1st Ag Cubed. How Long Will It Keep?

[HoppingMad]

Am stoked. First All Grain brew went through the new All Grain setup without a hitch.

It's in the cube now (no chill method) and smelling like tasty amarillo soup (Dr Smurto's Golden Ale).
I am eager to put it in the fermenter, but the trouble is, I'm going to the beach for a week starting this weekend and recipe suggests a good secondary

Will this cube keep till the end of next week? I have two options -

a. Sitting unrefridgerated in a cool insulated cellar (no temp control but dark and constant)

b. Sitting in a temp controlled fridge

If the best idea is the fridge what is the ideal temperature?
Any help most welcome. Tried a search and wasn't able to find anything.

Hopper.

 

[PostModern]

If you followed the well trodden path of racking while incredibly hot into a well sanitised cube, expelled most of the air, inverted the cube (to sanitise the cap and confirm the seal) and let it cool down naturally, and haven't opened the seal since cubing (is that a word?) it'll be fine for months and months. Just keep it out of direct sunlight.

I'm just concerned that you know what it smells like now it's in the cube. We had one guy here who kept opening it after it cooled to take gravity samples or something and whined when it got infected. Keep it sealed until you have a sanitised fermenter in one hand and a ready to pitch yeast in the other.

 

[drsmurto]

Am stoked. First All Grain brew went through the new All Grain setup without a hitch.

It's in the cube now (no chill method) and smelling like tasty amarillo soup (Dr Smurto's Golden Ale).
I am eager to put it in the fermenter, but the trouble is, I'm going to the beach for a week starting this weekend and recipe suggests a good secondary

Will this cube keep till the end of next week? I have two options -

a. Sitting unrefridgerated in a cool insulated cellar (no temp control but dark and constant)

b. Sitting in a temp controlled fridge

If the best idea is the fridge what is the ideal temperature?
Any help most welcome. Tried a search and wasn't able to find anything.

Hopper.

If your no chill method was up to scratch then as POMO said, it will be fine.

If you have a temp controlled fridge set it to 18C and walk away for 2 weeks. Since that recipe was posted i let all my beers sit in primary for a minimum of 2 weeks. Then its into a secondary vessel for conditioning.

What temp is your cellar?

 

[PostModern]

Good point Dr S makes. If you're going away for only a week, may as well let it ferment rather than wait for you as wort.

 

[pint of lager]

If it were mine, I would be leaving it fermenting.

If you are not fermenting it, maybe your yeast isn't ready, I would be leaving it in the fridge at 2 degrees.

If all the "no chill" criteria have been followed, it will be fine at cellar temps for months, but because this is your very first ag and very first "no chill" there are alot of variables and things to keep an eye on for the first brew day, and something may not be perfect. It would be very very sad for you to come back after your week's break to a swollen cube and a ruined first ag.

 

[bennyc]

I cubed a brew, let it sit around for a month, drove it up from Melbourne to Canberra, let it sit around for another month or so, fermented, drunk it - no problems! :icon_cheers:

 

[Kleiny]

I say start the fermentation walk away for the week come back and rack it

Its ready to go

 

[jonocarroll]

Just an extra question for this thread - how important is temperature control for the cube? I've been patiently waiting for my starter to be ready and I've got a batch sitting in a cube in the shed - not crazy hot in there, but the weather in Adelaide has been creeping up a bit this week. I'm pitching later today, but for future reference - any problems with the wort getting a bit warm again?

 

[PostModern]

It's a sealed, cooked food product, so I don't think temperature stability is too much of an issue. I wouldn't be comfortable letting it get to the 40's, but I've kept a stack of cubes in my kitchen thru more than one season and not had a dud tasting brew out of them.

 

[jonocarroll]

It's a sealed, cooked food product, so I don't think temperature stability is too much of an issue. I wouldn't be comfortable letting it get to the 40's, but I've kept a stack of cubes in my kitchen thru more than one season and not had a dud tasting brew out of them.

Cheers, that puts my mind at ease. I may also get a good stack of cubes going once I do some lagers in the winter - only 1 fridge & controller so I'll get a bit of a backlog going and ferment them once the fridge is free.

 

[HoppingMad]

Cheers Postmodern -

Had Sanitised the cube and sealed it off straight after the boil. Hadn't opened it since (but was tempted - now I know not to!). Know what the stuff smells like from the boiler and pouring it into the cube. Hadn't heard of inverting to check the seal but will be doing that from now on.

Thanks Smurto -

One for the ripper recipe that keeps tipping us newbies into the All Grain. My fridge has a manual controller (like the grape & grain ones, not a fridgemate set & forget) and only controls cooling so might need to be around to watch it from time to time. Also never used a liquid yeast before or a smack pack. Will definately be doing a primary & secondary as you recommend on Recipe DB. The cellar I have is dark and cool, around 15oC I would think but haven't measured. On a hot day it is still cool.

To the gang that say 'brew it now!'

Would love to. Really would, in my mind I can already taste it - but it's my first AG and don't want to wreck it. Hence the storage question till I can carefully do a ferment and monitor.

Hopper

 

[drsmurto]

What yeast are you using?

15C is at the lower ends for most ale yeast but i have used US05 at that temp before and it did its job without a fuss.

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

Just an extra question for this thread - how important is temperature control for the cube? I've been patiently waiting for my starter to be ready and I've got a batch sitting in a cube in the shed - not crazy hot in there, but the weather in Adelaide has been creeping up a bit this week. I'm pitching later today, but for future reference - any problems with the wort getting a bit warm again?

Check your wort temperature before you pitch the yeast or better still, place the cube into your temperature controlled fridge/freezer for 24 hrs to ensure you will be pitching at the correct temperature for fermentation.
I say this because with the last few days being >30C here in Adelaide then I would think the temperature in your shed would be even higher and if you pitch yeast into your wort at higher temps you will end up with a poor end product and high fusel alcohols.

C&B
TDA

 

[pint of lager]

Hadn't heard of inverting to check the seal but will be doing that from now on.

As part of the "no chill" method, after you have cubed the brew, expelled the air and sealed it, you also lay the cube on it's side to allow the very hot wort into contact with the lid and the handle. This pastuerises these surfaces. At the same time, you will see any leaks.

If the cube was not laid on it's side as part of the "no chill" method, definitely either store the cube in the fridge close to zero, or get that fermentation going ASAP.

 

[HoppingMad]

What yeast are you using?

15C is at the lower ends for most ale yeast but i have used US05 at that temp before and it did its job without a fuss.

Using the recommended - Wyeast 1056, but have a sachet of US-05 handy.

 

[drsmurto]

Use US05 (its what i have used on all but one version) and bung it in the cellar.

But as TDA said, make sure its down to 20C before pitching so maybe leave it there overnight before pitching tomorrow morning.

Save the 1056 for the next time when you can plan your brewday in advance and have the liquid yeast starter at the right stage on brewday (or the day after if you are no chilling).

 

[HoppingMad]

Use US05 (its what i have used on all but one version) and bung it in the cellar.

But as TDA said, make sure its down to 20C before pitching so maybe leave it there overnight before pitching tomorrow morning.

Save the 1056 for the next time when you can plan your brewday in advance and have the liquid yeast starter at the right stage on brewday (or the day after if you are no chilling).

Cool I've give it a go then. Cheers :icon_cheers:

Hopper.

 

[Bribie G]

I'll actually be in your situation next week as I'm going to brew and cube on Australia Day, then head to Sydney the next day for a ten day trip. I'm going to leave the cube in the shower cubicle where it's a good ten degrees cooler than the garage. On my return the first job will be to make up a starter bottle of some Wyeast 1768, let it wake up overnight and pitch the next day.

I even considered making up the starter in Sydney and letting it brew on the way home in the car but the Mrs won't be in that for some unfathomable reason. <_<

 

[HoppingMad]

I'll actually be in your situation next week as I'm going to brew and cube on Australia Day, then head to Sydney the next day for a ten day trip. I'm going to leave the cube in the shower cubicle where it's a good ten degrees cooler than the garage. On my return the first job will be to make up a starter bottle of some Wyeast 1768, let it wake up overnight and pitch the next day.

I even considered making up the starter in Sydney and letting it brew on the way home in the car but the Mrs won't be in that for some unfathomable reason. <_<

Classic :lol: That would make it a car starter!

Boom!Tissh!

 

[HoppingMad]

All right. Know it's kinda naff to add a second post under the previous but thought I'd update:

Cellar is looking warmer than I thought. Have a thermometer in a glass of water in there just to check it today but with the midday sun it may go up to 20 degrees despite being heavily insulated with plywood and insulation batts (not underground). In Melbourne it's going to be a scorcher so see what the temp winds up at when I'm home again.

Set my fridge with the manual G&G controller (which only cools - unlike a fridgemate). Looks like it's doing a constant 17.5 degrees. Think with the hot weather I won't need a manual heat up over the nights so should be ok. Planning to throw the cube into a ferment in the fridge with an S-05 tonight. This looks like the safest option.

Now all I have to hope is that there are no power outages in the next week (which melbourne always gets this time of year with everyone's aircon going - fingers crossed), and all things going well should have a nice brew to close to bottling when I'm back.

Thanks guys for all your help!

Hopper.