how long can I have wort without Yeast?

[Pdaigle]

how long can I have wort without Yeast?

 

[Hello]

Depends. The longer you wait, the more prone to infection you are. If you're using the no-chill method then you're likely okay for a good amount of time (not days). I've left wort to sit at 100 F for about 18 hours before pitching yeast while it got down to temp in a 62F ferm chamber. I've been okay.

What is causing you to sit without pitching, what temp is the wort going to be and what temp is the room/ferm chamber?

 

[atom]

as long as it's in an airtight, sanitary container...quite a while.

 

[m00ps]

I usually leave mine sealed up overnight to cool to pitching temps. So like 12hrs is normal for me

 

[broadbill]

The original No-chill method was to fill up an HDPE cube container with hot wort, squeeze the air out and cap it. The wort would the be stable for weeks/a couple of months. Apparently unfermented wort is sold in this way in Australia.

The take away is that it should be OK for a good long time if sealed up and in a sanitized container.

 

[timdillon36]

It depends on how you plan to store it. If u pressure can it it will last for months.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=338765

Or you could freeze it.

This post actually got me thinking about pressure canning in a keg. I need to think on that a bit.

 

[Bk2X]

I do the no chill method every brew now since it makes my brew day shorter. Typically go about 20 hours before pitching yeast. I like the method because I can guarantee the perfect pitching temperature. I just move my kettle with lid on to my fermenting fridge.

I recently did a super cheap and simple light beer. Moved wort to sanitized glass carboy sealed for 5 days before pitching yeast, the beer was sour. Reason for the wait, upstairs in middle of summer is 75F+ so didn't want to pitch yeast and ferment at such high temps or it would have been bad anyways.

 

[browder]

Went 28hrs on my last batch before pitching..not had a problem yet

 

[andrewmaixner]

If necessary, I wouldn't worry about waiting 2+ days to pitch my yeast as long as I didn't goof up any sanitation practices.

I also freeze extra second runnings in 2L bottles to use for starters later on. Freezing will definitely preserve it -- but don't try it in glass.

 

[kombat]

The original No-chill method was to fill up an HDPE cube container with hot wort, squeeze the air out and cap it. The wort would the be stable for weeks/a couple of months.

I'm not sure that's true. The wort is sanitized, but not sterile. Boiling doesn't kill absolutely everything. Something will survive the boil, and given "a couple of months," it will get a foodhold and spoil the wort.

Pressure canning sterilizes wort. I have jars of wort that have been sitting on my shelf for months with no problems, but they've been pressure canned. Simple boiling is not enough.

 

[broadbill]

I'm not sure that's true. The wort is sanitized, but not sterile. Boiling doesn't kill absolutely everything. Something will survive the boil, and given "a couple of months," it will get a foodhold and spoil the wort.

Pressure canning sterilizes wort. I have jars of wort that have been sitting on my shelf for months with no problems, but they've been pressure canned. Simple boiling is not enough.

Never said boiled wort was sterile. Spore-forming bacteria (e.g. Clostridium) can survive the boil, but if they can grow and spoil wort is open for debate.

Again, the Australians pioneered the no-chill brewing method and reported that the cube-stored wort was stable for weeks/months.

from this LINK:

Storability (Extended Storage)

Cubes that have been properly packed may be stored for extended periods. Some users have reported good results with cubes being stored for over a year. Personally I have stored cubes for 1 to 2 months without issue.

EDIT TO ADD: Microbiology would suggest that these conditions would favor Botulism growth (anaerobic, pH), but practice by the Austrialian dictate otherwise. I added this information as discussion to the point of wort stability in certain storage conditions. I will leave it to the reader to make decision on if they want to store wort in this manner.