dealing with cold break

So I always do the whirlpool after I immersion chill..and definitely get cold break. I try to siphon away from it...but it seems like if I avoid the cold break I end up losing too much actual beer...so I usually just dump it all in the fermenter. Is there any real downside to doing this/how do you guys handle cold break. I figure I would rather have an inch or 2 of trub in the bottom of the fermenter and just lose a half gallon or so.

I just dealt with this question myself today, actually. I was going to lose a ton of beer to the cold break, so I just dumped it all in. I've done this before, and I've never had any terrible experiences with my beer (...that were caused by this...).

I'm sure people with a very trained palate could tell the difference, but I've never noticed.

I pour it all in all the time. There really isn't any issue doing it, in fact it supplies yeast food.

The reason folks strain or whirlpool is that they don't like all the trub but I figure I'm going to get lots of trub anyway so what's another 1/2 inch or so.

I usually add all the cold break, too. It's pretty fine, and I don't strain my wort on the way into primary unless I've got a ton of hops. It compacts quite well in the bottom with the trub, so I've never given it a thought. I did read that break material has proteins or something in it that actually works as a yeast nutrient.

If I ever get a ball valve for my keggle, then I'll probably have to figure out a way to strain the wort, to keep it from clogging. Until then, I'll just keep doing what I'm doing I guess.

I use a counterflow chiller, so the cold break ends up in the fermenter. No problems with it at all. It does compact nicely with the rest of the trub. I have been washing my yeast after primary, and still no problems, as the break material again settles out. As far as nutrients mfrom the cold break, I can't speak to that. As long as the end result tastes good, who really cares?

I try to keep most of it out when doing lagers, but when doing ales I do let some in.
In moderation it is a yeast food ( lipids ) but you really don't want a whole lot in there all the same. Too much can cause soapy flavours, so I have read.

I reuse my yeast and I find it lot easier to keep my yeast relatively clean by keeping most of the break out of the fermenter.

Holwingdogbrewing and myself brewed together today and he asked me this very same question.

I pour the last 1/2 gallon or so in the BK into my hop bag, which I've set over a sanitized SS colander and bowl. I let that drain then pour into the fermenter before pitching.