I just read an article about this vorlaufing (rerunning the the wort into the mash tun til it's clear of debris) is it really necessary? the wort gets filtered by the hops and the amount of husk that gets through the false bottom is negligable so very little chance of tanins, and people mash over night and don't great bad results either.
Cos it would make life a lot easier if I didn't as it is a royal pain in the posteria. I suppose it is easier if you batch sparge as pouring it back in makes no odds
Vorlaufing
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Scooby
Tried under-letting last brew and was much easier 
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Calum
I have to agree with Andy and Iowalad.
Personally I tend to use the tin foil with holes system for pouring a few litres back through. I know that I am never going to get crystal clear runoff but it does not effect the final product. The only beer I don't manage to get crystal clear is my Hefe
.
I mentioned this before but at a recent Scottish Craft Brewers meeting, Stuart Cail (head brewer at Harvieston) talked about examining the final product and working back rather than trying to do everything perfect and not knowing what the final product is going to turn out like (the recent fly v batch sparge discussions are relevant to this aswell).
Having said that, I do know a brewer who has a RIMS system, wort is crystal clear and makes some of the best beer you could ever wish to taste.
Personally I tend to use the tin foil with holes system for pouring a few litres back through. I know that I am never going to get crystal clear runoff but it does not effect the final product. The only beer I don't manage to get crystal clear is my Hefe
.I mentioned this before but at a recent Scottish Craft Brewers meeting, Stuart Cail (head brewer at Harvieston) talked about examining the final product and working back rather than trying to do everything perfect and not knowing what the final product is going to turn out like (the recent fly v batch sparge discussions are relevant to this aswell).
Having said that, I do know a brewer who has a RIMS system, wort is crystal clear and makes some of the best beer you could ever wish to taste.
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SteveD
I think people get hung up on the word 'clear'. In the recirculation process, as Andy says, do it until there is no solid matter, and you see it go from murky to, say, hazy. Sometimes it does run properly clear, but not every time. I have a 5L jug I use for this that has a cider tap mounted at the bottom to which I atttach a short tube. I fill the jug, hold it over the mash, and crack the tap so the tube delivers the wort gently back to the mash to minimise aeration and general disturbance.
Is there a problem with boiling grain material if you don't recirculate? I don't know. Some say ...hmmm extraction of tannin, stuff, etc, whereas others go..aaahh but what about decoction mashing?? Eh? Eh? So, who knows.
Refer to skinning the cat, multiple ways, thereof.
Is there a problem with boiling grain material if you don't recirculate? I don't know. Some say ...hmmm extraction of tannin, stuff, etc, whereas others go..aaahh but what about decoction mashing?? Eh? Eh? So, who knows.
Refer to skinning the cat, multiple ways, thereof.
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mysterio
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oblivious
I pour my wort over a plastic plate from the kiddie kitchen. I use standard plastic line and stop when I can't see floaties in the line when the valve is shut off. Takes no more than 3-4 containers and 3 minutes max.
I've never not done it, so can't compare.
I've never not done it, so can't compare.
Johnny Clueless was there
With his simulated wood grain
With his simulated wood grain
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PieOPah
I recently read somewhere (really wish I could remember where) about problems someone had with proteins from the grain burning onto their element and causing it to fail mid boil.
One problem I have been having with most of my boils is that the element cuts out. This was a problem I had never encountered with extract brewing no matter how strong.
This made me think that perhaps there was something more important to the vourloff than just stopping tannins.
My last brew, I took a lot more care with the run off. I recirculated until it ran clear. I was more carefull with returning my runnings. Okay, so some bits still made it through to the final beer, but no where near as much as with my previous brews (only having to vourloff once with Fly Sparge probably helped this A LOT).
During the boil, I only had 1 failure and this was due to the plug overheating (I was running the boiler for nearly 2 hours) and using a different plug quickly fixed the problem and allowed me to continue.
Even the element was much cleaner that usual afterwards.
One problem I have been having with most of my boils is that the element cuts out. This was a problem I had never encountered with extract brewing no matter how strong.
This made me think that perhaps there was something more important to the vourloff than just stopping tannins.
My last brew, I took a lot more care with the run off. I recirculated until it ran clear. I was more carefull with returning my runnings. Okay, so some bits still made it through to the final beer, but no where near as much as with my previous brews (only having to vourloff once with Fly Sparge probably helped this A LOT).
During the boil, I only had 1 failure and this was due to the plug overheating (I was running the boiler for nearly 2 hours) and using a different plug quickly fixed the problem and allowed me to continue.
Even the element was much cleaner that usual afterwards.
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hendrixcat
Lipds and fatty acids in poorly clarified wort can be a real problem. While they act as yeast nutrients during the lag stage any left over can be oxidised resulting in some very funky flavours. Also, poorly clarified wort contains particulate matter that acts as nucleation sites for CO2 which liberates it from the wort. CO2 concentrations have varying effects on yeast metabolism including the production of higher alcohols and diacetyl. I'm struggling with an off flavour that I think might be stemming from lipids in break material. I usual get far too much break in my fermenter and plan to experiment with racking to another fermenter when the trub has settled.