Cold break...use it or leave it?

[gwapogorilla]

I just did a partial mash for an IPA. I racked off the cold break, but am starting to rethink my actions...cuz' the stuff smelled freaking great!:rockin:
Does the cold break and residual hops contribute/hurt anything to the wort as it ferments in the primary?

 

[AerationStation]

Its my understanding that the resins from the hops that go in to the fermenter coat yeast cells that flocculate out, making repitches a little tricky.

Also I've heard that the cold break has lipids and proteins that are good for the yeast starting out, but that there is enough still in suspension to provide the benefit from this.

Personally I find the trub just tends to eat away at my final volume and I like my kegs to be nice and full come racking.

 

[mikescooling]

IMHO, it all goes in the carboy. I don't have much choice because I use a plate chiller. I try to keep the hops out, because they can plug up the drain.

 

[EyePeeA]

For an IPA, the less trub into the primary from the kettle, the better. You will still rack a lot of fine trub that could not be filtered with those nylon mesh bags or fine mesh strainers. But you will have successfully avoided racking up to triple the amount of solids, which gives you more room in the primary for beer. Too much hop matter racked into the primary also obstructs the yeasts' ability to fully attenuate. In addition, all of those lingering hop polyphenols react with the yeast and release tannic taste over time. Plus, the great aroma you're smelling from the cold break matter doesn't smell so pleasant after 2-4 weeks in the primary. Don't worry about the aroma, you'll have the opportunity to dryhop with fresher hops again later.

 

[pnj]

I use a hop bag for my pellet hops and EVERYTHING in my boil kettle goes into my carboy. I use irish moss if I want clear looking beer. Most of the time I don't care if it's cloudy though.

 

[gwapogorilla]

Thanks guys. I couldn't use a hop bag, as I was continuous hopping. I know there was still quite a bit of hop material floating around, even after I chilled it and whirlpooled it. Honestly, it smelled so freking good, I almost drank it unfermented.

 

[pnj]

my hop bag is held to the side of my kettle with a clothes pin. I can add hops during the boil. 5 gallon paint strainer bag...

 

[diS]

According to this article "removing all cold trub not only has no benefit, but actually might slow fermentation and harm the finished beer" but "removing at least some cold trub, however, has been shown to improve yeast viability and the quality of finished beers".

http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue2.2/barchet.html

As I can see it, with whirlpool we can remove some part of cold break but since we cannot remove all of it we don't have to bother with negative effects.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

Everybody has their process, and I am no different. I drop my wort to the fermenter from the brew kettle through a fine stainless steel strainer. Filters out the pellet hops trub. To be honest, I'm not sure I even know what cold break looks like. All I know is I like the beer I make.