cernst151
Well-Known Member
OK, we all know that you have to chill your wort quickly to get a good cold break, along with any number of other good reasons, but does anybody know HOW quickly you have to chill it? I've read countless posts on Homebrewtalk and other forums and plenty of articles about it. I've read through Joy of Homebrewing and other books and have never seen any sort of hard number, or even range.
Do I need to go from boil to pitching temp in 15 minutes to get a decent cold break? Will 30 minutes do? How about 60? Is it a sliding scale where 45 minutes will get you 50% clear but 15 minutes will get you 90% clear?
I know ultimately it doesn't matter a whole lot because my beer is delicious even when cloudy but I feel like someone out there has to have tested this right? Plus, leaving all those proteins in your beer reduces shelf life and I really like making imperial stouts and lambics which need to age.
Also, I've read differing opinions on whether to try to leave the cold break material behind in the kettle. Some say it provides nutrients to the yeast and will precipitate out when the yeast floculates. Others say it will get re-suspended and can't be removed later. What say you fellow homebrewers?
Do I need to go from boil to pitching temp in 15 minutes to get a decent cold break? Will 30 minutes do? How about 60? Is it a sliding scale where 45 minutes will get you 50% clear but 15 minutes will get you 90% clear?
I know ultimately it doesn't matter a whole lot because my beer is delicious even when cloudy but I feel like someone out there has to have tested this right? Plus, leaving all those proteins in your beer reduces shelf life and I really like making imperial stouts and lambics which need to age.
Also, I've read differing opinions on whether to try to leave the cold break material behind in the kettle. Some say it provides nutrients to the yeast and will precipitate out when the yeast floculates. Others say it will get re-suspended and can't be removed later. What say you fellow homebrewers?