Too much break material/trub loss!

My last few brews have had very low yield to fermenter, primarily due to break and trub left in the kettle--up to 2 gallons' worth!

I'm hitting my target gravities, and getting good yields from my mashes (75%+), with average boil-off and top-up consistent with my pre-brew volume calculations.

I suppose I should be glad that I'm getting really clear beer, but at a 20% loss of product, I'm not very happy about it. I thought perhaps I was using too much rice hull (always keep it below 5%) and perhaps not letting the grain bed settle enough during sparge, so today, I didn't use any. I had a good mash, looked like I got a good clear wort, and I had hopes for a full batch's yield, but no change.

Maybe my crush is too coarse?

What type of filter are you using? Braid? False bottom? PVC?

I wouldn't worry about getting break material in the fermenter. It will settle to the bottom during fermentation and shouldn't cause any flavor issues.

Chrisl77 said:

I wouldn't worry about getting break material in the fermenter. It will settle to the bottom during fermentation and shouldn't cause any flavor issues.

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Ditto that.

Also, are you using leaf hops?

Have to agree. I used to worry about break material, etc in the fermenter, but after the first couple years, I just a coarse filter to keep the hop cones out.

I just dump everything into the fermenter. My beers still end up clear and I don't give up 2 gallons of my precious brew.

JordanThomas said:

What type of filter are you using? Braid? False bottom? PVC?

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I use a false bottom. I vorlauf until I get a clear wort flow, then I fly sparge. I don't filter from kettle to fermenter.

Jon,

No, I use pellet.

rm-mn said:

i just dump everything into the fermenter. My beers still end up clear and i don't give up 2 gallons of my precious brew.

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+1

For you guys that are throwing it all in...I'm assuming you're leaving behind the hop trub?

Are you seeing head retention loss due to protein content?

I throw it all in... until it gets solid. No worries about hop gunk in the fermenter.

PtreeCreekBrew said:

For you guys that are throwing it all in...I'm assuming you're leaving behind the hop trub?

Are you seeing head retention loss due to protein content?

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I use a hop spider to contain the hop matter (keeps it out of my plate chiller)... Everything that can go from the boil keggle into the fermenter does. I leave very little behind in the keggle (I also get all the wort out of the hop spider).