No Chill Cube Not Full

[Nossil]

I've done a quick search on the topic and so far I've gathered that its not ideal to have a no chill cube with a decent amount of headspace due to the oxygen making the wort go bad. But if you use it the next day it should be fine..

Well I'm wondering has anyone had any experience in leaving it for more than just 1 day?
Below picture is a brew I no-chilled last night (my first DSGA), pushed in the sides as much as a could but unfortunately still a lot of headspace. Bunnings only had 15L or 25L cubes.. 15L is to small, but looks like 25L is too big... No happy medium!

So, if I leave it in the cube for a few more days is it goodbye precious wort?



Also, while I'm at it. What are the negatives of no-chilling in the fermenter? Putting a sanitised shot glass upside down over the gromet so steam can escape.
Provided the yeast is dumped in the following day, are there any downsides to this?

 

[Verbyla]

Not ideal but should be fine. What you want to avoid is aerating the wort when it is stil really hot, so avoid splashing it around in the cube until it cools down. After that you can let it aerate as much as you like. I wouldn't imagine the amount of aeration that would occur would dramatically affect the wort either way.

If you keg give it a quick spray of CO2 to push out the oxygen

I prefer to use a no chill cube so that I can just throw it in the spa/bath to cool down if I feel like it. Obviously can't do this with fermenter. Only negative I can think of with no chilling in a fermenter would be that you don't get the chance siphon the wort off the cold break before pitching yeasties.

 

[doon]

Rays outdoors have 20l cubes

 

[Jay Cee]

How far are you short? If I have ever miscalculated my runoff and am down a litre or so, I'll put the kitchen kettle on and top it up, then invert the cube immediately to mix it in. All said & done, your targets won't be compromised too much (+/- 5%) and if you really were obsessed with the shift in ABV/IBU could always add a little dry extract later, and compensate in your hop schedule.

Edit: Just saw your picture, you appear about five litres down. Definitely modify your recipes in future to include some dry malt and more hops, and top up with boiling water if your kettle isn't big enough to do a full cube

 

[Nossil]

I prefer to use a no chill cube so that I can just throw it in the spa/bath to cool down if I feel like it. Obviously can't do this with fermenter. Only negative I can think of with no chilling in a fermenter would be that you don't get the chance siphon the wort off the cold break before pitching yeasties.

Thats what I though, but the cold break would sink to the bottom of the fermenter and sit there during fermentation anyway right?

I edited my first post to show the picture. See, massive shortfall

 

[Robbo2234]

This is a pic of my first no chill

I think i took the squeeze all the air out you can a bit to far!
It was a 25 litre cube next time I will use a 20 litre cube

 

[doon]

Remember 15 litres holds 17. Your 25l cube would hold 27. Looks like you are way off. 15l cube would of been fine I reckon

 

[keifer33]

Rays outdoors have 20l cubes

Must say for cost in the west Rays Outdoors are the best value. Dont know how they compare over east.


I regularly do 21-22Lts for a 20Lt cube and 16-17lts for a 15lt cube. Anything in between and I dont really bother. Always handy to have a few different sizes around.

 

[Robbo2234]

know what a 20 litre cube holds?

 

[Mike L'Itorus]

know what a 20 litre cube holds?

the "20L" ones that look like the one you pictured hold close to 23L when chockas.

 

[Jay Cee]

It's stated capacity is to the line.

 

[Bats]

+1's for the fact that 15L cubes can hold 17 to 18L and 20L cubes hold 23L.

All you need to know when no chilling in cubes is to try and eliminate the amount of head space as much as possible.

If you miscalculate and put 18L or so of wort in a 25L cube, it just means that you will have to squeeze more air out and distort the crap out of the cube. It might look ugly but is necessary.

I find the best method is to get a towel and use your knee. Fill the cube with your wort, then add the cap but dont tighten it all the way so that air can still be pushed out. Find a step or similar and angle the cube on the step with the cap on the high side. With the towel on your knee (so you don't burn yourself), force your knee into the side of the cube pushing the air out through the cap. When wort gets close to squirting out, tighten the cap firmly.

Put the cube on it's side for 10 mins so the hot wort can sanitise the lid and handle.

You'll have a cube that looks like a melted gumboot but it will have minimal airspace inside.

 

[Maheel]

How far are you short? If I have ever miscalculated my runoff and am down a litre or so, I'll put the kitchen kettle on and top it up, then invert the cube immediately to mix it in.

i have done the same rather water it down with 2L than loose the cube to infection or something

pour and pitch into it ASAP i reckon

 

[Hippy]

If you keg and have flare fittings you can purge the cube headspace with CO2. I've done that once or twice in the same situation and have stored the cube for weeks with no problems.

 

[RdeVjun]

I'd note that it is no biggie to leave some air headspace when filling no- chill cubes. In most cases the few litres of air will have SFA negligible impact on the resultant beer. That might obviate the need to contort cubes as we've seen, there is no need to obsessively squeeze every last bit of air out of the cube.
Edit: By all means evacuate some of the headspace to allow for shrinkage, but I wouldn't completely remove every bit of air, all you will achieve is a ruptured cube.

 

[Crusty]

I'd note that it is no biggie to leave some air headspace when filling no- chill cubes. In most cases the few litres of air will have SFA negligible impact on the resultant beer. That might obviate the need to contort cubes as we've seen, there is no need to obsessively squeeze every last bit of air out of the cube.

This has proven itself correct for me. I use 25lt cubes from Bunnings & get 20.5lt into my cube with my 23lt batches (2.5lt trub)
I use the towel & knee trick to get as much air out as possible but I certainly don't go overboard trying to squeeze the guts out of it. When squeezed, I can see my wort level sitting on 22.5lt so I have a bit of head space in the cube.
Has this made any difference to the finished beer quality? Absolutely none. I have fermented a no chill cube the next day & another one a month later for the exact same result.

 

[bum]

Only negative I can think of with no chilling in a fermenter would be that you don't get the chance siphon the wort off the cold break before pitching yeasties.

How much do you think people who use plate chillers GAF about this?

 

[hsb]

Re no chilling in fermenter - aerating the wort before pitching? If you think it makes a difference of course. I'd find a fermenter too awkward to shake.

 

[Verbyla]

How much do you think people who use plate chillers GAF about this?

No idea but it's still a negative of no-chilling in the fermenter however small

 

[jakethesnake559]

quote name='Nossil' date='Jul 22 2012, 03:28 PM' post='937227']
So, if I leave it in the cube for a few more days is it goodbye precious wort?
[/quote]

I managed to cross thread a cube once, so couldn't get a proper seal on it.
Left it for a week with similar headspace to yours before pitching and the beer tasted fine.
No dramas :icon_cheers: .

You could no-chill in your fermenter.
Lots of people pitch straight straight into the cube once it's cooled (essentially the same thing :blink: ).
As someone else mentioned, give it a good shake/stir before pitching.

Cheers,
Jake.