How to cool wort all the way to pitching temps??

[jpr0930]

I pitch at 80 and straight to ferm chamber. Cools down fast enough never had an issue. Thought about leaving yeast out until cooled in chamber but never had a reason too after multiple batches this way.

 

[govner1]

I recirculate ice water through my CFC using gravity feed from my BK to my fermenter. I usually get it to 64-65 w/o a problem.
If its high I jus sit my fermenter in the bucket w/ the ice water while I finish my clean up. By then it's ready to pitch & oxygenate.

 

[xfjxdgykfdhu]

Good for you on taking care of your yeast!

 

[Brett3rThanU]

I pitch at 80 and straight to ferm chamber. Cools down fast enough never had an issue. Thought about leaving yeast out until cooled in chamber but never had a reason too after multiple batches this way.

I've been doing this for years with no ill effects to date.

 

[VonAle]

Interesting link, but I have to take his theoretical situation with a grain of salt. His situation involved a volume of water at 35, I plan on using an ice bath, so the warming of my cold source won't be nearly as dramatic of his situation. Also, with a pre-chiller, I can use it from the very beginning, not when the wort has hit 80 or so.

With that said, common sense and math often don't agree, and math is often right. I'll do some more research before I commit, as you suggest, because more knowledge is never a bad thing... but for the time being, for the low cost and simplicity reasons, I'm still leaning pre-chiller.

I brewed this past weekend and chilled from boiling to 60 in 15 min, with my recirculation setup.

After flame off, I set my boil pot in my swimming pool, (I built a trivet to set it on).
I recirculated pool water (90 deg). with my submersible pump, thru the IC.
After 5 min. temp = 130.
Then I moved the pump out of the pool water and into my ice chest of ice and water.
After about 3-4 min, I was at 90 deg. Pulled the pot out of the pool water
After about 6-7 more min, I was chilled to 60 deg. (15 min total)
Used 3-10# bags of ice. I had some ice left over and probably could have been OK with 2 bags.

I think the swimming pool is a huge benefit for my process. Without that, the times might be a bit longer.

 

[m3n00b]

I brewed this past weekend and chilled from boiling to 60 in 15 min, with my recirculation setup.

After flame off, I set my boil pot in my swimming pool, (I built a trivet to set it on).
I recirculated pool water (90 deg). with my submersible pump, thru the IC.
After 5 min. temp = 130.
Then I moved the pump out of the pool water and into my ice chest of ice and water.
After about 3-4 min, I was at 90 deg. Pulled the pot out of the pool water
After about 6-7 more min, I was chilled to 60 deg. (15 min total)
Used 3-10# bags of ice. I had some ice left over and probably could have been OK with 2 bags.

I think the swimming pool is a huge benefit for my process. Without that, the times might be a bit longer.

I've been thinking about using the pool and setting the bk on the first step! In the winter this will be awesome at 50f. Right now the pool is 80-90f so my 70f sink water I used until I get to 100. Then I put ice in the sink and stir til I get below 70. Usually takes me about 25 minutes.

 

[TAK]

I've been contemplating the same question in the OP recently. In the summer in NE my tap water is about 65*. I can usually cool below 70* pretty easy with my immersion chiller, maybe get down to 67-68* with some time. It's the last few degrees that are tough. I really do want to pitch at, or 2* below, my intended fermentation temp.

I had an idea today that I want to use for the first time tomorrow. After cooling with my IC down to upper 60's, the plan is to transfer from my boil kettle into my carboy through an ice bath. I got the gear to run through the process for proof of concept today. I did a trial run with tap water that clocked in at 65*. Going through 20 ft of 1/2 ID vinyl tubing submerged in a saline ice bath, at a slow pace, I was able to get the final carboy temp at 58*.