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Wort Separation

After mashing, when all the starch has been broken down, it is necessary to separate the liquid extract (the wort) from the solids (spent grain particles and adjuncts). Wort separation is important because the solids contain large amounts of protein, poorly modified starch, fatty material, silicates, and polyphenols (tannins). The objectives of wort separation (lautering) include the following:

• to produce clear wort,

• to obtain good extract recovery, and

• to operate within the acceptable cycle time.

It should be emphasized that the quality of the grist from the mill can greatly affect wort clarity, extraction recovery, and overall lauter times.

The method of separating the wort from the mash solids and the equipment used is mainly a matter of choice on the part of the individual brewer, and sometimes of tradition. Wort separation may be carried out by any of a number of different methods: 1) the mash tun, 2) the lauter tun, 3) the mash filter, or 4) the Strainmaster.

The mash tun, traditionally used in Britain, is integrated to serve as a masher as well as a vessel for wort separation. The filtering is through slots in a false bottom that supports the grain bed.

The lauter tun is the most widely employed wort separation vessel system in North America and Europe. Like the mash tun, filtering is through slots in a false bottom that supports the grain bed. The lauter tun improves upon the mash tun in terms of surface area by increasing the diameter of the vessel. This results in improved filtration and extract recovery.

Although lauter tuns are widely employed for wort separation, some large-volume brewers prefer mash filters. Mash filters are members of the family of plate and frame filter presses by which filtration occurs through close-meshed filter cloths. One of the advantages of mash filters is better recovery of extract due to the finer grist used, compared to that used by the lauter tun.

The Strainmaster was developed to improve upon the lauter tun by increasing strain area to equal that of the lauter tun but in half the floor space. Filtration is through tubes perforated with vertical slots that are attached to central header pipes.