Covering pot during emerssion chill?

Hey All,
I am eventually trying to switch over to a conterflow chiller but don't have a pot with a spigot at the moement. In the meantime, I am always afraid of things getting into my boil pot when I am chilling my beer. Does anyone here have a way of covering the pot so nothing gets in?

I could throw the cover back on but I don't boil with the cover on and am afraid that condensate from the beer may drag some impurities from the cover of the pot back into the beer. Is there a solution to this or is my only solution as stated by Dr. Steeve Brule, "get a counterflow chiller and a new pot ya dingus"

-Thanks,
Dustin Hickey

I leave the lid off for the first few minutes of the boil, basically as long as the beer is still aggressively letting off steam I'm letting it escape. Once the temperature drops and the steam slows I put the lid back on and let it be until I'm down to pitching temp.

i just use a worn out tshirt soaked in star san solution. just make sure what ever tshirt, towel ect is clean and soak it in the sanitizer bucket. also do not cover it until after the pot is off the heat.

I knotched the lid of my pot for my immersion chiller. I usually santized the lid with star-san from a spray bottle. But for over a year, I've left the lid off while I chill. I have a huge immersion chiller and have no desire to concern myself with pumps and counterflow chiller etc...If you pitch the proper size starter, make sure your carboy/bucket/line is sanitized and oxygenate your wort at pitching, I think your pretty much in the clear from infection. Giving your yeasties a headstart on anything that might fall in your beer is the key. I've had bugs, cobwebs, etc...fall in my wort with no ill effects. Relax......

Thanks for the replies guys. The wet towel sounds like it might work. I hear what your saying Hammy, it just drives me nuts thinking about a leaf or a bug floating down towards my beer and i'am getting too impatient to sit and watch for falling objects. Atleast now I should be able to start cleaning up while the thing cools instead of watching it for 2o minutes.

I was covering the kettle with aluminum foil but I decided to leave it uncovered to let it cool quicker on my last brew. It definitely cooled quicker but I haven't bottled yet so I don't know if I had any infection problems. I brew indoors so there is no chance of leaves or bugs.

I have been told to keep kettle uncovered until the wort is below 140F, then no DMS worries. I found a kitchen equip supplier and picked up an aluminum lid that fit my kettle for 14 + 5 for shipping. A hack saw cut like butter and I cut a notch for the chiller.

I leave the pot uncovered for the whole time. Any way that I can let heat escape will cool it faster. My thinking, anyway.

pcollins said:

I leave the pot uncovered for the whole time. Any way that I can let heat escape will cool it faster. My thinking, anyway.

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I can agree with that. I use a whirlpool attachment and pump with my chiller so I get pretty rapid cool regardless.

Off topic,
I brewed at another person's place and he had a counter flow chiller. Blew the doors off my chilling time and I am considering a build.

I said F it and ordered a new pot with spigot and a counterflow chiller. I'll let you know if it was worth it.