Where's my 'hot/cold break' material?

[thedrayman]

After brewing with an overnight mash and a 'short' sparge from my trusty watering can for 20+ years I have recently changed to mashing the 'proper' way (ie: 90 minute mash then a sparge with a sparging arm. Now in all the years of brewing in my old way I always had 'break' material in my hydrometer jar and at the end of a boil in the trub but my first two brews using the 'proper' mash and sparge method appear to be devoid of the 'break' material.

The bitter I brewed last month, and which I'm drinking now, tastes great but is not crystal clear. Now I can possibly understand the problem with that brew, as I didn't get a good 'rolling' boil going. But, yesterday, I attempted my first 40litre brew, with a nice new 60 litre boiler, and got a great rolling boil. The mash and sparge went fine, the boil was great and my plate cooler worked fantastically cooling the wort down quickly...but NO 'floaters' of break material in my hydrometer jar, or in amongst the spent hops. The only thing I did different this time was to boil for 1 hour (time taken from start of the 'roll'); before I used to boil for 90 minutes. Oh and I always use Irish Moss added to the copper.

This is where I need help from forum members...am I doing something wrong as I am not getting any break material? Also, presumably as I didn't see any break material in yesterdays Old Ale it will not come out crystal clear, so can I rectify this with extra finings in the cask? Any help will be much-appreciated. Thanks

 

[Tony]

Are you using the same 'batch' of Irish Moss? I ordered a new lot and it was a different brand .. I found that the new one didn't create any cold break at all - drove me mad for 2 brews! I gave protafloc a try and found I had more cold break than I could deal with!

Now I use half a teaspoon of protafloc and am back to getting a 'good' amount.

I've never used any finings other than the copper ones. But then again, if I do brew a batch and it's cloudy (which does occasionally happen :shock: ) I shrug, say 'meh' and get on with drinking it.

 

[thedrayman]

Yes the same batch of Irish Moss. Just recently purchased it as I figured the stuff I had had loafing-around for the past 10 years (for some reason) may not work. I have heard of the Protafloc tablets and thought of using them but on some forums I had read of bad results (ie:creating too-much break material and almost making the brew 'lumpy'!!).

Yes I must admit I don't drink-with-my-eyes and have a few pewter tankards, however if I'm making a brew for someone else then (obviously) I'd like it to be perfect.

 

[Muddydisco]

Problem with Protfloc is the Labling, some people say to use 1 tablet per 25ltr, when the real amounts should be 1/4 to 1/2 of a tablet per 25ltr, Thats what I have found works for me, a whole tablet creates a cauliflower effect on the top of the beer that doesn't want to sink.

 

[Brewmarc]

Im no expert :geek: , but Iv Been told By a very knowlegable poster here that the "hot break" & hence its precipitation occurs somewhare between 60 & 90 minutes of the boil :? So just a hunch & Im educational guessing here a little :geek: :hmm: but maybe your boil was not lengthy enough, :nono: But I am sure "Someone" will come along with a more scientific expaination to this particular phenomenon:

 

[hairybiker]

Problem with Protfloc is the Labling, some people say to use 1 tablet per 25ltr, when the real amounts should be 1/4 to 1/2 of a tablet per 25ltr, Thats what I have found works for me, a whole tablet creates a cauliflower effect on the top of the beer that doesn't want to sink.

Interesting, I just started using these (my second brew with them yesterday) and I was going with the instructions on the label (from themaltmiller) which was add 1 tablet to 25l. I see a quick mushroom then it dissipates before knockout time.
Wonder if it is something to do with the water chemistry? (I don't treat my water other than 1 cambden tablet to remove the chlorine).
Also how do people crush their tablets? (I use a pill crusher - sold in the pdsa shop for crushing pet tablets :shock: Makes a good job of the cambden tablet, before I used to use 2 spoons not clever but it worked ish )

 

[Sean_Mc]

I get my protofloc in powdered form and only use quarter teaspoon per 25lt brew. Sure I've seen the tablets though being added whole :wha:

 

[Tony]

I used about 1/3 of a teaspoon yesterday for 25 ltrs .. seemed to be spot on.

 

[markp]

I'd say boil for longer too. My hot break yesterday was around 70 minutes.
I used 1/2 a protofloc for a 40 litre batch, added 15 mins from the end of a 90 minute boil.
You are using a plate cooler, so you will always get break material through that from what I understand.
I use an immersion cooler and let the wort settle for a good 30 minutes before I start running off so I can try and catch the break in the hop filter bed.

 

[Aleman]

Whe I was down at Phils last weekend we used 2 protofloc tablets . . . . In 2 BBL (330L!) of 1.105 Wort . . . . The official dosing rate for Protofloc is 1-4g per hectalitre (100L) . . . one tablet being 2g (ish)

 

[thedrayman]

Thanks very much for all the help, chaps. Looks like a longer boil with the help of Protofloc, next brew then. Will let you know how I get on. Cheers