Removing break material from fermenter

[retourrbx]

Any tips on doing this quickly? - Looks like I'll have quite a lot

[Garth]

personally I don't bother, I might do if I had a conical but my beer never seems to suffer, I once I left a brew a few hours till the break was at the bottom of the fv, then I racked the wort off into another fermenter, and then pitched the yeast, the brew failed to ferment right out and I lost a lot of beer to the break anyway, apparently the break contains something that the yeast likes to eat.

I simply skim any rubbish thrown up by the yeast during the first couple of days, this seems to do the trick.

[retourrbx]

do you use a spoon?

[Garth]

yeah, a ss kitchen spoon (a big one) or a brewing paddle, I have a paddlesitting in an Iodophor solution for use tomorrow as I've just brewed and by the look of it I also have loads, it's getting chucked up already.

[SiHoltye]

If you use an Immersion Chiller you can leave the break behind in the boiler using the hops to filter it out.

My current specific within the crusade for consistent complete fermentation is temperature. Check your yeast's website, and ensure wort temp is within range.

Once it's in the FV with the yeast though you can only skim what the krausen lifts up.

Good luck.

[Whorst]

This is what I do, and it works every time. After you've cooled your wort, siphon off at the very edge of your pot. Most, if not all, trub,etc stays in the middle of the pot.

[steve_flack]

Any tips on doing this quickly? - Looks like I'll have quite a lot

Buy a conical?

[iowalad]

Whorst,

I don't seem to an effective whirlpool as yours. I have an 8 US gal kettle. Give it a decent stir and leave it to settle. The trub spreads out all the way to the sides of the kettle. I do think I get more in the center than I would if I did not whirlpool.

I assume there are no secrets out their to get a good whirlpool effect!

[zigger1_2000]

Mmmmm - Now I know why my first batch of AG was hazy and hard to clear.

I just poured everything from the boiler and all the protein break went into my FV. Now I am using Irish Moss to help with the break and draining through the tap of my boiler to leave the proteins below the tap of the boiler instead of in my FV.

The home brew books I have don't deal much with the subject of dealing with the end results of a protein break...They just say a protein break is good and forget to mention the fact that all of it is not good inside of your FV.

Great Forum!!!

[spearmint-wino]

There was a debate at LAB a few months ago on the subject of bitterness being reduced if you skim. I've gone from skimming (2-3 times during fermentation) to not skimming and can now taste more prominent bitterness in my beers again. I'd suggest only doing it if the surface of the yeast looks too scary! Afraid I don't have any pics to illustrate this point.