Yet another Whirlfloc thread, Re-Circ vs Once Thru Cool

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rnm410

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I typically add WFloc 10-15 mins before flame out. When outing I am setting up the chiller ~5-10 mins of work. During that time the beer "chills" to 210 deg F in the pot. I go once through cooling to the fermenter, no re-circ. I do see the WFloc working in the kettle, but would it be more effective in clearing and flocculating the break if I recirc and chill to 190, 170, 150, 130.... deg F in the pot. I've yet to test this, I want to hear your experience.
 
The faster you chill your beer, the better clarity you'll likely see. So recirculation will help. However, I don't think the whirlfloc will be that much more effective at its job than it is for you now.

I'm assuming you're running your worth through a plate chiller? What temp does it drop to when it hits your fermentation vessel?
 
The faster you chill your beer, the better clarity you'll likely see. So recirculation will help. However, I don't think the whirlfloc will be that much more effective at its job than it is for you now.

I'm assuming you're running your worth through a plate chiller? What temp does it drop to when it hits your fermentation vessel?

I'm using a home build concentric tube counterflow hx, single pass down to 70 deg F.

It would be an easy setup for me to chill re-circ and whirlpool then cool to fermenter and would only do if I knew my clarity would improve, i.e. less settled trub.
 
Nice! That is a quick enough chill.

Aside from making sure you add only a 1/2 a tab of whirlfloc per 5 gallon batch. I'd say you're doing all you can.
 
I've always used 1 tablet for up to 10 gallons. Every kit that I did when I started came with 1 tablet and said to drop it in at 15 minutes. They are cheap, so it doesn't cost that much. I recirculate my wort (first pass through my plate chiller gets it from boiling to 80*F) it takes about 20 minutes to get it to pitching temperature and it is clear enough that I've been able to harvest yeast without much of any trub in the fermenter.
 
Lets keep in mind that Irish Moss doesn't cause hot or cold break. Carageenan is the operative portion of any Irish moss product. Its commonly used in food as a thickener based on the same principle. Its main function is to be an electrostatic attractant to the break, making larger and thus heavier particles that sink faster.

Hot break will happen as wort proteins denature while wort is hot. Boiling accelerates the process. It still happens at lower temperatures, just more slowly. I've had to hold wort before boiling at 190^ to 205^F and get huge floaters of protein after about 30 minutes. Boiling just breaks it up and Irish moss binds it better as a trub pile.

Cold break is the result of thermal shock. The faster wort goes from hot to pitching temperature, the more effective cold break is.

Irish moss is going to aggregate proteins in the fermenter probably only a little less effectively than the kettle (owing to a compacted size due to heat). Gelatin and Polyclar use the same electrostatic principle to clarify the fermenter, but both of those are far less effective when hot.
 
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