This thick, sludgy material consists primarily of coagulated proteins, hop debris, and inactive yeast cells. Hot break trub forms during the boil, while cold break trub drops out as the wort cools. Leaving too much trub in the liquid can cause off-flavors or haze in the finished beer, so brewers use whirlpools or careful racking to separate the clear liquid from this sediment.
Make sure you leave the trub behind in the kettle when you transfer to the fermenter.
While excessive trub is undesirable in the fermenter, a small amount provides lipids and nutrients that can actually aid yeast health during fermentation.
Also heard as
- break material
- lees
Related terms
Whirlpooling
The process of spinning hot wort in a circular motion to force solid particles into a compact cone at the center.
Wort
The sweet, unfermented liquid extracted from mashed grains that serves as the basis for beer or whisky.
Haze
A cloudy or turbid appearance in a beverage caused by suspended particles.