Excessive Trub

[Keith]

I've got the Speidel Fermenter with spigot. Let's just say the hop trub from this DIPA is above the spigot.
Does anyone have any recommendations to get the beer out?

I was contemplating using a auto syphon but I'd need one that's about 3-4 feet with about 8 feet of hose.
Alternatively I could wait until my Milk Stout is finished and move it to the other fermenter however was hoping to have this beer in the keg and on tap before Christmas.

[mumblecrunch]

I've got the Speidel Fermenter with spigot. Let's just say the hop trub from this DIPA is above the spigot.
Does anyone have any recommendations to get the beer out?

I was contemplating using a auto syphon but I'd need one that's about 3-4 feet with about 8 feet of hose.
Alternatively I could wait until my Milk Stout is finished and move it to the other fermenter however was hoping to have this beer in the keg and on tap before Christmas.

How far above? It's just the day after brewday right? I find the trub compacts at least 30% over the course of fermentation; you may find even better results with that much weight on top of it. Cold crashing helps a little too, but I'm guessing moving one of those fermenters while full isn't advisable.

Autosiphon seems like it'd be a pain. You could always start siphoning from the top and then tilt it and stick your arm to hold the siphon in as it goes down, but I seem to have misadventures autosiphoning with a wide open plastic bucket and I'm guessing that's even more likely with the huge Speidel.

Will trub pass through the spigot? Could you just "run off" the trub into a bucket and then carry on with the beer? Wouldn't be totally clean, I'm sure, but better than fighting with an autosiphon. Is your stainless mash paddle long enough to use to try to move the trub away from the spigot a few days before you try to transfer?

Lastly, when you say "alternatively" you could wait for your Milk Stout to finish and move it to that fermenter, how is that an alternative? Wouldn't you still have the same problem moving it?

[Keith]

I've got the Speidel Fermenter with spigot. Let's just say the hop trub from this DIPA is above the spigot.
Does anyone have any recommendations to get the beer out?

I was contemplating using a auto syphon but I'd need one that's about 3-4 feet with about 8 feet of hose.
Alternatively I could wait until my Milk Stout is finished and move it to the other fermenter however was hoping to have this beer in the keg and on tap before Christmas.

How far above? It's just the day after brewday right? I find the trub compacts at least 30% over the course of fermentation; you may find even better results with that much weight on top of it. Cold crashing helps a little too, but I'm guessing moving one of those fermenters while full isn't advisable.

Autosiphon seems like it'd be a pain. You could always start siphoning from the top and then tilt it and stick your arm to hold the siphon in as it goes down, but I seem to have misadventures autosiphoning with a wide open plastic bucket and I'm guessing that's even more likely with the huge Speidel.

Will trub pass through the spigot? Could you just "run off" the trub into a bucket and then carry on with the beer? Wouldn't be totally clean, I'm sure, but better than fighting with an autosiphon. Is your stainless mash paddle long enough to use to try to move the trub away from the spigot a few days before you try to transfer?

Lastly, when you say "alternatively" you could wait for your Milk Stout to finish and move it to that fermenter, how is that an alternative? Wouldn't you still have the same problem moving it?

Trub is right at the top. I'm thinking it may settle some. Fingers crossed.
I agree the auto syphon scenario has disaster written all over it. If I could get a long one and secure it to the Speidel it would be the only option.

Lastly I could wait til my 2nd speidel is free and transfer to the second fermenter via gravity. Issue would be with kegging after that, however they state the Speidels can hold around 2-3 PSI which would be enough to transfer to a keg from the ground.

Sure wish I had a dump valve haha.

[LiverDance]

If it's fluid can't you dump the trub through the spigot till it's below?

[Keith]

If it's fluid can't you dump the trub through the spigot till it's below?

Probably could. Not sure how much I'd waste to get it to pour clear. I'll see if it compacts and what can be done.

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[Jimmy]

Finally you learned how to add hops to a beer

[Keith]

Finally you learned how to add hops to a beer

I've still got 4lbs of dry hops lol

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[RossBee]

Suggestion: Mark the height on the fermenter and add a second valve.

[Keith]

Suggestion: Mark the height on the fermenter and add a second valve.

It's full lol maybe for next time

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[RossBee]

Duh !!

[Keith]

Doesn't help my current predicament lol. However the trub has compacted some. Hoping the yeast cake will drop it more. Also contemplating putting a wedge under the front so the tub will settle towards the back

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[MitchK]

I like the wedge solution or trying to pour off a little trub through the valve. Worst case scenario you waste like half a glass of beer if you're getting an even 50/50 trub/beer mix instead of clearing a path through the trub (assuming if it still isn't clear after filling a pint glass you stop and give up instead of filling whole jugs)

If you want to start double batching spiedel makes a 250 litre "egg" shaped fermenter with a dump valve lol.

... or for that matter check out the inductor tanks at plastic-mart.com. They're 2" male pipe threads or 1.5" female pipe threads at the bottom and you could definitely dump trub out of that. I've heard they're much cheaper if you buy in bulk though so maybe the other big batch people could do a group buy of some kind.