Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?  (Read 11940 times)

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #15 on: November 14, 2011, 12:57:29 pm »
If I was going to lager without first bottling or kegging, I'd at least rack to a secondary.
I have found no ill effects from leaving it on the yeast cake.  Autolysis is not as much of a problem on a homebrew scale, and the colder the better for preventing autolysis, so you've got everything in your favor.  Have you tried it? 


Could i carb at room temp then through them in the fridge to lager?
Yes, you absolutely should let the beer carb before lagering this way.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline bo

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1141
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #16 on: November 14, 2011, 01:00:11 pm »
If I was going to lager without first bottling or kegging, I'd at least rack to a secondary.
I have found no ill effects from leaving it on the yeast cake.  Autolysis is not as much of a problem on a homebrew scale, and the colder the better for preventing autolysis, so you've got everything in your favor.  Have you tried it? 


No, I lager in the keg, but I just wouldn't want my beer sitting on yeast that long.

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #17 on: November 14, 2011, 01:03:17 pm »
If I was going to lager without first bottling or kegging, I'd at least rack to a secondary.
I have found no ill effects from leaving it on the yeast cake.  Autolysis is not as much of a problem on a homebrew scale, and the colder the better for preventing autolysis, so you've got everything in your favor.  Have you tried it? 

No, I lager in the keg, but I just wouldn't want my beer sitting on yeast that long.
Whatever works for you, but I do it with no problems.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline robertpreed

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 48
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #18 on: November 14, 2011, 01:31:28 pm »
So, it seems people do things a LOT of different ways and the beer still comes out okay.    Maybe that is where the "relax, have a homebrew" comment comes from.

I'm pretty obsessive when it comes to cleaning and sterilization, so I feel pretty safe in the "use a strainer to catch some of the trub and transfer to secondary after low krausen to avoid trub off flavors".    Unless I am doing something pretty unsound, I think that should be safe.

Wait until I get ready to bottle in 2-3 weeks and see what kind of panic questions I can come up with about my bottle wand filler.......

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #19 on: November 14, 2011, 01:34:09 pm »
So, it seems people do things a LOT of different ways and the beer still comes out okay.    Maybe that is where the "relax, have a homebrew" comment comes from.

I'm pretty obsessive when it comes to cleaning and sterilization, so I feel pretty safe in the "use a strainer to catch some of the trub and transfer to secondary after low krausen to avoid trub off flavors".    Unless I am doing something pretty unsound, I think that should be safe.

Wait until I get ready to bottle in 2-3 weeks and see what kind of panic questions I can come up with about my bottle wand filler.......
Don't use a strainer between primary and secondary, that will just introduce air at a time when you really don't want that.  The people who use a strainer do it between the kettle and primary.  If you have to rack to secondary to make you feel better go ahead, but do it gently and under CO2 if possible.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline robertpreed

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 48
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #20 on: November 14, 2011, 01:40:45 pm »
Oh, the strainer was from the brew kettle to the primary (where you want splashing) only.

For moving to secondary, used tubing and had zero splashing.

The reason for me transfering to secondary is that is what the Northern Brewer kits say to do.   I think until I get my sea legs under me more, I will continue to do this until I am ready to experiment with just primary.   

I know people seem to be divided on the use of secondary, but until I have more batches under me, I will just do what the instruction sheet says.   Yeah, the "just following orders" excuse!

I really do appreciate all the comments and reading people's opinions.
« Last Edit: November 14, 2011, 01:49:24 pm by robertpreed »

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #21 on: November 14, 2011, 01:49:48 pm »
Oh, the strainer was from the brew kettle to the primary (where you want splashing) only.

For moving to secondary, used tubing and had zero splashing.
Oh ok, I misread it.  Whew! ;D

I still don't think you need to worry about off flavors, but do it how you like.  How long do you leave it in secondary?
Tom Schmidlin

Offline davidgzach

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1698
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #22 on: November 14, 2011, 02:03:32 pm »
So if i didnt want to rack to a secondary to lager i could bottle then through them in the fridge and lager that way?

If thats right so the process for me would be to let the beer ferment to FG at lager yeast temps then add the priming sugar and the beer to a bottle bucket, bottle them, then through them in the fridge for the lagering time, crack one open and enjoy?

Could i carb at room temp then through them in the fridge to lager?

Leave them out for 2 weeks to carbonate, then put in fridge to lager for 4-6 weeks. 
Dave Zach

Offline robertpreed

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 48
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #23 on: November 14, 2011, 02:49:37 pm »
Oh, the strainer was from the brew kettle to the primary (where you want splashing) only.

For moving to secondary, used tubing and had zero splashing.
Oh ok, I misread it.  Whew! ;D

I still don't think you need to worry about off flavors, but do it how you like.  How long do you leave it in secondary?

Yeah, that would have been a pretty bad mistake!

I'm going to bottle the weekend after thanksgiving, so it will have been in Primary for 1 week and Secondary for 3 weeks (at 60 degrees).

Offline duboman

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1578
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #24 on: November 14, 2011, 03:29:36 pm »
Oh, the strainer was from the brew kettle to the primary (where you want splashing) only.

For moving to secondary, used tubing and had zero splashing.
Oh ok, I misread it.  Whew! ;D

I still don't think you need to worry about off flavors, but do it how you like.  How long do you leave it in secondary?

Yeah, that would have been a pretty bad mistake!

I'm going to bottle the weekend after thanksgiving, so it will have been in Primary for 1 week and Secondary for 3 weeks (at 60 degrees).

Seems like you got a lot of great advice but I would add that we run all our batches through a large strainer from kettle to primary as it really does a great job of both filtering out a lot of sediment and really aerates the wort which the yeast loves!
Peace....Love......Beer......

The Commune Brewing Company-Perfecting the craft of beer since 2010

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #25 on: November 14, 2011, 03:49:00 pm »
Oh, the strainer was from the brew kettle to the primary (where you want splashing) only.

For moving to secondary, used tubing and had zero splashing.
Oh ok, I misread it.  Whew! ;D

I still don't think you need to worry about off flavors, but do it how you like.  How long do you leave it in secondary?

Yeah, that would have been a pretty bad mistake!

I'm going to bottle the weekend after thanksgiving, so it will have been in Primary for 1 week and Secondary for 3 weeks (at 60 degrees).
For that short of a time I wouldn't bother racking, but if it's working for you and you don't mind doing it, have at it.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline tomsawyer

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1694
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #26 on: November 14, 2011, 05:33:32 pm »
I believe that leaving beer on the yeast cake longer actually helps.  Even when the yeast is on the bottom of the fermentor, its still working on the beer.  I've never had any problems due to trub, I honestly think thats a nonissue.  This isn't like gross lees in wine, everything has been boiled and so theres no rotting from bacterial infection.  Stuff just doesn't rot without bacterial infection.
Lennie
Hannibal, MO

Offline ynotbrusum

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4874
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #27 on: November 14, 2011, 09:00:51 pm »
I believe that leaving beer on the yeast cake longer actually helps.  Even when the yeast is on the bottom of the fermentor, its still working on the beer.  I've never had any problems due to trub, I honestly think thats a nonissue.  This isn't like gross lees in wine, everything has been boiled and so theres no rotting from bacterial infection.  Stuff just doesn't rot without bacterial infection.

+1.  I don't have the science on this (yeast working on the beer to clean things up after fermentation is complete), but it seems to be true - I seem to like the beers better that have rested on the yeast cake awhile beyond terminal gravity being reached.  Even so, Sean T indicated that with lighter ales, you can get by with as little as 12 or so days in the primary (I typically have gone for 30 days, then crash chilled and kegged), so I have a cream ale that I am going to try with this shorter arrangement (if it ferments out fully with US-05 in that short of a period).
Hodge Garage Brewing: "Brew with a glad heart!"

Offline davidgzach

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1698
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #28 on: November 15, 2011, 07:03:36 am »
Keeping the beer on the yeast cake defnitely helps clean the beer, especially for lagers.  If you underpitched yeast or fermented at a higher than optimal temperature, there will be off-flavors that need to be conditioned.  However, especially for ales, if you pitched a proper amount of healthy yeast and fermented at the proper temperatures, you can take the beer off the cake much sooner. 

Also, read the article in the latest Zymurgy about grain to glass in 6 days.  It's a great read.
Dave Zach

Offline weithman5

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1681
  • naperville, il
Re: Does Using a Strainer Reduce Trub in Primary?
« Reply #29 on: November 15, 2011, 07:23:39 am »
still don't see the need to transfer to secondary for lagers.  i have lagered in a plastic bucket primary for several months. just put the whole bucket in the fridge. and i have re used the yeast with no problems after that.

 i am not even sure that it needs to be transferred to a bottling bucket before bottle conditioning either.  (or naturally carbonating in a keg) just slowly mix in your priming sugar and siphon carefully.
Don AHA member