to this, though the vets will say use the hydrometer to know for sure).  Then prop up the side nearest the spigot (assuming you're fermenting in a bottling bucket) or a definitive reference mark on the bucket (if racking later with a cane and siphon tube). 

In the future, you may wish to ferment in a fermentation fridge (where you can set the temp to ideal fermentation temps e.g.low to mid 60's F for an ale), then crash chill (e.g. 33F) when you're ready to clear the beer.  Then you can simply prop it up earlier on (I do it after high krausen is done to keep the trub off the lid of the bucket as much as posssible) and not have to do any re-rousing or lifting until racking time.

Offline kgs

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #8 on: November 29, 2010, 09:42:10 am »
I never use a bag for pellets, but I'm also one of those weirdos who usually does a secondary. I get pretty much no gunk at the end.

For brews with a lot of "stuff" in them, I rubber-band a (clean, unused, sanitized) ChoreBoy on the end of my autosiphon.
K.G. Schneider
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Offline corkybstewart

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #9 on: November 29, 2010, 09:47:20 am »
I've used the hops bag on the stick trick many times and that will keep almost all the big stuff out of the keg.  The rest will come out with the first glass. 
BTW I usually use pellet hops and I don't bother with the hops bags either.  They are handy for dry hopping in the keg though so I always have a few on hand.
Life is wonderful in sunny White Signal New Mexico

Offline oscarvan

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #10 on: November 29, 2010, 10:29:42 am »
OK, it's been 8 days and although there is still some activity I HAD to go in there and take a sample..... (see separate thread). As far as this thread is concerned, during kraeusen the hop dust must have ridden on top of the foam and made a gorgeous green ring around the collar, about two inches high, and now well above the fluid level. It separated itself out and parked. Problem solved. (BTW I'm fermenting in a 6 gallon bucket, 5 gallon batch).

Thanks for all your insights.
Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....

Offline oscarvan

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Re: OK, the noob did a stupid.....
« Reply #11 on: November 30, 2010, 03:22:52 pm »
Where the remains of the hops ended up...... very clean, and IMHO not a bad way to go.....


Wooden Shoe Brew Works (not a commercial operation) Bethlehem, PA
http://www.woodenshoemusic.com/WSBW/WSBW_All_grain_Setup.html
I brew WITH style..... not necessarily TO style.....