immersion chilling

[lukasfab]

do you guys cover the brew kettle while chilling using immersion chiller to avoid any wild yeasts or whatever that could effect wort as it comes down in temp?

 

[mondestrunken]

Yep!

 

[lukasfab]

so what do you cover with so it doesnt get in the way while stirring the immersion chiller?
towel soaked in starsan ??????

 

[warra48]

Nope, I stir the wort to increase the rate of chilling.

Never had a problem in 120 AG brews so far, although I brew in my garage, not outside.

 

[lael]

I brew outside and ideally yes. Reality - if windy I make sure. Otherwise I try, but not super careful. I don't think it has been the source of any infections.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

I do both.

My whirlpool is a large stockpot, I made cutouts in the lid to fit the chiller tubes and hold it in place with a simple bulldog clip. I stir periodically to help with cooling and (obviously) lift the lid when doing so.

It's a bit of a PITA so I am looking at installing a whirlpool pump, in which case I'll leave the lid on.

 

[Lethaldog]

I cover with the lid and lift it every 5-10 minutes to stir/circulate, never had a problem doing it this way!

 

[lukasfab]

thanks lads

think i will do as mentioned and get one of those little pumps so i can leave lid on !

 

[spog]

I'm the same as Warra 48, lid off and brew in the shed on probs.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

A modified Pizza tray. Then new chux towels to shield any gaps. Usually soaked in sanitizer then wrung out. You can stir the wort with the chiller with the lid on.
I also protect the opening of the fermenter (kegmenter) and hose with sanitized chux when I drain the cooled wort. No little vinegar flies or whatever can get in. It should be a good protectant for wild yeast in the wind as well. I've never had anything resembling an infection this way. Its takes some time for me to chill 44lt and I like to drain slowly because it gets a clearer wort so protecting it is essential IMO.

 

[Crusty]

do you guys cover the brew kettle while chilling using immersion chiller to avoid any wild yeasts or whatever that could effect wort as it comes down in temp?

Never! When my temp drops below 80°C on the Braumeister, I turn on the pump to circulate the wort.
Immersion chillers really suck to be honest & your at the mercy of ambient temps. In summer, I struggle to get my wort down below 28°C. You can rig up an ice slurry in an esky with a pump but I couldn't be arsed doing that. I just stick it in the fermenting fridge @18°C & when it's hit 20°C, I aerate & pitch the yeast.
Leaving the lid on takes a bit longer to cool down but I don't think you need to worry too much about wild yeast spoiling your beer especially with a good sized starter & a healthy dose of O2. Any wild yeast that have decided to take up residence in your wort will be quickly dealt with by the big boys.

 

[lukasfab]

its just that ive had some strange tasting **** lately which seems to taste the same with different recipes.
funny though as i have let it go for week or more longer at 19c and it seems to have cleaned up so instead of dumping will chuck in keg
US05, will try M42 next time

 

[damoninja]

I used to with my old pot as I'd cut out a hole for the IC

But my new one I haven't got around to cutting the lid yet

 

[pcqypcqy]

I brew in a partially open shed, and whirlpool with a pump while chilling to increase the efficiency of the chiller. I don't use a lid. Haven't lost a brew doing it this way.

Have lost brews to infections when doing it outside, though whether it was during the chilling or due to un-related sanitisation issues, it's hard to say.

It's up to you and what you feel comfortable with. For a while I was super paranoid about DMS, so I was worried about covering it while temps were still above the DMS production range. However, if this were a a real thing then every no chill batch ever would have had DMS, so I'm probably over thinking it.