I Had To Try This Technique Sometime!

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hialtitude

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I brewed an APA and Porter last night and had a blast. I knew ahead of time that I would only have the equipment to cool one batch and not the other. So, I am allowing the APA to cool on its own over the course of 24 hours and then I will pitch the yeast. I know I am risking infection, but oh well, lets call it an experiment. Hope it turns out good, and if it doesn't, I will probably drink it anyway!:mug:
 
Why?! Just cool the one batch and then the other...

With an immersion chiller you chill one, sanitize it, and chill the other; heck I don't even know if you'd need to sanitize between the two since its just going from beer to beer. Couldn't be any worse than letting one stand for 24 hours...

Without any special equipment you could cool them both in half hour-hour. Ice-water bath works like a charm, unless you are doing full boils I guess... I still do 3 gallon boils and use the icebath method 90% of the time.

If you insist on risking it, make sure you at least let the lid on the entire time and you should be OK.
 
I did it for a couple reasons. Most importantly, it got LATE and I needed to get up early for work. Also, I thought it might be something different to try.

I left the lid on and intend to pitch when I get home tonight. I was a little nervous at first but then I figured that it really isn't a big deal.
 
mrkristofo said:
Why not pitch before you went to work?

Well, it was still warm (I could have run the chiller real quick) but I figured what the hell. If the beer turns out ok, then I have increased my knowledge of an unfermented beers capablities. And if the beer mutates into an infected monster, then I have increased my knowledge of an unfermented beers capabilities.

Either way, it is what it is, and worst case scenario I lose $20 in grain.
 
hialtitude said:
Well, it was still warm (I could have run the chiller real quick) but I figured what the hell. If the beer turns out ok, then I have increased my knowledge of an unfermented beers capablities. And if the beer mutates into an infected monster, then I have increased my knowledge of an unfermented beers capabilities.

Either way, it is what it is, and worst case scenario I lose $20 in grain.


And several hours of brewing...
 
Evan! said:
And several hours of brewing...

Very true, but I also mentioned that I brewed two batches, so I have a porter in the primary. And who here doesn't enjoy an evening spent on a brew session having a few cold ones?
 
hialtitude said:
Very true, but I also mentioned that I brewed two batches, so I have a porter in the primary. And who here doesn't enjoy an evening spent on a brew session having a few cold ones?

I love a good evening of brewing as much as the next guy, but I'd much rather end with 4 cases of beer than 2 at the end of it all, especially given the amount of effort that goes into doing two batches at the same time. But you'll be fine, that batch'll do just fine.
 
hialtitude said:
And who here doesn't enjoy an evening spent on a brew session having a few cold ones?

ME! ok thats a lie...

What is it sitting in? The brewpot? Some guys from Austrailia were doing this over the summer if I remember, wasn't it Kadmium? He was putting it into a big plastic Jerry Can type thing and sticking it in the fridge I think bc of the water shortages.

Hope it works out
 
greenhornet said:
What is it sitting in?

It is still in the brewpot with the lid on. I hope it turns out as well, but if it doesn't then I have a reason to brew again real soon. At least that will be whta I tell SWMBO;)
 
I am sure it will be fine, just may loose some of the hop aroma from them sitting in the hot wort all night, but you can always dry hop in the secondary.

Cheers
 
the extra heat from not cooling quickly may also isomerize the aroma and flavoring hops...adding more bitterness and less hop flavor/aroma

and I agree with the chill haze.

It'll still be beer, and it'll be interesting to see how it turns out.
 
wop31 said:
Imay loose some of the hop aroma from them sitting in the hot wort all night, but you can always dry hop in the secondary.

That's a good point.

greenhornet said:
Think there will be a problem with chill haze bc it didn't get a good cold break?

There's a good chance for some chill haze but I really don't know what to expect. That could end up being the least of my worries. We will find out though!
 
I left a batch to cool overnight once about a year ago as a pipe burst in the house leaving me with no running water until we fixed it. The beer was fine, but it was noticably cloudier in the end. It was fun to realize that brewing is hard to really mess up, but I wouldn't try that technique again.
 
Doing extracts, I usually pour 1&1/2 - 2 gallons of wort directly from the brew kettle to the carboy (with 2 gallons cold water) and top off with cold water.
Usually this is still to hot to pitch, so I'll cover with foil and pitch the yeast the next morning. With Irish moss and 2 month aging, my beer is not cloudy.

Last night, I changed technique slightly- I put two gallons of ice and water in the carboy, and also put the kettle in an ice bath. This time, I felt like the mix was too cold to pitch, but the yeast went in anyway. This moring, there were signs of fermentation (slowly) starting.

Fortunately, the whole process is pretty forgiving-you still end up with good beer, despite many variables and techniques.
 
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