Lebowski wrote:Dogger Dan wrote:Not to be insulting but because it is hot.
Dogger
But why use a cooler rather than just dumping it straight onto cold water in the fermenter? Do you do something extra with the wort once it is cooled?
Lebowski, some say that aeration of the hot wort, caused by the dumping, can cause what is known as hot side aeration.. which some claim will oxidise your finished product.
also cooling the wort to pitching temp is not so much of an issue if your only boiling a few litres but when your doing partials (my boil is generally around 13litres) & all grain (23litres) a wort chiller comes in very handy
EDIT - which is pretty much what Tony just said