No Chill - Will My Funnel Melt?

[derekp83]

So I plan on doing my first no chill brew in a few days. My issue is that I won't be siphoning like so many videos show; I will be pouring the wort through a strainer and funnel like I normally do after cooling. So my question is this: will the hot wort melt my funnel when using the no chill method?

 

[RPh_Guy]

I would not allow contact between boiling hot liquid and most plastics. Don't you just leave it in the kettle to cool?

 

[ApolloSimcoe]

What is your funnel made of?

 

[derekp83]

I would not allow contact between boiling hot liquid and most plastics. Don't you just leave it in the kettle to cool?

No, I have an HDPE carboy for the purpose of cooling hot liquids that will seal tight.

 

[derekp83]

What is your funnel made of?

Plastic. The solution must be a stainless steel funnel. Tahdah!

 

[derekp83]

Here's another question (and probably should be a new post): I'll likely add top up water to my no chill container because I don't do full boil. If I added say a gallon of top up water, do you think I'd get an accurate hydrometer reading if I waited until it cooled the next day? I'm really asking if the water and wort would combine naturally over time, without stirring?

 

[wilserbrewer]

Rather than trying to pour a boiling hot kettle thru a funnel, perhaps a 1 gallon Rubbermaid pitcher would be easier and safer to scoop the out wort out of your ketttle and pour it into your fermenter.

A quick test w boiling water on your funnel would be telling, likely it is hdpe or something that is heat resistant...

 

[madscientist451]

I do no-chill often, usually when I'm brewing at night and I'm tired.
Just set the kettle outside with the lid off. After about 1/2 hour, put the lid on and forget about it until morning. Then dump it into the carboy.

 

[derekp83]

I do no-chill often, usually when I'm brewing at night and I'm tired.
Just set the kettle outside with the lid off. After about 1/2 hour, put the lid on and forget about it until morning. Then dump it into the carboy.

I may try this sometime, but I did buy a no-chill container and plan on doing that first.

At the same time, outside seems risky. Not just yeasts, but bugs? It's summer...

 

[derekp83]

Rather than trying to pour a boiling hot kettle thru a funnel, perhaps a 1 gallon Rubbermaid pitcher would be easier and safer to scoop the out wort out of your ketttle and pour it into your fermenter.

A quick test w boiling water on your funnel would be telling, likely it is hdpe or something that is heat resistant...

I thought the same thing today when I picked up some stainless steel funnels that I special ordered, only to realize they're too small to be much help. I'll probably use my 2-quart measuring cup that I use to fill up the kettle with water. Add the wort to it, and I'm in business.

 

[madscientist451]

outside seems risky. Not just yeasts, but bugs? It's summer...

That's why you put the lid on.

 

[Ninoid]

- I brew in plastic kettle with electric heater. BIAB and boil.
- Wait for temperature drop to 80'C (up to half hour). This is my hopstand time that produce half bitterness than when boil and a safe temperature at which sealed plastic fermenter no deformation occurs.
- With plastic pitcher pour through plastic collander to plastic fermenter. Temperature drop to 75'C.
- Seal fermenter and left up to 24 hours, pitch yeast and replace stopple with airlock.

Currently 34. batch without any issues. HDPE plastic no problems with the temperatures up to 120'C.
See this video.

 

[RM-MN]

I may try this sometime, but I did buy a no-chill container and plan on doing that first.

At the same time, outside seems risky. Not just yeasts, but bugs? It's summer...

During that first half hour the wort will be hot enough to pasteurize anything that falls into it. I'd prefer not to have bugs fall into my wort but they won't cause contamination.

 

[Sparge]

I do BIAB and no-chill. I just place the top on my kettle and move it to the back of my garage (kettle is on burner on casters). It cools overnight and in the morning, I transfer it to the fermenter. Only once did I get sloppy and push the kettle too hard. It hit a rock on the floor of the garage and I had 12 gallons of hot wort all over my garage floor! Now, I'm much more careful when moving it.

Don't over think it. Let it cool,then transfer.

 

[cmac62]

My question is why don't you add the top off water to the boil kettle then transfer the cooler beer to the fermenter? Makes sense to me.

 

[LittleRiver]

My question is why don't you add the top off water to the boil kettle then transfer the cooler beer to the fermenter?...

There is no "top off water" for some methods of brewing. For example, full volume BIAB. You are mashing with, and boiling, the entire volume of water.

 

[cmac62]

in #6 OP said he is using top off water so I was responding in kind.

 

[derekp83]

So in the end, didn't need a funnel. The no-chill container's mouth is large enough that my 2-quart measuring cup's spout fits right in and pours just fine without much of a mess.

 

[kh54s10]

I would not pour hot wort into any container except possibly stainless steel. (especially glass, thermal shock is asking for an injury!) Cool it first in the boil kettle, then transfer it to a fermenter.

 

[Ninoid]

I would not pour hot wort into any container except possibly stainless steel. (especially glass, thermal shock is asking for an injury!) Cool it first in the boil kettle, then transfer it to a fermenter.

I prefer naturally cooling to boil kettle up to 75'C mainly due to not deforming a plastic fermenter with high temperature when I seal it for no chill. I did not try, but I think it's too hot for a glass pot.

 

[soccerdad]

Are you "no chilling" in a sealed vessel to keep sterile wort in a cube for an indefinite period? Or are you "slow chilling" to pitch yeast in the next day or two?

 

[Ninoid]

Are you "no chilling" in a sealed vessel to keep sterile wort in a cube for an indefinite period? Or are you "slow chilling" to pitch yeast in the next day or two?

Natural chill up to 24 hours and pitch yeast.
The vessel is sealed due to possible infestation with wild yeast from the air.

 

[soccerdad]

Natural chill up to 24 hours and pitch yeast.
The vessel is sealed due to possible infestation with wild yeast from the air.

IMO .. Just leave the lid on the kettle and let it cool. I've never had an issue

 

[Ninoid]

IMO .. Just leave the lid on the kettle and let it cool. I've never had an issue

I'm not sure because my fermenter is in the vestibule whereby people are constantly passing through. It's the coldest place in my apartment.

 

[kh54s10]

I'm not sure because my fermenter is in the vestibule whereby people are constantly passing through. It's the coldest place in my apartment.

Unless it is going to get knocked over... It doesn't need to be air tight, until fermentation is almost complete. In fact oxygen, after the boil and before active fermentation helps. Contaminates fall, not fly, unless you have active air moving in and out of the pot, an infection is not a big hazard. If concerned, put the lid on and wrap around the lip and lid with Saran Wrap.

 

[Ninoid]

Unless it is going to get knocked over... It doesn't need to be air tight, until fermentation is almost complete. In fact oxygen, after the boil and before active fermentation helps. Contaminates fall, not fly, unless you have active air moving in and out of the pot, an infection is not a big hazard. If concerned, put the lid on and wrap around the lip and lid with Saran Wrap.

I regularly use Saran Wrap (stretch foil) if the lid does not seal well.
I had several contamination that I suspected on the lid leak. Since I started to seal the lid well I did not have any contamination. I'm not sure if that was a problem then. Maybe I should try the way you advise me.