break material and fermentation time

[user 36151]

My last batch a little creatures pale clone BIAB double batch. My large fermenter was still in use so I split it into 2x 30l coopers fermenters the first runnings out of the boil kettle went to one clear of break material and the lower part of the kettle with some break material went to the other it seems that the fermenter with the break material in it has finished and cleared up after 7 days at 19 c and the fermenter with no break material is still churning on day 7 same yeast pitched in each fermenter, dry type. both fermenters in cool room at 19 c just curious what would cause this I normally use one 50lt fermenter.

 

[philmud]

Did you use yeast nutrient? I wonder if the break material gave the yeast something more nourishing to eat?

 

[user 36151]

no nutrient used. I had the same thought

 

[MHB]

There are things in break material that are good food sources for yeast, but they tend to be bad for beer.
So the question would be are you making yeast or beer?
If you want to make better beer, try to keep as much of the hot break out of the fermenter as possible.
Mark

 

[NewtownClown]

Charlie Bamforth suggests that cold break material adds nucleation points for the yeast cells that gets them moving through the wort quicker. As for the clearing quickly, perhaps the cold break material aids in flocculation. It has been known and discussed for a while and at least one podcast exists where homebrewers where asked to split a batch in two - one with cold break material and another without and to document their results. the majority consensus was the ferment with break was quicker, cleared quicker, and many reported it actually tasted cleaner with better hop flavour.
The downside is believed to be a shorter shelf life...

 

[verysupple]

MHB has a good point about faster ferments and clearing maybe not being the best thing for the finished beer. However as NewtonClown points out, in some experiments the results suggest that (in the short term at least) the beers fermented on the break material had some better characteristics.

Here's a good write up of one. Link

EDIT: NewtonClown edited to clarify cold break, the above link includes hot break too.

 

[MHB]

I was specifically referring to Hot Break!
It is well known that cold break is a vital nutrient, for it to become a problem you need to be using masses of adjunct or inferior malt (sic 6 row).
the problem with most of the "experiments" I have read is that they are in effect doubling the cold break in one fermenter and reducing it to zero in the other, I would contend that as we know some is good, a lot is bad. Its a pretty badly designed experiment as it just tells us something we already know without going any way toward improving the beer or quantifying how much cold break is beneficial (or how to measure it).

Keep hot break out of your fermenter
Ignore cold break
If you are going to split a brew, split the cold break to.

Mark

 

[user 36151]

Thanks for the replies next time I will mix them up a bit as I run it out the kettle. just had a ss mixer made for the drill to whirlpool with so I should limit the break material on the next batch have tried pumps but don't seem strong enough to be able to form a cone in centre.​

 

[wereprawn]

Thanks for the replies next time I will mix them up a bit as I run it out the kettle. just had a ss mixer made for the drill to whirlpool with so I should limit the break material on the next batch have tried pumps but don't seem strong enough to be able to form a cone in centre.​

This is a good discussion on whirlpooling.http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/63220-whirlpool-process/

 

[user 36151]

 

[user 36151]

These are from the same batch i mentioned previously fg been stable at 1010 for 2 days they just been put in the fridge to cold crash i had planned to keg into 1 50lt keg im thinking i should keep them separate so i may need to buy some cornies. Or can u bottle after cold crashing do u need to pitch more yeast

 

[manticle]

Bottle after cold, no worries.

 

[verysupple]

ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1415008395.001763.jpg

Why does the one on the right look darker? Is it just the lighting or is it actually darker?

 

[user 36151]

the dark one is very clear they where the same until about day 6 when all suspended material fell out and settled on the bottom the other ones still got suspended bits in it so it gives it a beige colour compared to the other I will draw off some samples into a hydrometer tube and post them.

 

[user 36151]

 

[verysupple]

the dark one is very clear they where the same until about day 6 when all suspended material fell out and settled on the bottom the other ones still got suspended bits in it so it gives it a beige colour compared to the other I will draw off some samples into a hydrometer tube and post them.

Ah, OK. When you said the truby one cleared faster I didn't realise there was that much difference!