Cold Break - What is it, and why do I not want to transfer it

So I always hear of "Cold Break" and I was curious on what exactly is a Cold Break and why do I not want to transfer this over to my Primary?

I always just transfer everthing with my AG batch's

Well, here's a picture showing a pretty dramatic example of what you are talking about:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=26039

Not everyone experiences this every time, though. The general consensus is that it helps the taste of the final product; I assume, though, if you have been brewing for awhile and have not had this happen you can still brew some pretty darn good beer.

I guess it's pretty much up to you, though, whether you want that stuff in your primary. You definitely don't want it in your secondary, though.

From http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter9-1.html

"wort should be cool before you pour it into the fermenter. If it is not, refer to Chapter 7 - Boiling and Cooling, for suggested cooling methods. But before you transfer the wort to the fermenter, you may have been wondering what to do about all the hops and gunk in the bottom of the pot.

There will be a considerable amount of hot break, cold break and hops in the bottom of the boiling pot after cooling. It is a good idea to remove the hot break (or the break in general) from the wort before fermenting. The hot break consists of various proteins and fatty acids which can cause off-flavors, although a moderate amount of hot break can go unnoticed in most beers. The cold break is not considered to be much of a problem, in fact a small amount of cold break in the fermenter is good because it can provide the yeast with needed nutrients. The hops do not matter at all except that they take up room.

In general however, removal of most of the break, either by careful pouring from the pot or by racking to another fermenter, is necessary to achieve the cleanest tasting beer. If you are trying to make a very pale beer such as Pilsener style lager, the removal of most of the hot and cold break can make a significant difference."

-a.

Great thanks for the info... actually I have noticed a little bit of cold break now that I have seen the pic of it (thanks to McCall St. Brewer). Next time I'll try and leave it behind for sure. Thanks for all the info and links on this subject.

Cheers,
LS_Grimmy

Hey would this be considered the Hot Break?

HOT BREAK

Does the hot break sink to the bottom of the kettle during cooling like cold break? How do I remove hot break if this is not the case, or how do I distinguish between hot and cold break material if it is the case? Thanks.

I'm pretty sure that the hot break is the foam that forms during your boil (at the top). I was always directed to scoop it off as it helps in preventing boil overs, and aids in clearing.