Cubed 12/09/13 & Pitched 02/01/14

[KingKong]

Cubed an English IPA on the 12th September 2013. Renovations ment brewing was put on the back burner for a few months. There is no swelling, so Im pitching a couple of packets of S 04 at it today. Fingers crossed it comes through. Its the longest cube Ive fermented. Good to get the brewing gear back out though and the new shed and renos have left my brew gear looking pretty organised and accessible. No excuses for not brewing now! Should be back on AHB a bit more as well.

Cheers.

 

[mje1980]

If it's still sucked in, it'll be fine. One of my 5 cubes sat there for over 6 months and turned out fine. I did get a mild case of botulism, but it healed pretty quickly.

 

[mckenry]

Good to get the brewing gear back out though and the new shed and renos have left my brew gear looking pretty organised and accessible. No excuses for not brewing now!

Cheers.

Kind of sounds like a brew day invite KingKong???

 

[Ross]

Commercially FWK's typically have a best before of 2 years. The fresher the better, but certainly should be no issues after 3.5 months.


Cheers Ross

 

[KingKong]

Kind of sounds like a brew day invite KingKong???

Definitely mate. Im thinking sooner rather than later. Your gear leaves mine to shame though. But your always welcome, it would be to my benefit I think. Possibly Saturday if your around?

Commercially FWK's typically have a best before of 2 years. The fresher the better, but certainly should be no issues after 3.5 months.


Cheers Ross

Thanks Ross. Appreciate the knowledge.

 

[ben_sa]

Drinking my 6 month cubed citriwaka ale now and tastes just as good as the one i cubed for 4 days...

 

[Yob]

I often keep cubes for months on end, longest approached 12..

I like to keep a good store of cubes as I dont know when the next brewday will be exactly but it allows me to ferment at will

:super:

 

[paulmclaren11]

If you fill a cube to the brim - will it actually suck in?

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Yes it will, due to the expanded wort when you fill the cube and the vacuum caused by cooling wort.

 

[DJ_L3ThAL]

If you fill a cube to the brim - will it actually suck in?

No, not really. I had one which basically sat in the shape of an unfilled cube because I had filled it hot so much I did not need to squeeze the cube at all. I posted somewhere and many others reported the same experience. Just take a photo or mind note the day after brew day of the shape and check that it does not expand or change and if not, it's fine.

EDIT: The reason it does not suck in if you don't squeeze it is because the the heat softening the cube and the weight of the wort inside, the cube expands slightly larger than when it sits empty, so yes, there is a vacuum when it cools, but it won't appear "sucked in" because it has just retracted to it's normal empty shape/size.

 

[paulmclaren11]

No, not really. I had one which basically sat in the shape of an unfilled cube because I had filled it hot so much I did not need to squeeze the cube at all. I posted somewhere and many others reported the same experience. Just take a photo or mind note the day after brew day of the shape and check that it does not expand or change and if not, it's fine.

EDIT: The reason it does not suck in if you don't squeeze it is because the the heat softening the cube and the weight of the wort inside, the cube expands slightly larger than when it sits empty, so yes, there is a vacuum when it cools, but it won't appear "sucked in" because it has just retracted to it's normal empty shape/size.

Cheers, I have one that doesn't to have appeared to have changed shape since packing it hot - I did squeeze a little air out which caused wort to spill out as it was so full. I guess once I crack it I will know.

When I squeeze it now I can't hear any air escaping so seems like a tight seal. I also covered the lid with a piece of star san'd gladwrap.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

The cubes I use are classified Dangerous Goods use, (from People in Plastic Maidstone) the thermal expansion of these cubes must I think be less than the thermal expansion of the wort, they are thicker material than most other cubes when I fill mine with wort they balloon slightly and when cooled suck in and the wort is no longer at the top of the cap.