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bmcwood · 11-05-2012, 06:53 PM

I made my 4th all grain beer yesterday; Jamils Janet's Brown. I mashed at 154 for an hour and vorlaufed over 1 gallon for both runnings. There were no grain particles going into the boil kettle, but the wort was really cloudy, it almost looked like bits of chunky flour floating about. This is the second time in 2 weeks this has happened. I though at first it was my crush, so I bought my gain from another store, but the same thing happened again. I brewed a Rye IPA 3 weeks ago and kegged it; there are still chunks floating in the finished beer. Ideas??

**helibrewer** · 11-05-2012, 07:02 PM

That looks like break material to me, perfectly normal. It will settle out after fermentation.

**unionrdr** · 11-05-2012, 07:02 PM

I was forced to use an old mini food processor to do a fine crush on my grains for a biab pm. I didn't have that much in primary,& was finer grained. I pulsed 1/2C of grain 3 times for 3-4 seconds each pulse. Efficiency was pretty good for a first timer,got OG 1/044 out of range of 1.042-1.046. By bottling day,it was settled out to slightly misty. 3 days in the bottle today,& very clear already.

Mojzis · 11-05-2012, 07:03 PM

Normal, at least for me. I usually get the same thing. Always settles out. Nothing to fret over.

bmcwood · 11-05-2012, 07:10 PM

Thanks for the quick replies. I usually rack into a corny after primary fermentation, but I might put this one into secondary for about a week and then cold crash; hopefully that will remove all the particles. Anyone know what that stuff actually is? I know I have seen material similar to it after I have chilled, but going into the kettle from the mash tun? Maybe just lack of experience...

**LansingX** · 11-05-2012, 07:12 PM

That is hot break material created by proteins. The proteins in the wort coagulate during the boil and that is what they look like. During the wort chill process they will drop to the bottom. At the end of the wort chill, stir the cooled wort briskly (like a mad man), cover the pot and wait about 20 minutes. Drain the wort into your fermenter leaving most of that stuff behind. Alternatively, you could not worry about it and it will settle out with the yeast in the fermenter. Your finished beer will not look like that.

Mojzis · 11-05-2012, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmcwood

Thanks for the quick replies. I usually rack into a corny after primary fermentation, but I might put this one into secondary for about a week and then cold crash; hopefully that will remove all the particles. Anyone know what that stuff actually is? I know I have seen material similar to it after I have chilled, but going into the kettle from the mash tun? Maybe just lack of experience...

Its protein. Proteins are molecules, long and short. Your mash tun filter can filter some of the big stuff, but not every particle. My guess (as a biologist) even though I haven't researched it would be that the "stuff" is those proteins that precipitate out of solution (wort). The particles are moving fast in the hot wort and are likely combining (heavier) and drop out. It makes sense that boiling would speed this process up, and that irish moss (charged particles) also help precipitate proteins. When you chill you drop momentum and gravity, so the particles fall out of suspension faster.

Just my 0.02$. And IMO you don't need to bother with a secondary. That stuff will just end up on the bottom, contributing to trub.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LansingX

That is hot break material created by proteins. The proteins in the wort coagulate during the boil and that is what they look like. During the wort chill process they will drop to the bottom. At the end of the wort chill, stir the cooled wort briskly (like a mad man), cover the pot and wait about 20 minutes. Drain the wort into your fermenter leaving most of that stuff behind. Alternatively, you could not worry about it and it will settle out with the yeast in the fermenter. Your finished beer will not look like that.

He was talking about pre-boil.

jsv1204 · 11-05-2012, 07:25 PM

As has already been said, looks pretty normal to me. Recently tried cold-crashing for the first time and have had great success clearing cloudy post-ferment wort. I wouldn't be concerned.

**LansingX** · 11-05-2012, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mojzis

He was talking about pre-boil.

Oops...

Read too fast I suppose. In that case, I do not recall seeing anything like that pre-boil in my pot. Sorry I don't have any helpful advice.

**unionrdr** · 11-05-2012, 07:32 PM

Ime,the grainy stuff settles out by the time FG is reached. The cloudy/misty stuff settles out after 3 days in the bottle. About the same as my recombinent extracts did.