Whirlfloc.. and what then?

[manticle]

So do I.
Fish guts and seaweed is where it's at but some people freak out over that too.

 

[Mardoo]

I like sushi too!

 

[Gigantorus]

Another good reason to simply cold crash and not use any finings/tablets/clearing agents etc.

 

[manticle]

The whole point of kettle finings is to drop out unwanted particles before fermentation starts so cold conditioning won't replace whirlfloc.

 

[Rocker1986]

I use kettle finings on every batch, I don't want all that trub shit ending up in the fermenter. At the moment I use Brewbrite. Cold crashing won't do anything to reverse the potential effects of dumping all the kettle trub into the FV, or at least I don't really see how it could. So, there's not really a good reason not to use them, at least in all grain brewing anyway. Not really necessary for small extract boils I wouldn't think.

As for post fermentation finings, yes I use them too. Isinglass for dropping yeast mainly although I understand it also drops some haze forming particles, and also Polyclar. It all drops harmlessly into the trub and stays there when the beer is transferred to the keg and/or bottles.

I personally find chemophobia completely ridiculous and stupid, because it's driven purely by ill-informed fear mongering (i.e. anything with a 'chemical' sounding name is dangerous) and people not doing their research. A great example of it is the Dihydrogen Monoxide thing, millions of people think it's some kind of dangerous chemical when written that way*, because they're too lazy or stupid to research it for themselves.

*Obviously it can be if misused

/endrant

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Just dont mention fluoridated water

 

[Vini2ton]

I'm just glad that homebrew doesn't have any added hormones.

 

[idzy]

Another good reason to simply cold crash and not use any finings/tablets/clearing agents etc.

The whole point of kettle finings is to drop out unwanted particles before fermentation starts so cold conditioning won't replace whirlfloc.

Cold break, hot break and cold conditioning are all useful terms in this and all different.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Cold break, hot break and cold conditioning are all useful terms in this and all different.

Hot & Cold breaks are essential in my book.

You want as much as possible of both.

Nothing like watching a rolling boil and corn flake sized bits of break are rolling in it the wort B)

 

[blink471]

I think I need 20 fridges... Lagering.. Cold crashing.. Storing. All fun though.

 

[dr K]

It can be instructional to watch slow movement to the boil, you will see hot break starting well before the boil, it first becomes of concern at or about the boil when the break (already formed) really gets in there with foam (and possible boil over) generation..thankfully it coagulates a bit (I personally find a really rollin boil helps) and drops off before you add more nucleation points such as hop material !! A very good reason to boli for a bit before the first addition.
A fair drops out during the boil, whirlfloc at the end, is a huge help, as indeed is whirlpooling.
I can honestly say that even after nearly 20 years of grain brewing I have still not my head fully around cold break.
K

 

[Danscraftbeer]

The only time I forgot whirfloc tablet it was obvious mud looking beer that never cleared after months. It still tasted ok, ugly to look at.
I do like the clear visualually impressive beer and its also when beer gets conditions for a longer time.
The later finings speed up the clarity, and maybe the flavour just goes the same as well.
So its a speed up for the finished beer.

The verdict: Whirfloc always. Later finings for visual impression.
ed. Later finings being Brewers Gelatin you get in the little silver packs form your HBS or BigW as Brigalow finings.
I've tried plane Aeroplane Gelly but it doesn't do the same job.

 

[timmi9191]

Kettle finings can be a bit of a issue, not enough or too much can cause the trub not to settle as well as it could, so can adding the fining at the wrong time as the actual fining material will get denatured if it is in the boil too long.
I find adding Whirlfloc any more than 10 minutes from the end of boil reduces its effectiveness. A few years ago I discovered BrewBright and haven't gone back. For best results make up BrewBright into a slurry with cold water and add when whirlpooling - makes a huge difference.

Mark

fine.png

Where can one find said brewbright?

 

[MHB]

I'm sure some other suppliers stock it but I get mine from my local Brewman.
He sells it in jars or custom sized sachets as part of a recipe in the ordering tool BrewBuilder.
Mark

 

[timmi9191]

Thanks Mark, Whats the rate of usage?

 

[nosco]

I get it from Grain and Grape.

 

[razz]

Thanks Mark, Whats the rate of usage?

4 grams per 23 lts batch (from memory)

 

[MHB]

That's in the range, the manufacturer recommends 10-20g/hL (100L) with 15g being typical.
So for a 23L batch (10/100*23=2.3, to 4.6) with 15/100*23=3.45g being typical.
I find it depends a bit on the malt you choose, grain bills with higher adjunct (more protein) lean on it a bit harder, lower gravity pils style worts made from well modified malt, at the lighter end.
Mark

 

[dr K]

I get mine from mashematics.net of course!! :chug:

k

 

[MHB]

Snip
I can honestly say that even after nearly 20 years of grain brewing I have still not my head fully around cold break.
K

There are two possibilities that spring to mind, the first is that it is protein that is soluble in hot but not cold wort. Be pretty easy to prove, just reheat a wort and see if goes back into solution - a bit like chill haze.
The other is that its a permanent protein polymerisation that form as the wort cools that wont be redissolved.
My bet would be the first, cold break isn't something that I get into a bunch about, happy for anyone to do a trial and let us know the outcome.
Mark