Jump to content
Coopers Community

Two whirlpool, or not two whirlpool?


King Ruddager

Recommended Posts

Yes, I know, two vs. too vs. to. It's a pun - you'll see ...

 

Somewhere along the line I must've got the impression that whirlpools should be performed twice at the end of a boil. I've been doing it that way without question, but yesterday during my second whirlpool I noticed the wort go from clear to murky as I stirred up all the stuff. You can see it fairly clearly in

(fast forward to 3:15 if you hate fun).

 

So, the second whirlpool ... have I been misled, have I completely imagined the need for it, or is there a good reason to perform it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 106
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I dislike fun and couldn't be bothered watching the video tongue

 

I only whirlpool once. At flame out I let the wort sit for 10 minutes to let the convection currents settle down. Then whirlpool and let sit for a further 10 minutes. The kettle is then drained.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A great brewer recently told me about whirl pools in conversation over chilling or cubes as I asked his advise... as im also interested in trying cubes!

 

He said he would never cube as he does two flame out additions in most of his brews... I asked him why he does two! He uses a lot of hops in his brews...

he says...

 

The first whirlpool a vary small amount of IBUs, flavour & aroma from the Flame out...

The second contains small amount flavour zero IBUs and more aroma and he stated that the key is adding hops after 78 degrees...

 

He also dry hops after fermentation...

 

Ive now just started applying just the one whirl pool @ 78 degrees then chilling wort before pitching, and dry hopping after fermentation

 

Tryed my last brew and its truly is amazing

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yeah I have to say I don't bother whirlpooling it either and haven't for a long time. Last time I tried it, the trub got dragged into the tap outlet earlier than when I didn't whirlpool it. I seem to be getting more trub in my urn lately though, so I might give it a go on the next batch and see if it helps get more wort into the cube before the trub starts making its way there.

 

Another idea I saw on AHB was to get a stainless steel bowl and cut the bottom out of it, put this in the urn at flameout, then whirlpool it so the majority of the trub settles inside the bowl and is kept away from the tap outlet. Thinking about trying that out as well actually.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

MR KR, you are an idiot....lol

 

Another good vid.

 

How long do you Whirlpool for?

 

I didn't do it on my first two BIAB but will give it a crack on my next one (Pirate Life Pale Ale clone) in a couple of weeks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey KR

 

I'm learning something new here from Hairy and the crew. I whirlpool as soon as I turn the heat off, I find it makes a big difference as all the hop matter goes to the centre. I need to leave the trub in the kettle as I use a plate chiller and my kettle hasn't got a false bottom or any type of filtering pickup. Don't need that plate chiller picking up.

 

I only whirlpool once, never heard of two. Never considered a 10 minute rest either.

 

Cheers & Beers

Scottie

Valley Brew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

78 degrees flame out additions get it all in... if your worried about hot break add a teas spoon of cement kelsey just kidding mate...

 

to me the second addition after 78 degrees does make sence... im quite happy to die knowing no one else agrees

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wasn't saying anything against adding hops twice after flameout. What I'm saying is, hot break is best left in the kettle. You'd be hard pressed to find any decent brewer recommending to chuck it all into the fermenter. They all do their damndest to keep it out.

 

There's a great big long thread over on AHB about the reasons why it is desired to leave the hot break behind in the kettle, it gets a bit scientific but it's really interesting and makes a lot of sense.

 

At the end of the day if it mattered none to put this crap in the fermenter then the breweries wouldn't spend a heap of time, energy and money on ways to keep it out, would they? wink

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I normally end up with about 3 litres of trubby shit in the bottom of the urn, and that's where it stays. You'll never completely keep this stuff out of the FV, because some will always get transferred across, but it is best to minimize it. Sometimes I do allow a small amount through if it will help top up the cube but I won't tip the whole damn lot in there no way in the world.

 

I don't really care about what Brulosophy did with that experiment of chucking all the hot break in the FV... it is considered to be bad practice in pretty well all brewing circles.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When discussing whirlpooling in relation to hops, it is just a glorified steep.

 

The hops are simply added at a point in the brewing process where the boil has finished & at the start of separating the wort from the break material (grain solids & hop solids). It's just a smart time to add those flavour/aroma hops as it saves time, & kills two birds with one stone (note the 'two' reference! wink)

 

Depending on your equipment & processes, the collection of wort & separation from the solids, may take 10-20mins. Then allowing the wort to sit for a further 10-15 mins equates to approx. 30mins that the hops have actually been steeping in the hot wort. That's a fairly recognized standard timeframe for a hop steep.

 

To gain the most from the hops by whirlpooling, Hairy's approach (Post#2) is the way to go.

 

BYO Magazine - Mr. Wizard: What does "whirlpooling" your beer mean, & how do you do it?

 

It's just a form of steeping, & nothing to get yourself in a spin about! tongue

 

Cheers,

 

Lusty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I sort of do a whirlpool when doing the final stir of the fermenter just before pitching. But don't do the suggested 10 min whirlpool - thats 10 mins I'll never get back.

 

The cold crashing appears to clump everything together anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whirlpooling is a post-boil technique done in the kettle designed to cause all the hot break and hop material and other solids to settle out in a neat little cone in the middle of the bottom of it, supposedly making it easier to prevent this crap from getting into the fermenter. It has nothing to do with the fermenter (aside from keeping that trub out of it) or post-fermentation cold crashing. wink

 

Sometimes hops are added during this time as well but not always.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Helps chilling down wort most people wirl pool with a chiller and spoon,

 

Late hop additions are hugely the most important reason for a whirlpool adding flavours after the boil in decreased temperature extracting Zero IBUs

 

Lets say your brewing a pilsner without late hop aromo!

well you would whirlpool as Kelsey stated and leave trub behind.

 

After reading the Great trub exBEERiment: results are in

 

 

So if your brewing for added hop flavour and aroma in ales for example... you will benifit late hop additions and adding the lot to the fermenter!

 

Ive added hop bags that were in fermentation and added them in plain water left em in fridge to see if there was life left... and yes there was plenty.

 

My opinion is the more hops in beer including in the trub the better,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes but you're missing the point - you don't want the kettle trub in the fermenter, EVER. I don't really care what the f*** Brulosophy says, it's bad practice that has the potential to ruin your beer. Just like pretty well all of his experiments are, in reality. The only reason they don't have any noticeable effects is because he only does one dodgy practice each batch and then drinks it in 2 or 3 weeks - everything else in the process is done properly. Either that or him and his tasting crew have no tastebuds left. Don't get me wrong, it's an interesting blog, but the results of the experiments are hardly solid evidence of anything.

 

By all means, throw hops in during the whirlpool, throw them in when it goes below 80C or whatever it is - but you don't need to transfer the kettle trub into the fermenter to get the full value of those hop additions. The whole reason behind a whirlpool is as I said, to keep that shit out of it, regardless of the style of beer you're brewing.

 

You will find that advice given by pretty well every experienced brewer you come across, because it is backed up by proper scientific research and testing and there are very good reasons why the trub is kept out of the FV, not some Joe Bloggs doing a backyard experiment on his own at home. I trust the former much more than the latter, but all I can do is offer the advice. Whether you take it on board or not is up to you.

 

Cheers

 

Kelsey

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...