Letting beer settle before pitching yeast

[hoppyscotty]

Well that's very interesting. Everything I've read or heard says that you want a rapid chill to precipitate out the cold break to prevent it staying in your beer, and that once it's precipitated out it doesn't redissolve.

It's anecdotal of course. Before I was pitching wort with some trub and other stuff that got past the false bottom so though the wort looked pretty clear going into the fermenter there was some particles going in with it and I would see the cold break in suspension and some other matter starting to settle out on the bottom of the fermenter. I'd pitch the yeast and tuck it up and wouldn't have another look for a day or so. With this new setup and process its the first time I've returned to the fermenter so quickly after transferring the wort.

 

[MashBag]

Well that's very interesting. Everything I've read or heard says that you want a rapid chill to precipitate out the cold break to prevent it staying in your beer, and that once it's precipitated out it doesn't redissolve.

I overnight chill. Makes no difference as far as I can detect.

 

[MashBag]

It's anecdotal of course. Before I was pitching wort with some trub and other stuff that got past the false bottom so though the wort looked pretty clear going into the fermenter there was some particles going in with it and I would see the cold break in suspension and some other matter starting to settle out on the bottom of the fermenter. I'd pitch the yeast and tuck it up and wouldn't have another look for a day or so. With this new setup and process its the first time I've returned to the fermenter so quickly after transferring the wort.

Just to be clear what do we all think cold break looks like?

 

[hoppyscotty]

This is what I'm thinking of....thought that seem very dense compared to what I've had. What I'm talking about is a bit more 'cloudy' in form than this, or perhaps the cold break clumped together in larger clumps. I'll take a photo on the next brew.

 

[Agentgonzo]

What I'm talking about is a bit more 'cloudy'

That's what I would describe mine as too

 

[Agentgonzo]

I have a CFC so all of my cold break makes it into the fermenter, which being steel I don't really see into. However, the sample I take a gravity reading from looks like the top half of this image. After about half an hour, the cloudy stuff has settled to the bottom. I'll try to remember to take a photo of the next brew

 

[MashBag]

This is what I'm thinking of....thought that seem very dense compared to what I've had. What I'm talking about is a bit more 'cloudy' in form than this, or perhaps the cold break clumped together in larger clumps. I'll take a photo on the next brew.

Cloudy is exactly the weird I would use too. Although I have never seen it in glass before only from the top.

 

[MashBag]

So as we are all talking about the same thing, it must be something that forms during cooling at any speed. I overnight cool. I always get it, it ends up in the fermentation and I get clear beer.

There must be more to this?

 

[foxy]

Rapid cool reduces DMS in the wort, it does also help form the cold break but it is difficult to remove all the cold break. George Fix in his book the 'Principles of Brewing Science' says that cold break can be easily seen at, and below 14C I have put a glass of clear wort from the kettle into the fridge and sure enough does cloud up. But he also states that some cold break going into the fermenter is beneficial for the yeast.
https://byo.com/article/wort-chilli...take a tour,of infection from wild organisms.

 

[MashBag]

I have long suspected that a bit of trub (and cold break) is nutrition for yeast.

WITH the use of cubes & overnight chilling one has to ask how real is the risk of DMS?

 

[foxy]

I have long suspected that a bit of trub (and cold break) is nutrition for yeast.

WITH the use of cubes & overnight chilling one has to ask how real is the risk of DMS?

With the modern grains, a vigorous boil and a robust ferment the risk is alleviated somewhat. All beers will have some degree of DMS open fermentation reduces it further. One of the guys in our club who has done well with his imperial stouts in competitions does 'no chill' brews so I initially thought maybe it wasn't such a problem. Until he told me he goes by the book and uses an immersion chiller for his competition beers!