This post has been a long time in the making. Ever since we started making cold brew coffee in 10+ gallon batches, we’ve been vorlaufing it prior to transferring it into kegs. Still, years later, we don’t hear about this process being used in the cold brew coffee world… either that, or everyone is keeping it a secret.
If you’re a [beer] brewer or homebrewer, you’ve undoubtedly heard the term vorlauf and used the vorlauf process in your brewing endeavors. If you’re visiting from the cold brew or coffee industry, you’re probably wondering, “What’s a vorlauf”? Well, we’re here to (try to) explain what the vorlauf process is and how it can help to filter and clarify your cold brew.
What is Vorlauf? Or the Vorlauf Process in [Cold] Brewing?
Simply put, vorlauf is a german term meaning “run ahead” or more succinctly in brewing terms “recirculation”. Take a look at the definition of vorlauf as defined in the book The Oxford Companion to Beer.
You’re probably wondering how recirculating is going to help filter your cold brew, right?
Well, similar to the beer brewing process, when cold brewing coffee there are often many small coffee particles, commonly called fines, that make there way outside, around and through the chosen filter medium, regardless of the filter and brew system being used. For instance, in a Cold Brew Avenue Cold Brew System, these coffee fines and particulates may find their way through the fine mesh screen and beneath the filter plate. So rather than directly transferring the finished cold brew directly into a serving vessel, it can first be put through the vorlauf process.
What exactly is the vorlauf process as it pertains to cold brew coffee?
It’s simply recirculating the coffee that is outside of the filter medium, beneath the filter plate in the case of the Cold Brew Avenue Cold Brew System, back onto the bed of coffee grounds. If you cold brew in batch sizes of 5 gallons or more, you’ve likely seen some sediment from the brew process make its way through or outside of your primary filter. If you were to pull a cup out of your brew system and set it aside, then drain the remainder of your system pulling another cup right at the end of the draining process, you’d likely see a difference in the clarity of the cold brew as a large portion of the fines and sediment that made it through the filter would be pulled out at the beginning.
When is the right time to vorlauf cold brew?
In the beer brewing world, the vorlauf step takes place at the completion of the mash rest, after all of the grains have steeped in hot water for the prescribed amount of time. In the cold brew coffee world, the vorlauf step takes place after the coffee grounds have steeped for the desired amount of time, whether that be 5 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours or any number in between. The steeping time for cold brew is entirely up to you and so is whether or not you prefer to implement the vorlauf process.
What is the benefit of using the vorlauf process when cold brewing?
By vorlaufing your cold brew prior to transferring to your next vessel(s), you’re essentially using the bed of coffee grounds to self filter. By recirculating your cold brew through the coffee bed, you’re adding any sediment and fines back into the top of the system. Many of these fines, when reintroduced through the top of the brew system find there way into the coffee bed and ‘get stuck’ with the rest of the grounds.
Some additional benefits you may notice by implementing the vorlauf process in your cold brew:
- Clarity: By trapping 65%+ of the sediment within the coffee bed, you’ll notice an improved clarity in your cold brew without the need for secondary filtration.
- Taste: You’ll likely notice that your cold brew has an increased longevity and maintains its taste and flavor profile over time as the cold brew is not sitting on top of extra fines in the keg or bottle.
- Yield: By vorlaufing, you may notice a slightly higher yield by allowing more solubles to be extracted.
- Efficiency: It can possibly save you a step of secondary filtration, thus making your cold brew process more efficient.
- Longevity: Vorlaufed cold brew can stay fresher longer, and maintain its flavor profile due to reduced sediment, extending its shelf life.
Craving Cold Brew Clarity? Vorlaufing vs. Paper & Composite
Crafting the perfect cold brew is an art, and achieving crystal-clear, flavor-packed perfection often hinges on your filtration method. But with options like vorlaufing, paper filters, and mesh filters, navigating the choices can feel as murky as an unfiltered cup. So, let’s dive into some of the pros and cons of each technique.
Vorlauf Process / with a 100% Reusable Stainless Steel Filter
Pros:
- Clarity Champion: Recirculation magic! Vorlaufing helps to trap rogue sediment, resulting in a stunningly clear, smooth-textured cold brew.
- Flavor Finesse: It targets fine particles without stripping away precious oils, preserving your coffee’s natural richness and complexity.
- Eco-Conscious Choice: Ditch the disposables! Vorlaufing is a repeatable process and waste-free when using 100% reusable stainless steel cold brew systems, aligning with your green thumb.
- No Needed Secondary Filtration: With the vorlauf process, you may be able to do away with your secondary filtration, potentially saving you time and money on disposable filters.
Cons:
- Clarity Conundrum: If your primary filter already delivers the taste and flavor profile that you want, the additional clarity gain might be subtle.
Paper and Composite Filters
Pros:
- King of Convenience: Quick, simple, and mostly mess-free, paper filters are the grab-and-go champions of filtration. Brew anywhere, including in a plastic bucket!
- Crystal Clarity: Expect a sparkling clean brew, free of even the finest sediment.
- Bright & Crisp: Paper filters remove some oils, leading to a flavor profile for those who love a clean finish.
Cons:
- Flavor Farewell: Those oils removed? They can carry some desirable taste components, potentially leading to a slightly muted profile.
- Wasteful Warrior: Disposable filters create ongoing waste and cost, not ideal for the eco-conscious coffee connoisseur.
The Verdict:
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution in the cold brew world. Ultimately, the “best” method depends on your taste preferences and priorities.
So, experiment, explore, and brew your way to cold brew bliss!
Vorlauf, as defined by The Oxford Companion to Beer:
Vorlauf is German for “recirculation.” When a mash is transferred to a lauter tun or when the mash rest has finished in an infusion mash tun, some particles of grain remain in suspension under the vessel’s false bottom. These materials come mostly from the grain’s embryo, which is rich in lipids, and its husk, which contains phenolic compounds. If they were boiled in the kettle, they would contribute unpleasant flavors to the finished beer. These particles are therefore sent back into the grain bed so that they never enter the wort stream. During the vorlauf sequence, wort is drained by simple gravity from underneath the false bottom into a collection vessel called a grant, from which it is pumped over the top (or just below the surface) of the grain bed. In the process, the grain bed serves as a filter that traps all floating particulate matter. Brewers continue the vorlauf until the recirculating wort runs clear. Only then is the wort lautered, that is, drained into the kettle. Although the technique is standard in the United States and Germany—from whence Americans derived the word “vorlauf”—not all brewers feel that the wort needs to be fully clarified. Some worry that reintroduction of the fine particulate matter into the mash bed will impede the run-off, thus causing more problems than are solved.
Photo by Jacob Bentzinger on Unsplash
Leave a Reply