Stupid question... what does whirlpooling and cold break mean?

I checked the Home Brew Wiki glossary but neither term was listed. I've heard of a hot break but what is a cold break? Also, I've heard talk about adding hops while whirlpooling...what does this mean?

Hot break is the protein that coagulates as foam on top of the wort before the boil starts, and as it reaches a boil it "breaks" due to its collected mass and falls out to the bottom of the kettle. Cold break is also coagulated proteins that come out of solution as the wort is cooled quickly, forming a precipitate on the bottom of the kettle. Both are called break as they seem to "break" out of solution, and are pretty dramatic changes visually.

Whirlpooling is quick stirring of the cooling wort after flameout to collect the trub in a cone at the bottom of the kettle so you don't transfer as much to the fermenter.

Here's a good thread for ya. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=7682&highlight=whirlpool

Here is the wiki page on whirlpooling. You're right that it was missing from the glossary, I've added that reference.

Edit: I've added both cold break and hot break pages to the glossary as well. I borrowed your hot break description Buford, hope you don't mind.

Thanks for the info everyone!

I don't wanna sound queer 'er nuthin, but... I love you guys. :rockin:

Gay wad.

is it a good idea to skim the hot break off before it settles back into the pot?

cardiac_cadet002 said:

is it a good idea to skim the hot break off before it settles back into the pot?

Click to expand...

Some people do, some don't. I do as I find I am less likely to have a boil over if I do. Not sure if the hot break contributes to the boil over or just that fact that I pay more attention to the initial boil. It's just part of my process now.

Here's some cold break for ya:



Butt Pirate.

Yeah, sure that's cold break...

I've read that Hot Break is good. So why skim it? Or was that thread just barking up the wrong tree? I'd link it but I don't remember the name of have enough coffee to blood content to do it.

It's good to have a hot break as that indicates that you are boiling your wort vigorously enough. After that, leaving it in your beer will just take up fermenter space. Same thing with cold break, it acts as a sort of indicator, an aggressive cold break usually indicates that you dropped wort temperature quickly, it will also make it easier to have a nice clear brew in the end.