Postponing the yeast pitch & not chilling wort

[kXb]

I dweebed out and forgot to get my yeast out yesterday but I really need to get started on a batch of beer tonight. A brief look around tells me that postponing the pitch isn't a problem as long as cleaning/sanitizing is good (which it is). My big question is what about chilling wort?? My thought process tells me it's not really necessary because the main reason to chill is so you can pitch as quickly as possible and get it in the fermenter. If my logic is good, then how should I store the wort until tomorrow's aerating and pitching? I thought I would just take the kettle off the heat and put it on the kitchen counter with the lid on.

Fire away your thoughts please. Sooner the better!

 

[richl025]

Google "no chill brewing" - a lot of people do it (I understand its more popular in places like Australia who can't be as wasteful as we are with water).

I've never done it myself, but read several articles that insist there is zero quality loss, no concerns with "chill haze" and things like that...

The key is great sanitation since your wort will be "at risk" for a longer period of time before you pitch your yeast.

 

[sfgoat]

I do this all the time. Usually just because I just get too lazy to hook up the plate chiller. Plus it does waste a lot of water. My pot has a valve on it so I just hook a hose to it and run the hot work into one of my HDPE ferm buckets as they can take the heat. Secure with lid and airlock and let it cool. Sometimes Ill just throw the whole bucket into the ferm chamber to bring to temp a bit faster but only if there is nothing else in there with it. Otherwise I'll just let it sit until the next morning and pitch the yeast. Never had any issues doing this and I've taken gold in a few comps with beers done this way, so obviously the judges couldn't tell either.

 

[ferm.adventures]

I'd just think about how you're doing you hop additions. Late aroma / flavor additions could contribute more to bittering and lessen your usual hop profile. I did a no chill half small batch session IPA that was a little weak on hop flavor and is tad too bitter. You are adding a hop stand to your brew as well as the no chill.

 

[daksin]

Well, chilling has a LOT of other functions besides cooling for yeast. A fast chill does a lot to coagulate protein that cause haze, and therefore helps with clarity. It also prevents DMS precursors from being turned into DMS, as that conversion only happens at higher temperatures. HOWEVER, my preference would be to do this as a no-chill, if you absolutely cannot get yeast tonight, because it's harder for nasties to grow in hot wort than in cool wort, and nobody's sanitation is perfect. I'm not familiar with the physics of no-chill brewing, however, so you may want to go to more of an expert.

 

[kXb]

I went through the chilling process and placed in sanitized fermenter with lid/airlock just to be on the safe side. I'm making this brew for my son's wedding so I really didn't want to blow it!

 

[Mismost]

I'm on a well and Texas was in a Bad drought...that drove me to no-chill. Kettle has a valve and a good lid. I StarSan the lid and clamp it on tight. Brew on Saturday morning and transfer and pitch yeast after church on Sunday. I actually think the "sitting time" helps my clarity by letting the wort settle out. By Sunday, the wort and yeast have also equalized in temperature. Breaks up the brew day and clean up routines too.

Works good for me, right now anyway.