Ray's Wort Kits

[Ray_Mills]

Hi
I have started my bit on saving water. Got my hands on a 20l plastic drum like the wort kits.
After the boil I let the wort settle for 15 minutes and transferred it to the drum. Will let it cool and dump it into the fermenter tomorrow after work. If my starter is not going tomorrow I can wait another day.
Saves 1.5 hours on mash day and saves my water bill.
Rays Wort kits available one every two weeks.

Cheers

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Gday Ray,
So you didn't chill the beer down fast ?
i.e no chiller used ?

 

[Ray_Mills]

Hi Homebrewworld
The 15 minutes gave me the cold break. The wort was transfered hot into the drum. The same way ESB wort kits are made.
Ray

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Yeah good stuff !
I tried a similar thing recently but got an infection.
Goes like this........
I chilled the wort (cfwc) then dumped into a 25l drum with airlock (so if she bubbled i would know of infection).
I then pushed co2 into the top of the drum and sealed it tight.
2 days later she was bubbling like a train >?#@ ahhhhhhhh
i am sure (now) i got the infection from my bloody gas line from my co2 bottle. It seems to get some beer in the line sometime when i use a 'carbonator' to gas up a p.e.t. bottle now and then.
Oh well, i live and learn, but really like the idea of doing the 'brew today ferment later' aka esb/st peters dump & stir "
Its good when i think 'oh i will make that beer tomorrow, but dont have the yeast on hand............and as you say, can save a bit of water too !
Wheww.........
onya Ray !

 

[Ray_Mills]

Hi
On Big Brew Day, Tim Thomas and JW did two batches on Tim's tower of power. They started at 1pm and had both batches transfered to the drums by 7pm.
JW left his wort here and its still in the drum since the 7th of May. As long as the sides are caved in and the lid is not opened it will be ok for months.
Reminds me, better get JW over and pick up his wort.
Ray

 

[Kai]

And you'll know when it's not ok because it will swell up and try to walk out the door

 

[sluggerdog]

So could I do this if I wanted to save some time...

Make a 40 litre batch, transfer 20 litres to my fermenter and ferment as usual.

then with the other 20 litres, transfer it into a 20 litre drum and store at room temperature for a few weeks until my fermenting fridge is free again, then transfer to fermenter and ferment as usual.

If this would be ok, how long do you think I could keep the unfermented wort in the 20 litre drum?

Am I risking any infections at all or would it be pretty right as long as my sanitation is GOOD..

WOuld love to be able to make 2 batches at once, would save some time, I just don't have the fridge room to ferment more then 20-25 litres...

 

[JasonY]

Hi Homebrewworld
The 15 minutes gave me the cold break. The wort was transfered hot into the drum. The same way ESB wort kits are made.
Ray

[post="61326"][/post]​

Ray how do you get a cold break? My understanding is that the cold break results from crash cooling the wort as fast as you can, the faster the chill the better the break.

Am I missing something here? Definately a good idea if you don't end up with hazy beer from lack of cold break.

 

[barfridge]

So could I do this if I wanted to save some time...

Make a 40 litre batch, transfer 20 litres to my fermenter and ferment as usual.

then with the other 20 litres, transfer it into a 20 litre drum and store at room temperature for a few weeks until my fermenting fridge is free again, then transfer to fermenter and ferment as usual.

If this would be ok, how long do you think I could keep the unfermented wort in the 20 litre drum?

Am I risking any infections at all or would it be pretty right as long as my sanitation is GOOD..

WOuld love to be able to make 2 batches at once, would save some time, I just don't have the fridge room to ferment more then 20-25 litres...

[post="64103"][/post]​

Your sanitation would have to be absolutely perfect, because if even one tiny bug gets in, it will thrive in such a rich food source, with no competition. It's like going away for 2 weeks, and not expecting your teenagers to throw a party.
I'm sure it can be done, but the chances of it working are pretty slim in my opinion.

 

[homebrewworld.com]

Bar fridge
Yeah, what you say is how i feel........
But, i wanted to try it and see how it goes, and the wort kits on sale out there must be done the same way (i think)......otherwise they would cost a fortune if they were specially sanitised, or heat/light treated in any way....
Cheers,

 

[Ray_Mills]

Hi all
Its really simple, You have all see the ESB Wort kits. Actually I am drinking one right now from my keg and its a clear as a whistle.
The ESB Wort kits are made the same way, after the boil they are racked to the 15L drum and off they go to Mel's outlet. I picked up a batch once from ESB which was really hot.
The same can work from home, keep the drum clean and sanitised, you will not have a problem. Remember after 15 min shut off from the boil it would be hard for the best of the nasty beasts to start. Just do not open the screw cap.
I believe you are safe for 3 months or more.
Cheers
Ray