Storing fresh wort

[OldBugman]

only thing I can think is it's a bit tougher to clean a cube, but people use em for lagering and they'd need to be clean to do that.

[lethaldog]

They arnt really that hard bugman if you keep on top of it, in saying that you wouldnt want to try and clean one thats had leftovers in it for a month but as long as they are kept well rinsed then they are fine, i have 2 that i use all the time for racking/lagering and never had any dramas

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I've used one as a primary fermenter a couple of times and didn't get a real good feel from it.

I used a pressure washer to remove the trub and other gunk before the sodium percarbonate tide came in, but still didn't get a real good feel from it.

I am sure that will change when I find myself wanting to brew or bottle something and without an empty fermenter...

[BierMeister]

only thing I can think is it's a bit tougher to clean a cube, but people use em for lagering and they'd need to be clean to do that.

From experience with lagering for a few weeks, a brown water line mark appears near the top that rinsing doesn't remove. I soak mine in a bleach solution overnight and upside down and no more brown watermark and sanitization all in one.

[illywhacker]

generally, how long does it take the wort to reduce from kettle temperature to room temps?

I was thinking of using the no chiller method, as the chilling wort problem is the only thing between me and my first AG.

I have a 20 L jerry can which would be great for wort storage while it cools, as it would have almost no headspace, but some seem to go straight to fermenter.

What's the general consensus on that one?

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Newton's Law of Cooling applies. It depends on how hot your wort is and how hot your house (or where ever you're putting your cube) as well as the SG (although this latter part can be ignored for Government Work). The cooler your house is the quicker the wort will cool.

It seems that most cubists leave their cubes overnight or so. This seems to me to be the easiest measurement of all. I chill using a big water bath, but expect to move to no-chill before too long.

I've been thinking about going straight to the fermenter. I can't see a problem with it but am yet to decide which way I will go. Chances are I will try both in an attempt to decide and settle on whichever is easiest or fails me least. I do think the cubists have one benefit in that if life gets in the way, the wort can stay in the cube until your next window of opportunity.

[gregb]

I've read of fellas throwing the cube into the swimming pool.

Cheers,
Greg

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I've seen movies where they throw young people into the swimming pool...

Do you think it would work if I took my cube around to the local council pool?

[beerdrinker]

thats actually a good idea with the swimming pool! my copper chiller cools 20L to 25C in about 15mins! what would be the best way to get it down to 17C before pitching yeast? a copper prechiller is a little expensive at the moment

[lethaldog]

Why not just pitch at 25*C and let it cool over night, you will probably reduce lag time also as most yeast like a warm enviroment to reproduce

[Ed]

thats actually a good idea with the swimming pool! my copper chiller cools 20L to 25C in about 15mins! what would be the best way to get it down to 17C before pitching yeast? a copper prechiller is a little expensive at the moment

Most often I just pre-chill 15 litres of water down to around 4C overnight in the fridge and switch from tap water to cube water towards the end of the chill like here http://brodiescastlebrewing.com/index.php?topic=607.0

Yesterday I didn't have the pre-chilled water so stopped the tap water chill at 30C and then transfered to fermenter after settling. It took about 6 hrs to get down to 19C from 30C. My fermenting fridge is just an old bar fridge, so I guess it would take less time in something like a fan forced fridge. All depends on the surrounding air temp. At zero degrees ambient, it should take around 4 hrs to drop a fermenter from 25C to 17C.

Cheers, Ed

[SpillsMostOfIt]

Why not just pitch at 25*C and let it cool over night, you will probably reduce lag time also as most yeast like a warm enviroment to reproduce

I did similar to this with BIAB Batch #2 and had Convincing Airlock Action when I woke up the next morning. Dunno if it was this, or the extra nutrient or aeration, but if it happens the next time I do it, I am going to adopt it as my own. I *love* short lag times.

[lethaldog]

I have never had a problem ands i pitch all my yeasts at 25-26*C, as long as i cool them down pretty quick once ferment starts then no worries, i have cooled to brewing temp before pitching and just find that for me it takes to long to kick off and i never noticed any taste difference

[SpillsMostOfIt]

I'm still two to three weeks away from knowing what my AG tastes like. Three to four for Batch #2... I'll have to trust you on this, lethaldog.

[beerdrinker]

pitched at 25-26C then put in beerfridge set with a beer mate at 17C and the ferment was done in about 2 days used us56 am hoping most didnt ferment out at the higher temp?

[beerdrinker]

just checked your link Ed! what a great idea!!! i might put a spare fermenter full of water in the freezer problem solved cheers

[Tipsy]

pitched at 25-26C then put in beerfridge set with a beer mate at 17C and the ferment was done in about 2 days used us56 am hoping most didnt ferment out at the higher temp?

I like to pitch cool for exactly this reason. Slow and steady as she goes.

[Ed]

just checked your link Ed! what a great idea!!! i might put a spare fermenter full of water in the freezer problem solved cheers

No probs. One thing I've found is you need to squeeze the hose to constrict the flow first and then let it go. That helps the full flow get going. Also, keep the cold container up high which will create a faster flow.

I agree with Tispsy's comment too, and in my opinion you do get better results pitching close to the desired ferment temp.

Cheers, Ed