visible effect of whirlfloc?

[scottc1178]

OK,

so yesterday was the first time I have used whirlfloc (1 whole tab per 20l). I added it 15 mins from the end of my boil, let it settle, whirlpooled, let it settle out again, then drained into cubes and no chilled them overnight.

today I emptied my cubes into my fementers and as I was pouring noticed that instead of a crystal clear wort, the liquid was full of white bits that resemble soft white flakes.

have I stuffed something up, or is this just the whirlfloc starting to take effect?

cheers

 

[JDW81]

How much of the trub/hop material did you transfer from the kettle into the cube?

Sounds like you've got some of your trub into the cube and then it has been transferred into the fermenter. Not an issue really IMO as it will settle out in the fermenter and when you package you can leave it behind. Try draining the kettle a bit slower, this helps to maintain the integrity of the trub cone and means you get less of it into the cube.

I ferment in the cube, and often a little bit of the break material makes it into the cube. No ill effects yet.

 

[scottc1178]

How much of the trub/hop material did you transfer from the kettle into the cube?

Sounds like you've got some of your trub into the cube and then it has been transferred into the fermenter. Not an issue really IMO as it will settle out in the fermenter and when you package you can leave it behind. Try draining the kettle a bit slower, this helps to maintain the integrity of the trub cone and means you get less of it into the cube.

I ferment in the cube, and often a little bit of the break material makes it into the cube. No ill effects yet.

Yeah, this is the thing, I drained the kettle really slowly and was left with a great looking trub mound and a few litres left in kettle, so I thought I would have transfered less trub than usual, I haven't really seen these white chunks in any of my previous worts, so I was assuming (or hoping) it might just be the whirlfloc starting to coagulate?

 

[Truman42]

1 whole tablet is way too much for a 20 litre batch. 1/2 a tablet at 10 mins left of boil is all you should need.

I don't know but maybe the chunks you see is the actual whirfloc particles because you used too much?? Just a guess I really don't know what it is.

 

[scottc1178]

cheers

after doing a google image search for "whirlfloc in wort" my mind is now at ease. seems to just be whirlfloc doing it's job... as I was hoping.... whew!

looks a bit scary at first though.

 

[Verbyla]

Whirlfloc only helps settle out the hot break before you transfer it. Assuming you didn't transfer too much trub or hop material what you were seeing is most likely the cold break. The cold break loses its solubility at lower temperatures and becomes visible. It's not an issue as it will settle out with the yeast after fermentation