Over Cooled my wort...

[punkrawkgeek]

I was cooling my wort in an ice bath last night, and I fell asleep. Note to self: Don't brew later in the evening.
Should it still be okay? Pour in to my brew bucket and pitch the yeast??
Hoping I haven't ruined a whole batch.

 

[Psylocide]

Should be fine... nothing to lose now anyway.

Was it in the kettle with the lid on?

 

[SnakeRidge]

How cold?

You didn't mess anything up by cooling too much, but you do want to be mindful of not pitching warm yeast into cold wort (or vice versa). Try to get the two within 10 degrees F of each other or so.

I usually cool the wort to about 50*F and pitch a starter straight out of the fridge. By the next day, in my fermentation chamber, the batch has come up to 62* and started fermenting.

 

[ACbrewer]

RDWHAHB... you are fine.

Overly cold wort might make the start slower, but the yeast can work with it. Wort over about 110F will probably kill yeast. wort over about 70F is generally not recommended for brewing. It produces off flavors, although the yeast will live in it.

If your wort is above 60F you are good, heck some ale yeast will even be active down to 55 or 50F.

Your wort and eventual brew are fine. Personally I'm in part struggling with the idea of "over cooling" .. maybe frozen? would be 'over cooled'....

Anyhow, pitch the yeast and let it go. Over time ambient air will bring it back up to temp.

One question - how long between the end of boil and the start of pitching.. ok 2nd question, was it covered all that time?

 

[BigFloyd]

The cool temp isn't as big a concern as contamination if it was left sitting open for a long time below 130*F (which is when bacteria land, live, eat and multiply).

 

[punkrawkgeek]

It was covered up. It's down to about 65F... or so. But it has been sitting there for a good 10 hours or so...

 

[SnakeRidge]

It was covered up. It's down to about 65F... or so. But it has been sitting there for a good 10 hours or so...

You're fine. Dump it in the fermenter and pitch yeast.

 

[punkrawkgeek]

Everything sanitized. And pouring! Thanks. I was a little worried.

 

[SnakeRidge]

Everything sanitized. And pouring! Thanks. I was a little worried.

Yeast make beer and brewers make up stuff to worry about. World keeps on spinnin'

 

[punkrawkgeek]

Tasted good, from the sample. Thank you!

 

[flars]

It was covered up. It's down to about 65F... or so. But it has been sitting there for a good 10 hours or so...

Perfect temperature for pitching room temperature yeast.

 

[andy6026]

Yep, 65 is exactly what you went... Well, maybe 64.5 perhaps, haha!