do you skim ?

[Cellar_Rat]

I do a two-day brew, and normally rack from the boiler to the fermenter (once cool day 2).

There was so little hop debris left, I tipped it all in.

It is interesting now to see that most of it has floated to the top of the fermentation?

What is the forums opinion - to skim or not to skim?

[rjb222]

I do not think skimming is a good plan. My reasoning being you exponentially raise the possibility of introducing un-wanted bacteria to you ferment and ruining your work.

[Rich]

When racking off to the fermentor, let it splash through a sterilised stainless sieve. This should catch most of the debris.

Or, read up on the double drop technique, where you start the ferment, then once it's got going you re rack it to aerate the wort again.

Have you read Randy Mosher's 'Radical Brewing' ? A history of beer and lots of stuff in there I think you'd like to experiment with!

[Cellar_Rat]

Cheers Rich. Had a quick 'look inside' on Amazon. Radical brewing looks completely bonkers - so will have to put it on my wish list.

I normally use a filter bag - in a moment of weakness I thought - I wonder what would happen if .... won't be doing that again!!