Cold Break in the Fermenter - Good, Bad, or Ugly?

Ingredients
1

I’ve seen bits and pieces of information on this forum and in other sources concerning cold break in the fermenter, and it appears there are varying opinions on whether or not this is OK and if so, how much is OK.

To get a handle on controlling the temperatures with my new chiller set-up, I’ll be recirculating with a filter (Hop Rocket) between the pump and chiller until I hit my pitching temp, meaning I’ll trap most of the cold break material before I switch hoses and run the wort to the fermenter.

Question is; when I decide to remove the training wheels and run the wort through the chiller directly to the fermenter w/o recirculating, all of the cold break is going to end up in the fermenter, no?

I know some break material is good for the yeast, but are there any other concerns?

2

yes.  it will form en route as it chills.

I really, really don’t think its a big deal.  I personally dump some of it out during high krausen (bottom dump of fermenter) but sometimes i forget or don’t have time.

On my old system, most if not all the cold break was left in the fermentor (WIC) and i haven’t noticed any difference in the beers on the old versus new system.

I’ve seen pros that run through a plate chiller directly into the fermentor so they are also forming CB in the fermentor, and their beers obviously sell.

3

I am in the not bad, possibly some good, but definitely ugly camp.

IMO, with my system it only bothers me when I want to harvest a nice clean yeast cake.

4

Let me add; I do not (as of yet) harvest my yeast so I’m not that worried about the yeast after fermentation - mostly concerned with flavor/haze/fermentation issues, if this helps.

5

I wouldn’t worry at all in that case. it will all settle out and the yeast will use what it needs and leave the rest alone.

6

Sometimes I dump the trub out the bottom of my conical… Sometimes I don’t.  I can’t say I’ve really seen a difference in my beer either way.  Now yeast harvesting I have noticed a difference… as it’s much easier to get pure yeast when you dump the trub :wink:

7

Cold break looks like more than it is. Make a one gallon batch and let it settle cold for several days. It will end up being a lot less at the bottom than you think. Also a good way to test out your brewhouse sanitation. If it grows funk in 12 hrs you have a problem

8

I get break material in every batch I make.  I pre-can all my starter wort from a 5 gallon all grain ‘batch’.  I get tons of break material in the jars… The starters seem happier for it… and I have not noticed any ‘downside’ except it looks gross :wink:

9

I try to get the cleanest wort I can into the fermenter, but Jim is right- the break looks big and thick at first but settles into a thin layer. I’ve been able to tell no difference over the years between all the trub, some, or basically none getting into the fermenter in terms of the final product.