Wort Chilling Query

[vchead]

Hi,

Just starting my research into AG brewing. Have been doing kits with steeped grain for a while now and love the improvement in the beers as a result. I think I'm on top of the processes of mashing, sparging and boiling and I have read about BIAB as well but my question is with the chilling.

I have read much on different ways to chill the wort as well as no-chill method. I have not read anything though on simply mixing boiled wort with cold water in fermenter. I was wondering if rather than chilling the full quantity of wort, could you just reduce the quantity of water in the sparge and boil, or reduce the quantity in a BIAB process, then simply pour the wort into the fermenter on top of some chilled water to get the required temp for pitching yeast?

Would this work or does the boil need to be done with a larger quantity of liquid? Am I missing something?

Be kind, I'm a kit brewer who is exploring AG possibilities so I might be missing something pretty basic,

Rodders

 

[T.D.]

You would effectively be boiling the wort down to an extract-style goo for this to work. Basically replicating what you do with a can of extract - add a little bit of hot water and then top up the fermenter with cold. I don't think its feasible when brewing AG beers.

My advice would be to go for no-chill for the moment, as it is easy and very effective.

 

[vchead]

Thanks TD. I am not proposing reducing the water that much, just maybe halving the amount of water. I don't want to get it down to goo, just somehwere in between.

Any other thoughts?

Rodders

 

[KHB]

Id agree with TD on this one if you wanna get started without buying a chiller, use the no chill method. I have done it 6 times now and havnt had a bad one yet!

 

[T.D.]

Thanks TD. I am not proposing reducing the water that much, just maybe halving the amount of water. I don't want to get it down to goo, just somehwere in between.

Any other thoughts?

Rodders

Yeah, I think I know what you're proposing, but to end up with a temp that is feasible for fermenting an ale you will need to add so much cold water that either you end up with a very weak beer or you need to boil down the wort to such an extent that it is basically syrip.

I guess what you're proposing is an extreme version of "brewing heavy" and diluting back to the target gravity. Except for the specific purpose of chilling the wort. Its an innovative idea but I just don't think its possible unfortunately.

 

[Guest Lurker]

If you want to use half water and get a 1.050 beer, you have to prodce a wort at 1.100. That is certainly possible, but a bit more expensive as you will have a low efficiency and use maybe 30 to 50% more grain, you will need more hops for the same IBUs due to the higher gravity and you will probably have to boil longer.

But then 10 l at 100 degrees added to 10 l at 0 degrees gives you 20l at 50 degrees. That is too hot to pitch and too cool to be sanitised. So, to hit your temperature you need a very small boil and you are essentially making a kit as suggested.

 

[vchead]

Thanks TD and others. Like I said I am new to this,

Rodders

 

[bonj]

No chill is certainly my choice. 15 so far, with no issues.

 

[Tony]

I cut a corner with my last no chill and didnt steralise the cube before filling.

26 liters of 1.068, 72 IBU AIPA with 1/4kg of hops is swelling and making gas by its self in the cube.

oh well tip it out and start again.

No chill works well...... if your carefull!

I usually chill with a big copper coil in the kettle. you will loose around 5 to 10 liters/hr to evaproation so if your aiming for 23 liters wou may need 30 in the kettle before you boil.

and then when you chill it the wort will shring by around 4% so you loose another couple of liters that you never actually had in the first place you will need to account for this .

promash does it all for you.

cheers

 

[Guest Lurker]

I cut a corner with my last no chill and didnt steralise the cube before filling.

26 liters of 1.068, 72 IBU AIPA with 1/4kg of hops is swelling and making gas by its self in the cube.

oh well tip it out and start again.

Tony

Thats interesting. Did you do the tip over etc for the handle and cap, and the squeeze to reduce headspace?

 

[///]

Over 1.060 - 1.070 OG you'll start losing efficiencies on extract from grain and hops. Buy a few cubes, worry less... have a homebrew. (says ye man of few thousand cubes under his belt!)

Scotty

 

[Tim F]

I just fill my fermenter straight from the kettle, then sit it in the laundry sink full of cold water and frozen 2L bottles of water. Cools down to pitching temp in an afternoon usually.

 

[Tony]

Tony

Thats interesting. Did you do the tip over etc for the handle and cap, and the squeeze to reduce headspace?

I tipped it up to get all the air out...... it was 99% full and only took a bit of a squeeze but i didnt sit it on its side to heat the lid and handle.

Id say thats where it went wrong.

It doesnt smell too bas in the cube but there are funny things floating on the top and it produced a lot of gas in the last 2 days, swelling the cube.

live and learn.

cheers

 

[///]

Silly me used to fill and then chuck in the heat-exchange (pool) to cool down quick. 1 out of 2 was a pork chop, one swelled so fat i thought it would explode.

Clean drums, anything over 80C, tip over and your Gold...

Scotty

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I like to keep a bleach or sodium percarb solution in my cubes when not in use

Occasionally I'll give then a good shake when passing - or turn them on thier side / tops etc

Seems to work

Cheers