First No-Chill Homebrew Experience - Awesome!

[derekp83]

I've got 2.5 gallons of a Best Bitter in a no-chill container sitting in my pantry right now. Earlier today was the first time I tried no-chill brewing and I loved the simplicity. It took a little over 2 hours from start to finish--steeping to clean up--for an extract+specialty grains recipe that I put together.

I did a 45 minute boil to account for the no-chill process; the additional hop isomerisation that goes on post-boil. I stirred for 2 minutes to establish a whirlpool for 10. I cube hopped with UK Fuggles, poured in cool top-up water and sealed the mother.

Tomorrow I'll rehydrate dry yeast, sanitize my fermenter and accessories and pour it all in, then pitch.

I'm expecting great things from this one! If it goes well, I can't see myself going back to the ice bath or buying a chiller. I'm a no-chill brewer now

 

[derekp83]

Took a hydrometer reading today, just 4 days after pitching the yeast and I'm down to 1.008. Damn, S-04 works fast. It smells fruity with a bit of alcohol; somewhat cidery. The taste is a bit harsher/astringent than I was hoping for. I don't think I extracted tannins, so it's probably from the Crystal 120 (only used 1 oz). Overall, happy with the yeast.

 

[RPh_Guy]

If you like the beer, that's all that matters.
Cheers!

 

[Steveruch]

4 days? Give it time.

 

[derekp83]

4 days? Give it time.

I have no plans of bottling yet. Just amazed the yeast worked so quickly.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I bottle when it's finished fermenting. Sitting around does the beer no favors in my opinion. Oxidation in only harms the flavors.

However, I also control the pitch rate and temperature, so there are no off-flavors from the fermention.

 

[derekp83]

Bottled today...FG of 1.008, just like it was one week ago.

I used my vinator bottle washer which cut my bottle sanitizing time down to about 10-15 minutes. I first soaked bottles in Easy Clean, then gave them 4-5 squirts on the vinator. With the preparation and clean up afterwards, the whole process took just under 2 hours. I'm working toward getting my bottling day down to an hour to an hour and a half.

The brew is an Ordinary Bitter, finishing at around 4% ABV. It's got a cidery smell that I'm attributing to the S-04, but I think it'll be fine overall.

 

[ncbrewer]

I've been wondering if no-chill beer is destined to have chill haze. I hope you'll report on that.