Couple questions regarding cooling

[J187]

1. Everything I have read has been specific about leaving the lid on the brew pot while cooling in an ice water bath. However, I noticed that with a thermometer in the wort, taking the lid off to let the heat escape drops the temp FAST! Do any of you leave the lid off if you are careful not to drip or let fall anything into the wort? I did keep lifting the lid, but still thought it would cool MUCH faster without the lid at all.

2. It occurred to me that prior to boiling the wort, taking about 2 gallons of the dilution water and sticking it in the fridge, then, when the wort is done boiling adding the two chilled gallons into the wort directly into the brew pot at time of ice water bath might cool it a hell of a lot faster than cooling the hot wort and adding it to the dilution water in the fermenter. Any thoughts?

 

[rifraf]

2. It occurred to me that prior to boiling the wort, taking about 2 gallons of the dilution water and sticking it in the fridge, then, when the wort is done boiling adding the two chilled gallons into the wort directly into the brew pot at time of ice water bath might cool it a hell of a lot faster than cooling the hot wort and adding it to the dilution water in the fermenter. Any thoughts?

I'm going to do this with my next batch except I plan on freezing a gallon of boiled water in a sanitized container over night, and then dropping the large ice chunk in the wort to help cool it.

...unless of course, someone chimes in with why that would be a terrible idea.

 

[J187]

Just make sure the container you put the freezer is air tight to keep out the dormant bacteria in your freezer. Also, you'll have to break the ice cube out of the container, maybe a tupperware container that you can run hot water around the outside to free it.

 

[rifraf]

Just make sure the container you put the freezer is air tight to keep out the dormant bacteria in your freezer. Also, you'll have to break the ice cube out of the container, maybe a tupperware container that you can run hot water around the outside to free it.

Tupperware was the plan, I have a couple big ones that I can leave plenty of expansion space so the ice doesn't pop the lid off and break the air seal.

 

[Calichusetts]

I don't keep a lid on during cooling...you can buy these fine grated mesh screens (usually called a grease catcher, for when you saute or something) and put it on it

 

[Yooper]

I don't even HAVE a lid for my boil kettle!

You want to chill with the lid off, so the steam can escape. That steam has volatiles in there that are best gone. It's not as common with extract brewing, but there are things in the wort called SMMs that are precursors to DMS, that cooked cabbage/creamed corn flavor. It goes off in the steam, so that's why you don't cover your boil kettle. It continues to form during cooling and so you want that steam to escape also.

 

[unionrdr]

Also make sure you clean & sanitize the container first.

 

[amingo]

I don't lid either. I'm just careful not to eat crackers over my cooling wort.

 

[unionrdr]

It's not so much dropping something in it,but nasties in the air settle downward. Cooling wort would be a prime place for them. I don't give'em the chance.

 

[Calichusetts]

Like I said...grab something like this:

Amazon.com: Progressive International Stainless Steel Splatter Screen: Kitchen & Dining

I am more worried about a stray piece of ice falling in than whats in the air but I see your point