Coolship method

I read the sticky and must say I am impressed. Has anyone tried the coolship method where you just pour out all your hot wort to cool and let it get the yeast from the air? This is what is used in Belgium and Alagash in Maine. I've been to Cantillon in Brussels where they use this method.

I assume that homebrewers aren't trying it as they are afraid of messing up a batch of beer, but wouldn't the commericial brewers be afraid of losing hundreds of gallons of beer this way?

I might be interested in attempting this at some point in the fall when the weather cools a bit.. maybe just with a 1 gallon batch first though

I leave starter out at various times of the year. Mostly get lacto.

I listened to the interview of the Allagash brewer on The BN (I think it was The BN)... Anyway, he was saying that when ambient temps are around the 40s is the best time because a lot of the nasties you don't want in your beer have already settled out of the surrounding... and you are more likely to get a Brett infection. I guess either way it is going to be hit or miss though.

Yes that's true. Somewhere on babblebelt there is a chart listing the best times of the year.

This is very cool. Never knew this was possible. Always just read around here how nearly impossible it is to get a good infection on accident. Granted, monitor temperatures would take teh Complete accident-ness out of it, still a chance infection.

Yeah, right now in Massachusetts, pollen is covering everything, so I wouldn't want to try it now. Probably in the Fall, I'll give this a shot if I still have the urge.

The lacto comment makes sense as that relates to sour beer, doesn't it? I'd like to try souring some wort to make stout some time. I already hold back some wort for carbonation in my kegs, so I suppose that would make things a bit more complicated.

It's my understanding that not many Belgian brewers really do this anymore. Most already have a bunch of stuff on their equipment, which infects the wort much more reliably. Yes, they are using the same bacteria that they might have got by "leaving the window open", but better.