My No Chill Cube Expanded?

[Polar Beer]

my beautiful looking oatmeal stout has been sitting in it's cube for two weeks. All good, all as usual. Then today I drag it out and find the whole thing has blown up like a balloon. She also doesn't smell the best. I fear the worst has happened.

I searched and couldn't find anything in the no chill posts. Anyone know whats gone on here?

Cheers
Paul

 

[oldbugman]

down the drain

 

[Polar Beer]

down the drain

As I thought OldBugman...
Only the good die young.

FFS!

Cheers
Paul

 

[oldbugman]

and throw out the cube

 

[Polar Beer]

will do. I never want to see the ******* again anyway.

I've NC'd every AG I've done (not that many really, 11) & never a problem. In fact no infections that I can recall anywhere, even back to the K&K days. I am not pleased.

 

[oldbugman]

When I NC'd I only lost one, it was when I opened it took a refracto reading put the cap back on and continued drinking. Forgetting to bring the fermenter back from cleaning and kick it off.

 

[Polar Beer]

Right. Maybe someone has opened it up? <_<
This is a strong possibilty. I do have young kids. They have young friends. The cube was not in the usual green zone.

 

[Polar Beer]

SWMBO tells me that children have been seen in the NC cube area. SWMBO tells me this is my fault (not without reason). SWMBO is suddenly asking what my costs are per brew...

Anyway, the vile infected substance and it's cube are gone from my house now. I'll try and remember my oatmeal stout as it lived, not as it died.

 

[Tony]

I recently lost a cube of Old Ale. It sat in the cube for 6 weeks then began to foam and blow up.

I have done over a dozen of them this winter and only one other got infected but that was my fault..... we wont go there.

Dont toss the cube. Bleach the hell out of it and go again. I have reused a cube that had a batch go bad in it a few times with no problems.

I'd say you didnt find anything in a search because its the un-spoken evil among no-chillers. Its risky buisness and every precaution should still be made to steralise everything. Just relying on heat doesnt always work..... as i found out.

cheers

 

[kram]

I don't think it was necessary to throw out the cube, I forgot to clean a couple of mine and they both ended up with a little mould growth in them. Cleaned it out and both have been used since with no expanding cubes or infected beers. Just give it a good clean!

 

[Thirsty Boy]

I dunno about an "unspoken" evil - I seem to recall a reasonably lengthy thread where the topic of swelling cubes was discussed, IIRC there was even a poll??

It was an uncommon but not unheard of experience, there seemed to be a little support for the notion that swelling cubes were a bit more common amongst those who had tried to chill their no-chill cubes by chucking them in a pool or tub of water, less time for the heat to work its germ killing magic... but its not like that was backed up by a thorough statistical analysis or anything.

But swollen cubes happen and I suspect will inevitably happen to every no-chiller eventually - as would an infection during the chilling process to those brewers who do that. At least with NC you get a heads up before you chuck $15 worth of yeast at it.

My suspicion is that a cube that hasn't had all the air squeezed out of it is more likely (not certain, but more likely) to get an infection, with the chances rising with NC in the fermentor and even more with NC in the kettle - but that is pure conjecture on my part, unbacked by anything other than my own train of thought. Failing to sanitise the cube thoroughly... well you would deserve an infection in my book.

I don't chuck plastic away because of infection, I've had lacto, actetobactor, mold etc etc grow in cubes and fermentors that I forgot to clean... bleach, nappisan, elbow grease and a good sanitiser - and I am happily still using all the plastic (HDPE) buckets, cubes and fermentors that I have ever owned. YMMV of course

TB

 

[white.grant]

Right. Maybe someone has opened it up? <_<
This is a strong possibilty. I do have young kids. They have young friends. The cube was not in the usual green zone.

Wow, strong kids - I've always found my cubes quite difficult to open once they have cooled. Not that I'm all that decrepit, but the partial vacum seal from the cooling and shrinking wort is pretty positive in my experience.

Alternatively, if it was easy to open, maybe the cap seal was a dud.

cheers

Grant

 

[Beejay]

Wow, strong kids - I've always found my cubes quite difficult to open once they have cooled. Not that I'm all that decrepit, but the partial vacum seal from the cooling and shrinking wort is pretty positive in my experience.

Alternatively, if it was easy to open, maybe the cap seal was a dud.

cheers

Grant

Yep, I agree, kids aren't that strong. When I put the lids on the NC cuibes I do them up so damn tight that it hurts my hands. Getting them off is a nightmare (gotta get a spanner for the lid) but at least I know that it is absolutely aitight sealed.

You did remember to tip the cube over to get the hot wort up into the handle and lid area didn't you?

 

[Polar Beer]

Yep, I agree, kids aren't that strong. When I put the lids on the NC cuibes I do them up so damn tight that it hurts my hands. Getting them off is a nightmare (gotta get a spanner for the lid) but at least I know that it is absolutely aitight sealed.

You did remember to tip the cube over to get the hot wort up into the handle and lid area didn't you?

Yep. Tipped it over for the handle, sanitised it, all the usual stuff. I agree the lids are tight but I wouldn't put anything past them. But I was more concerned about the tap on the cube.

 

[reviled]

SWMBO is suddenly asking what my costs are per brew...

Nooooooooooooooooo, thats not a good thing!

 

[kabooby]

Yep. Tipped it over for the handle, sanitised it, all the usual stuff. I agree the lids are tight but I wouldn't put anything past them. But I was more concerned about the tap on the cube.

Personnaly I dont have taps on my cubes. I don't think they would seal well enough. Get some plugs from the hardware and seal them up. Make sure that the tap holes are clean.

Kabooby

 

[warrenlw63]

Also without sounding alarmist if you're going to keep them in the cube any longer than a week. Maybe leave it in the fridge.
I know others have survived longer but the very thought of a week at the most in the cube scares me.
I generally leave it no longer than 2 days. Long enough to achieve pitching temps.
If it's summer it goes in the fridge the next morning anyway.

Warren -

 

[gibbocore]

not to start a NC v's Chill war, but you can effectively make an immersion chiller from bunnings for around $35. 3 m of copper and some compression fittings and some vinyl hose (to increase the number of coils). My coils are about 250mm in diameter and i have about 8 coils, one stem of copper going up to the compression fitting and hose bit, and the other end i have some vinyl hose clamped on and out the side. Chills 25L in 20-25 mins to about 27 Degrees if its cool weather and the water is icy, it chill sto 203 deg in 20 mins. i fill up the washing machine with the water, then the laundry sink with the rest t odo another load of washing. Everyone probaby knows this but just a heads up for anyone that doesnt, or thinks chillers are expensive.

 

[bindi]

Let it ferment out and see , you never know you may make the perfect wild beer. :lol:

Just keep it a mile away from anything else that could ferment.

 

[Adamt]

not to start a NC v's Chill war, but you can effectively make an immersion chiller from bunnings for around $35. 3 m of copper and some compression fittings and some vinyl hose (to increase the number of coils). My coils are about 250mm in diameter and i have about 8 coils, one stem of copper going up to the compression fitting and hose bit, and the other end i have some vinyl hose clamped on and out the side. Chills 25L in 20-25 mins to about 27 Degrees if its cool weather and the water is icy, it chill sto 203 deg in 20 mins. i fill up the washing machine with the water, then the laundry sink with the rest t odo another load of washing. Everyone probaby knows this but just a heads up for anyone that doesnt, or thinks chillers are expensive.

This has been covered. One of the reasons a lot of people NC is convenience. For example...your fermenting fridge may be full but you only have spare time now to brew; knock out a brew, cube it, and leave it until your fridge has free space.