Delayed Pitching vs. No-Chill?

[BillyVegas]

So, I'm torn here.

I plan on doing two days of brewing this weekend.

Optimally, my fermentation closet isn't going to be sitting in an optimal range for my Ales to ferment - as it will likley be around 72-74Fambient. No good.

So, Im contemplating taking it to a basement (ambient 64F) about 20 minutes away. I was going here to put my Lagers in my lagering chamber anyway - so this has got me thinking...

Since I'm dealing with 2 days of brewing...

Should I brew Day1 Wort and then:

a) Chill to 70-ishF and seal up in primary fermentor and put away for transport approx 24hours later to a more ideal basement fermentation chamber and pitch there?

b) Explore "No-Chill" brewing, where I'd take the hot wort right to my sanitized primary, seal up, and transport approx 24hours later to the more ideal basement location?

c) Option I haven't thought of yet.

Under normal circumstances, I'd bring all my gear there and brew -- but that's not feasible in this scenario.

From what I read, I think I'm safest with Option A. Chill it down to approx 70F after brewing using normal brewing techniques -- and then seal it up airtight and sit on it a day until I can transport to a cooler spot, pitch, and let it be. Sure, airborne yeasts and non-sanitized crap could possibly ruin this concept, but I think that will be a small possibility if I'm diligent with my StarSan and boil the **** out of my wort.

I haven't explored the details on "No-Chill" brewing in depth, but that seems to have other added-time issues and such that I'm not aware of yet (Im reading more after I send this off to you guys for thoughts). Im aware of general food safety principals, and the concept of letting something sit from 210F going to room temp seems generally unsafe... but then again, this is magical wort we're dealing with here... and live yeasties...

Thoughts?

 

[Pivovar_Koucky]

Be carefull, I just dumped an altoberfest that went bad with option A (really bad, like roadkill and vomit smell). Whatever you do, keep it cool in the interem. Maybe rig up a swamp cooler or something to keep it as cold as you can.

 

[Pivovar_Koucky]

In fact, I say chill it with with a swamp cooler and pitch as soon as its cool enough. Keep it on ice until you get to your fermentation location.

 

[BillyVegas]

Keeping it cool between chilling and pitching would be difficult. If I could do that effectively, I wouldn't need to bring it to the basement.

Contemplating the no-chill still to buy some time I suppose... but I suppose I could also pitch same day and bring to better temps within 24 hours. A little less rolling of the dice.

 

[iijakii]

No chill is great, go for it.

 

[BillyVegas]

No Chill is great... hrmmm...

 

[iijakii]

Read the threads on it here on HBT, many of the pro-voices for no-chill even have all the cooling gear and still opt for no-chill due to added ease without any negative side effects.

I no chill and the convenience really helps my day. I also do like you, I brew somewhere else and then lug it back to my apartment for fermentation. It makes it extremely easy.

 

[BillyVegas]

Looks like I'm pseudo-rehashing this 'ole thread...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/exploring-no-chill-brewing-117111/

 

[BillyVegas]

The more I read on No-Chill, I don't see why not. Obviously there's concerns, but dumping the hot wort into properly sanitized containment and sealing air tight... I should be good for 24 hours for sure.

My only concern (for the non-lagers) is my pitching of yeast at ambient temps -- but the more I think of it -- this isn't a problem. I always pitch low 70s anyway. If I no chill overnight, and pitch within 24 hours... I should be good to go I'd think. The only cost here is increasingmy boil time to 90 minutes to be "super safe", which costs me... some more water I suppose.

I guess the question now is... do I pitch prior to the shaky-aerating car drive, or post shaky-aerating car drive?

 

[BillyVegas]

Just thinking here too...

With No-Chill... the main concern would be ambient oxygen inside the fermentation bucket post-sealing.

If I'm dumping 210degF wort into the primary that is sanitized, this wort is more than likely giving off copious amounts of steam. If I pop a solid lid on this thing, it'll just blow off and break I'd think...

But what if I pop an airlock on it while it's still steaming? Wouldn't all that hot steam be blowing bout the airlock at a fairly rapid pace... and expelling some of the oxygen that would be trapped between the walls?

Is this some common practice that I just thought of that I never heard of yet, or am I an idiot?

 

[iijakii]

The cubes are solid, you won't have a winpack break on you unless it's defective. You want to keep it airtight and closed so nothing can get in and you tip it on it's side at first(Replace right-side-up after ~10-15mins) to make sure the hot liquid will sanitize the whole container. The cube will suck in as it cools, this is normal.

I'd keep it completely sealed until you are at your fermentation chamber and ready to pitch. Open it up and shake like hell, pitch.

 

[BillyVegas]

"The Cube" Seems to be the way of the no-chill.

I, have standard 6.5g primary containers for all the beers. I didnt pop the holes in the top yet for the airlock. I can't really fill to the brim to eliminate all oxygen -- hence the dilemma.

Since I only intend to hold for 24 hours, I don't think it should impact it all too much... but I'd like some input on my airlock/steam thought if anyone has...

 

[CalmYourself]

I'd like some input on my airlock/steam thought if anyone has...

The airlock will work fine while the hot wort is still giving off steam, but once it starts cooling it will begin to draw the surrounding atmosphere in.

I personally use a dedicated cube which can contract to prevent this but some people have been known to use an airlock with some cotton wool (soaked in vodka or some other sanatised solution I think) to at least prevent particles entering the wort during the contraction.

 

[BillyVegas]

Yea... I can;t be buying cubes this late in the game. I have my primary/bucket investment made... Just thinking how to properly purge what oxygen would be left behind post steam/airlock mix... only need 24 hours of safety or so...

 

[foltster]

I would not worry about purging anything, oxygen before pitching is good thing.

Vodka and a cotton ball in the your airlock will keep suckback issues during cooling to a minimum.

Good luck!

 

[BillyVegas]

Just trying to limit infection risks... I think you're right.

If I take the brew from the pot - right out to the fermentor (which is rated for 190F fluids... not 212F...) and seal quickly - as long as I let it chill on its own and pitch within 36 hours, I think I'll be good.

 

[BillyVegas]

I think I'm back to my original issue...

Does it make more sense to no-chill this whole thing and let it roll with it's own temp, or chill it down to room temp and treat it the same way by sealing it up and sitting on it for 24hr?

I'm not opposed to chilling it down, but I've never no-chilled before, so I'm semi-frightened to let it do it's thing -- possibly developing off flavors and such due to the extended temperature exposure to late addition hops, etc.

 

[Burgs]

As far as your late addition hops go - just adjust your hop schedule and push everything later. I don't no-chill brew, but I've done some of the same research you're doing & I'm pretty sure there are a few threads that mention this.

 

[BillyVegas]

Yea - it seems there's alot of "no-chill"-ers out there who make it happen without issues. Maybe I should just calm it down and get on it.

I'm not seeing the advantage however in my situation. If I chill it, which I have the means to, I can get it into a sanitized primary immediately and seal it up. For some reason, I think it's better to have it at room temp and chilling out 24 hours than it is to be at a roaring 210F and letting it chill on it's own. Looking for justification either way, really.

Chilling isn't an issue - I love my chiller, works great. Just don't know which is ultimately going to be a safer bet in the battle against nasties for 24-36 hours.

 

[DerBraumeister]

This is what I have been doing for more than a year now:
1 Flame out2
2 Rack the beer into the fermentor (silicon hose)
3 Lid on, install the airlock and cover it with a hood of aluminium foil
4 Go to sleep

The next day I pitch as usual.

 

[BillyVegas]

Interesting. I like step 4.

Why aluminum foil? Why not the alcohol-soaked cotton swap as perviously mentioned?

 

[DerBraumeister]

Less effort...

(I use a PP bucket btw)

 

[BillyVegas]

I'm thinking I like the idea of just brewing on the reg, and chilling down to room temp in a sanitized primary environment. Seal it up, and pitch 24-36 hours later.

My lids are still solid, as I haven't drilled airlock holes yet. I think I'll keep them solid until it's time to pitch. Pop the top, temp cover the wort, drill the hole, pop it back on. Either that or just drill all holes prior and airlock them up and fill with the booze soaked cotton, as advised.

Even after I read more on no-chill brewing... I'm all about it. It's just one variable I don't want to play with on my huge brewing weekend. I think if I stick to my normal timetables for boil, hop addition, chilling, etc... its one less variable. I'd rather not be adjusting my hops for late additions and such yet. Chilling as per usual gives me the cold break I'll be shooting for I think -- I just need to pay extra attention to sanitizing these primaries as I dump my wort into them.

 

[BillyVegas]

+ My HDPE2 Buckets are allegedly rated for 190F - dropping my 210f+ boil in there just makes me skeptical to leaching plastic flavors.

Ever accidentally use a plastic-coated paint bag for a grain bag before? Yea... that will make you leery about heat and plastic for a while...