Cold Break temperature..

[Tony]

Hi all
Just wondering if there is an exact temperature that cold break is achieved?

I have an IC that works really well ... drops from boiling to 25 in about 5 mins (well good for me!). Last two brews though, I've found that I have cold break when it hits the FV rather than in the boiler! Not doing anything differently that I can see.

 

[Killick Greenie]

Hi, sorry to ask a daft question but I'm just starting out and having checked the glossary I couldn't find 'cold break'. What is it and what is the relevance to brewing?

Thanks :

 

[Aleman]

There is no exact temperature, it is the rate of cooling that has the biggest effect, a long slow cool (say overnight) can end up with no cold break at all. (Note can . . . not will) . . . It does also take some time to form as well . . . which is probably why its not being trapped in the hops . . . Cool and give it 30 minutes to settle . . . then transfer

 

[Moley]

Aaaahh ....... realisation has just smacked me in the face, so this is why you use coils and coolers in the boiler before you strain to the FV.

So if I've been straining fairly hot wort to the FV and then leaving it to cool overnight, or straining fairly hot wort to some sort of vessel I can drop in a cold water bath and then pouring the entire contents into my FV, this means that any cold break material is ending up in my FV, so that probably accounts for why I get quite a thick layer of crud on top of the foam head?

Sometimes I have skimmed this off, sometimes I've just left it to settle to the bottom at the end of fermentation.

Is this necessarily a problem?

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

Some say break material is good for the yeast to feed on, I'm not sure, I leave mine behind and the krausen is clean. :thumb:
I'd say chill it, leave it then drain it.
BB

 

[evanvine]

I couldn't find 'cold break'. What is it and what is the relevance to brewing?

“Cold Break” is the term used for dissolved protein matter being precipitated out of solution.
It only normally occurs when rapid cooling takes place.
If left in solution, the protein matter can cause cloudiness and or a sharp unpleasant bitter taste.

 

[Tony]

Thanks for the help folks ... can't work out what's been different in the last couple of brews. There doesn't seem to be a problem so I'm going to ignore it.
:thumb: