Chilling wort in fermenter?

[56kz2slow]

Hi there,

I'm getting ready to brew my first AG batch. Every thing I read say to chill the worth in the kettle. But it's metal and has a thermal mass. Wouldn't it be slightly quicker to transfer it to the fermenter first, and chill it there? The plastic fermenter has less thermal mass than my keggle

Thanks

 

[wilserbrewer]

You can transfer it if you want, but moving boiling hot liquids can be both dangerous and difficult. Is your fermenter temp rated to accept hot liquids?

 

[govner1]

Hi there,

I'm getting ready to brew my first AG batch. Every thing I read say to chill the worth in the kettle. But it's metal and has a thermal mass. Wouldn't it be slightly quicker to transfer it to the fermenter first, and chill it there? The plastic fermenter has less thermal mass than my keggle

Thanks

If you're using a BB or similar plastic fermenter I would strongly suggest that you NOT transfers your hot wort directly from your BK. I accidentally did it once & the BB quickly deformed, essentially melted, before I realized my error.
You're also risking significant hot side aeration.
Invest in making or buying a chiller, IC or CFC. There are plenty of DIY links here on HBT to guide you.

 

[56kz2slow]

Thanks. You are right, my plastic bucket would become really soft. I do have a chiller, I'll chill in the kettle and transfer after.

 

[RM-MN]

Hi there,

I'm getting ready to brew my first AG batch. Every thing I read say to chill the worth in the kettle. But it's metal and has a thermal mass. Wouldn't it be slightly quicker to transfer it to the fermenter first, and chill it there? The plastic fermenter has less thermal mass than my keggle

Thanks

You are correct in that the plastic fermenter has less thermal mass but the difference is pretty minimal compared to what themal mass the wort has. What is really different is the thermal transferrence. Metal transfers heat quite well, plastic, not so much. You'd be moving the wort from a vessel that transfers heat quite well to one that is a moderately poor insulator, slowing the cooling, not speeding it up.

If you do decide to transfer the wort to a plastic bucket it will give you no trouble if the bucket is HDPE (most white buckets are) since HDPE can handle temperature well above the boiling point of the wort. It will just take longer to cool there.

 

[actionjackson905]

Hi there,

I'm getting ready to brew my first AG batch. Every thing I read say to chill the worth in the kettle. But it's metal and has a thermal mass. Wouldn't it be slightly quicker to transfer it to the fermenter first, and chill it there? The plastic fermenter has less thermal mass than my keggle

Thanks

If your looking for a quick way to chill your wort in the kettle using a copper coil chiller. I have been using a 10 gal cooler loaded with home made ice blocks and water and a pump. I first use hose water to get the temp down to as close to 100 as possible wasting about 15 gal of water (into primary pales) then I switch to the ice water and recirculate that back into the cooler over the ice. Keep in mind you need to whirlpool the wort while you doing this either manually or with a pump. I can usually get a 5 gal batch chilled to 68-70deg in 12-14 mins. I can post pics if necessary.

 

[brewkinger]

What is really different is the thermal transferrence. Metal transfers heat quite well, plastic, not so much. You'd be moving the wort from a vessel that transfers heat quite well to one that is a moderately poor insulator, slowing the cooling, not speeding it up.

Phew... I'm glad someone chimed in with the solid thermodynamic reasons that chilling in the kettle was the right thing to do...

 

[wilserbrewer]

Chilling in the kettle is also more sanitary IMO, rather than transferring then chilling.

The wort is sanitary post boil, cleaner to leave it there while chilling.

 

[RM-MN]

Chilling in the kettle is also more sanitary IMO, rather than transferring then chilling.

The wort is sanitary post boil, cleaner to leave it there while chilling.

Sure, until you have to transfer to the fermenter. Not all of us have multiple boil pots so we have to transfer or quit brewing until that batch is done.

When I pour the boiling wort into my plastic bucket, the bucket is pasteurized nearly instantly. I put the lid on while the wort is still as hot as possible and the steam will condense on the lid, raising its temperature to the pasteurization temp too. Now my whole fermenter is pasteurized, no Starsan needed and no chance of infection during the transfer. I'll put some Starsan in the airlock, being careful not to put too much in so it gets sucked back into the fermenter. Then as the wort cools, the air that gets sucked in has to bubble through the sanitizer. There shouldn't be any more sanitary way to chill the wort.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Ok I agree transferring boiling hot to a heat worthy fermenter is very sanitary RM, what I don't like to see is people chilling part way, than transferring ripe wort that is at the optimum temp for nasties to thrive, then letting it sit around to chill more in the fermenter as some do with a better bottle.

If your in that warm danger zone leave it be and don't go mucking with it any more than you need to.

There are no hard rules for me, and seems we all like to bend them, but if you can do better without much effort, that's zen.