Ahb Wiki: The No-chiller Method / Using A Cube

[Bizier]

I wish to report back on my NC method, unfortunately negatively.

I just fermented out an Imperial IPA, yes, perhaps not the star candidate for the technique, but I have to say that all of my post-boil aroma-steep type additions were basically in vain. I am unsure how others have succeeded so well in doing this. I am going to dry hop the crap out of this beer, but I have to say that unfortunately now it kind of tastes like Bush Ambre (Scaldis), which is due to sugars etc, but throwing the following hops in the bin would have produced a similar result:

44L:
30.00 gm Nelson Sauvin 09 [11.50 %] (30 min) (AromHops -
30.00 gm Amarillo [8.50 %] (30 min) (Aroma Hop-SteHops -
60.00 gm Saaz [4.00 %] (30 min) (Aroma Hop-Steep) Hops -
60.00 gm Centennial 08 [9.70 %] (30 min) (Aroma HoHops -
60.00 gm Simcoe 08 [12.20 %] (15 min) (Aroma Hop-SHops -

~5.45g/L

I will be moving to chilled territory as soon as I can, at least for hoppy beers.

I love the technique for beers that use hops for balancing the sweetness, but if the hop aroma and flavour is a big part, such as APAs and even a CZ pils, then I would advocate the chiller.

 

[aaronpetersen]

I apologise if this question has been asked earlier in this thread, but I don't really want to read all 13 pages. Anyway, my question is, why is it so important to squeeze all the air out of the cube? The reason I ask is that I want to do a small batch (~15L) and my smallest cube is 20L (actually 23L) so there's no way I'll be able to squeeze all the air out. I know you can buy 15L cubes, but I'm a tight-arse and don't want to buy a cube just for this one brew.
edit: poor grammar

 

[razz]

It's squeezing all of the air out of the cube Aaron so you don't get oxygen spoiling the wort

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I've not bothered squeezing lately

No ill effects to report

I do try and use the cube within a week though

Cheers

 

[mje1980]

Me too gino, i never bother squeezing the air out. The temp in the cube is that hot when i seal it, that anything in that tiny amount of air will be dead by the time it cools down. I've left cubes for weeks with no problem. I think if you had more than a few inches of dead space it might be an issue, but my 15 ltr cubes are full to the brim, and my 17 litre cube has at the most 2'' of dead space. No probs.

 

[Guysmiley54]

I am having so much trouble getting my cubes to seal properly. I bought two cheapies from bunnings, when they'e cold they seem to tighten up nicely but when they're hot the lid gets tight and then seems to jump the thread. I tried to sand back some excess plastic on the thread of the cube and even used plumbers tape but I couldn't get either of them to seal.

I thought that seeing that a good number of folks on AHB use Willow brand cubes, I would spend a little more and get one. Bunnings only had the blue ones so I picked one up. I am having the exact same problem with this cube as I did with the last two!!

Any tips?

 

[raven19]

I have been fortunate all my cubes seal well. Have you tried switching the lids around?

I have never had any of my lids jump the thread.

 

[fergi]

just wondering , what does hot side aeration taste like, there is a thought that when running your hot boiling wort into the cube that it shouldnt splash, i have done 3 AG beers now and all have run hot into the cube with splashing, i cant detect any funny flavours,so what am i looking for.

cheers fergi

 

[fergi]

just wondering , what does hot side aeration taste like, there is a thought that when running your hot boiling wort into the cube that it shouldnt splash, i have done 3 AG beers now and all have run hot into the cube with splashing, i cant detect any funny flavours,so what am i looking for.

cheers fergi

BURP... i mean bump.
fergi

 

[McFeast]

BURP... i mean bump.
fergi

Agree, good question - Bump!

 

[Lodan]

"Over time, these compounds will break down, freeing atomic oxygen back into the beer where it can oxidize the alcohols and hop compounds producing off-flavors and aromas like wet cardboard or sherry-like flavors."
- How to Brew by John Palmer
http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter6-9-3.html

 

[Bribie G]

No use quoting John Palmer because he doesn't agree with no chill anyway and probably fell around laughing when he heard about BIAB

John Palmer = [attachment=46867:dino.jpeg

 

[thedragon]

This is a brilliant article that I wish I found a year ago. Thanks Cortez.

 

[chrismcnally]

This is a brilliant article that I wish I found a year ago. Thanks Cortez.

I agree. wish I knew about this sooner. Chilling is the worst part of my day because I have to carry a hot 6 gallons in my pot from stove to chilling area. and I would rather end my brew day earlier and not have to clean the chiller.

I need some help finding one of these cubes in the U.S. I find many of them but how do I know if they are capable of holding such hot wort? There are never any specs on temperature range on the websites I check. Is there a type of material I can check for that would indicate it can handle the hot wort?

Here is an example of all the cubes from CampMore

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/SubCat...00226_200368398


also this cube on wheels would be perfect for me so I don't have to carry it (since I brew in my kitchen) but it does not seem to be collapsible.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___85258

any advice would be appreciated. Maybe it could be part of the wiki too!

 

[manticle]

You may be familiar with homebrewtalk.com, a US based HB forum?

There's a thread there which discusses NC. A lot of American brewers on that forum seem to use winpak for NC.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/exploring-...brewing-117111/

What you have linked to looks OK - the main thing we concern ourselves with here is whether the cube is made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE, recycling symbol 2). On the Q and A page, the reliance 7 gallon aqua-tainer is said to be HDPE so looking good. Check out whichever model it is you're interested in using and see if it's HDPE. The 5 gallon Rhino Pak is only Polyethylene.

Checked the thingy on wheels - it only says that it's BPA free so it may not be right. Check with the store or look for the recycle number 2 symbol.

 

[chrismcnally]

Thanks for the stats and the link. Just what I wanted. I'll be sure to get HDPE and not Polythylene. The link looks promising.

You may be familiar with homebrewtalk.com, a US based HB forum?

There's a thread there which discusses NC. A lot of American brewers on that forum seem to use winpak for NC.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/exploring-...brewing-117111/

What you have linked to looks OK - the main thing we concern ourselves with here is whether the cube is made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE, recycling symbol 2). On the Q and A page, the reliance 7 gallon aqua-tainer is said to be HDPE so looking good. Check out whichever model it is you're interested in using and see if it's HDPE. The 5 gallon Rhino Pak is only Polyethylene.

Checked the thingy on wheels - it only says that it's BPA free so it may not be right. Check with the store or look for the recycle number 2 symbol.

 

[canislupus]

Could I ask a question about that?

Last week I did my first BIAB no chill, the pot is made of HDPE material. I put the very hot wort on it with a funnel so it has splashed.

I also found that the plastic from the cube got very soft, maybe very hot wort to put in the cube?

Only just a day after I pitch the yeast but right now it smells really strange, like Sulphuric acid and a little bit like rotted.

I wonder if it could be hot side aeration? What do you think?

Thank you very much and excuse me for my English.

 

[Yob]

Only just a day after I pitch the yeast but right now it smells really strange, like Sulphuric acid and a little bit like rotted.

What Yeast was it? Sounds like a Lager Yeast.

 

[canislupus]

What Yeast was it? Sounds like a Lager Yeast.

Hi Yob, it was S-04. Safale English Ale (Fermentis).

 

[hellbent]

Wouldn't the first 5-10 minutes the hot wort spends sitting in the cube keep the hops working for an extended time and alter the IBU readings?? Like all your hop additions are going to get an extra 5-10 mins cooking. Take for example the 5 min hop addition would be still sitting in a near boiling wort for another 5 or so mins and therefore it would become a 10min+ hop addition creating a higher IBU reading. With the chilled method the wort is at least cooling off very quickly and eradicates that problem. I know that recipes formed in Brewmaster the IBU's alter significantly when you tick no chill and I'm led to believe it is for that very reason. interested to see what you think?