Following the boil, the next step is to separate the hop debris and the trubaceous matter (hot break) so that the wort is bright and clear before cooling. If whole hops are used, the amount of spent hops will be between 0.7 and 1.4 kg /hl wet weight and the trub will weigh in the region of 0.21-0.28

Hop utilization is the percentage of alpha acids that is isomerized and remains in the finished beer. The utilization of the bitter substances rarely exceeds 40% in commercial breweries and is often as low as 25% (31).

A microbrewery or craft brewery is a brewery that produces a small amount of beer. The microbrewery process terms are typically applied to breweries that are much smaller than large-scale corporate breweries and are independently owned. Such breweries are generally characterized by their emphasis on