Users Of The "no Chiller Method"

[Ross]

Hupnupnee,

Doesn't possibly explain it if the porter had the same strange taste, but cooling unsealed with just some alfoil is not going to keep wild yeast etc at bay. As the wort cools, air will be sucked into the fermenter & you're asking for trouble - especially during the cooling of the evening when air bourne contaminants tend to fall back to ground level. This is not such a risk if storing inside, but if you're outside like I am, then it could be a real problem. Murky brews not clearing with strange off tastes, is a common condition of wild yeast contamination, to which I've lost a couple of worts to, on windy days...

cheers Ross

 

[andrewg]

I've slowly been reading through the huge number of posts on the no chill method and am very tempted to retire my immersion chiller (esp with the current water restrictions).
One thing I am still unclear on - it is ok to have a bit of space above the wort or should the cube should be full to the brim? If there is some space/air gap does this result in poorer quality beer due to some oxidation of the wort prior to fermentation?
cheer
HStB

 

[DJR]

I've slowly been reading through the huge number of posts on the no chill method and am very tempted to retire my immersion chiller (esp with the current water restrictions).
One thing I am still unclear on - it is ok to have a bit of space above the wort or should the cube should be full to the brim? If there is some space/air gap does this result in poorer quality beer due to some oxidation of the wort prior to fermentation?
cheer
HStB

Just squeeze it out - put some gloves or a t-shirt between you and the hot jerry can, squeeze it against something, tighten the cap and there you go, no headspace is optimal for long storage times but for an overnight chill some headspace is acceptable. I've done 10 no-chill brews now, with some headspace, and no problems yet.

 

[Ken Man Do]

You know, if you put an airlock with a sanitizer soaked cotton ball on your container, you don't have to worry about vacuums, crushing, or infections. Can you rig up such a thing on these jerry cans?

 

[DJR]

You know, if you put an airlock with a sanitizer soaked cotton ball on your container, you don't have to worry about vacuums, crushing, or infections. Can you rig up such a thing on these jerry cans?

Drill a hole into the cap, fit a grommet, put airlock in, away you go.

 

[devo]

is the APA a bit soapy?

Nope, not at all.

 

[Blackfish]

I've slowly been reading through the huge number of posts on the no chill method and am very tempted to retire my immersion chiller (esp with the current water restrictions).
One thing I am still unclear on - it is ok to have a bit of space above the wort or should the cube should be full to the brim? If there is some space/air gap does this result in poorer quality beer due to some oxidation of the wort prior to fermentation?
cheer
HStB

Just squeeze it out - put some gloves or a t-shirt between you and the hot jerry can, squeeze it against something, tighten the cap and there you go, no headspace is optimal for long storage times but for an overnight chill some headspace is acceptable. I've done 10 no-chill brews now, with some headspace, and no problems yet.

I am so pumped! After sweating over how to save up for all that annealed copper, along come you guys saying ya dont need it!

Hoo ray!!

Can You leave it in the kettle overnight and then rack straight to a fermentor the next day? Is low headspace or storage the only reason for going to the cube?

 

[DJR]

Some people no-chill in their kettle, personally i think it's a bit unclean to do it that way, but plenty of people do it. You can semi-submerge the kettle into a bath or laundry tub for quite a quick chill too.

 

[sluggerdog]

I will be brewing my first double batch on the weekend which will be a no-chill brew.

My question is in regards to the double batch, I am brewing a 40 litre brew (total - 30 + 10) with a 10 litre top up of water at the end and I plan to put the brew into 2 X 20 litre cubes.

My question is how/when should I do the topup? Should I add 5 litres to the bottom of each cube and then rack the hot wort ontop of each or should I add it afterwards or into the kettle once boil is complete (hard to not splash though) or should I no-chill the 30 litres and then simply add the 10 extra when ready to ferment?

I'm probably leaning towards this last way (like the fresh worts do) however I do not have a 30 litre cube, just 2 X 20 cubes.

Cheers
Cheers

 

[crozdog]

I will be brewing my first double batch on the weekend which will be a no-chill brew.

My question is in regards to the double batch, I am brewing a 40 litre brew (total - 30 + 10) with a 10 litre top up of water at the end and I plan to put the brew into 2 X 20 litre cubes.

My question is how/when should I do the topup? Should I add 5 litres to the bottom of each cube and then rack the hot wort ontop of each or should I add it afterwards or into the kettle once boil is complete (hard to not splash though) or should I no-chill the 30 litres and then simply add the 10 extra when ready to ferment?

I'm probably leaning towards this last way (like the fresh worts do) however I do not have a 30 litre cube, just 2 X 20 cubes.

Cheers
Cheers

Slugger,

I suggest that you play around with your volumes and post boil gravities so you end up with 2 x 20l cubes filled post boil at the required gravity or only needing a small water addition to get to your desired volume in the fermenter. beersmith & promash both have useful dilution tools to help with this. note this assumes you have the boiler volume to cope.

FWIW I do exactly this but with the ESB 15l cubes, I put around 17l @ 1058 in them to allow for dilution in the fermetner. Basically I make a smaller volume higher gravity brew which I no chill & dilute when I ferment - just like the fresh worts you buy :super: It is a little bit more brain work when planning your brew, but once done,, you just follow the recipe Remember the KISS principle.

Beers

Crozdog

 

[sluggerdog]

cheers crozdog, I have setup beersmith to allow the 40 litre final volume with 10 litre topup at the end. I am doing it this way as I am using a 50 litre keg and I won't be able to boil anymore. (already boiling 44 litres.

I just found another 10 litre cube so I will do the 30 litres and add water at fermentation stage.

 

[AndrewQLD]

I would be adding at fermentation stage also Slugger, seems a bit safer that way h34r: and is basically what is done for the wort kits too.

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Darren]

I know, I know I shouldn't be posting in this thread but if I was to go down the no-chill path I would add the water at flame-out. This will essentially sanitise the water and also increase the rate of chilling.

cheers

Darren

 

[goatherder]

I know, I know I shouldn't be posting in this thread but if I was to go down the no-chill path I would add the water at flame-out. This will essentially sanitise the water and also increase the rate of chilling.

cheers

Darren

Good point but I reckon it would drop the temp of the wort and hence reduce the pasteurising potential in the cube.

I'd be adding the water into the fermenter, ala fresh wort kits and K&K. Preboil and cool your water if you are concerned about the quality.

 

[bindi]

I know, I know I shouldn't be posting in this thread but if I was to go down the no-chill path I would add the water at flame-out. This will essentially sanitise the water and also increase the rate of chilling.

cheers

Darren

Good point but I reckon it would drop the temp of the wort and hence reduce the pasteurising potential in the cube.

I'd be adding the water into the fermenter, ala fresh wort kits and K&K. Preboil and cool your water if you are concerned about the quality.

Ditto Goatherder, do not add at flame out Mine goes in the cube close to boiling.

 

[Darren]

If you were to pitch in the morning after brewday and had sanitised your cube, pasteurisation would play an insignificant role. Therefore adding the water at flame-out would be the obvious way to go as you would essentially be sanitising the additional water and increasing the cooling rate.

If you were not very sanitary and were relying on pasteurisation for longer-term wort storage then don't add the water at flame out.

cheers

Darren

 

[Weizguy]

If you were to pitch in the morning after brewday and had sanitised your cube, pasteurisation would play an insignificant role. Therefore adding the water at flame-out would be the obvious way to go as you would essentially be sanitising the additional water and increasing the cooling rate.

If you were not very sanitary and were relying on pasteurisation for longer-term wort storage then don't add the water at flame out.

cheers

Darren

C'mon Darren,

That's enough posts for now.

Come back later, when we're doing stupid or dangerous stuff again.

BTW, thanks for the timely post on this occasion.

I cooled my last batch in sanitised fermentors for a few days until some of the wort had been turned into yeast culture for the batch. I came up a little low on volume after the boil, got 80% efficency (I thank JW wheat), and will have to dilute each fermentor with 1 litre before bottling.

Bring on the NSW Kmas Kase.

Seth out
* Edit - spelliG

 

[browndog]

am so pumped! After sweating over how to save up for all that annealed copper, along come you guys saying ya dont need it!

Hoo ray!!

Can You leave it in the kettle overnight and then rack straight to a fermentor the next day? Is low headspace or storage the only reason for going to the cube?

No need to leave it in the kettle mate, I have done 12 or more NC now and all I do is at flame out, whirlpool for a few minutes, let the wort sit for 15min or so then rack the hot wort straight to my fermenter, leave it overnight to cool, them it's into the fermenting fridge in the morning. By noon the wort is down to 18C and time to pitch. Never had a problem and never had a complaint and saved many litres of precious water.


cheers

Browndog

 

[jimmyjack]

Well I have just filtered, polyclared my first no chill pale ale. I have to say I am not satisfied with the clarity of this beer. Dont get me wrong this is a sensational tasting beer, by no means am I dumping on the no chill method, it just did not give me the results I thought it would have. No more no chill for me.


Cheers, JJ

 

[sluggerdog]

Well I have just filtered, polyclared my first no chill pale ale. I have to say I am not satisfied with the clarity of this beer. Dont get me wrong this is a sensational tasting beer, by no means am I dumping on the no chill method, it just did not give me the results I thought it would have. No more no chill for me.


Cheers, JJ

Jimmy, I don't want to knock you however I don't think your clarity problem is to do with the no-chill method, I have done around 15 no chill brews now, 11 of them being german pilsners, all came out crystal clear..

Maybe give it another go? :huh:

Photo attached is the beer I am drinking now, a no chill 100% german pilsner malt.