Yeast & cooling

[Andy_Burbank]

I’ve been cooling my wert for about an hour and a half. Still not cool to the touch, not super hot, but warm. I’m good on waiting longer, correct? Better to be cool then going in hot?

Also, this is my first time using the white labs pure yeast pure pitch.

I’m close to using it and the directions seem to say it just needs to be warmed slowly to 70 degrees.

What’s the best way to do that? I’ve had it sitting at room temp for about an hour waiting for the wert to cool.

Also, that’s it? Nothing extra for the yeast? Just refrigerator, warm to 70 and add to the wert?

Just trying to triple check on things. Thanks!

 

[waldoar15]

You need to get the wort down into the 60's before pitching. The yeast should be around the same temp.

 

[sfgoat]

You've got the gist of it. But just make sure you get between 60-70F for your wort.

 

[Andy_Burbank]

Thanks! So basically I’ve been cooling for about two hours. Looking at around 90 degrees. I used the small sink instead of the tub like I should have. Switched over now. I know it’s supposed to be quick. Will the length it’s taken affect the outcome?

 

[sfgoat]

No, in fact I stopped worrying about chilling my wort years ago. Went with the no-chill method and never looked back. Sometimes it can take a full 24 hours to cool to pitching temp that way but whats the rush. I have suffered no quality loss using this method and still take gold in many competitions so the effects (if any) are negligible.

 

[Redpappy]

How are you brewing? Extract, AG. If you are doing extract, this is what I do, if I am using water that I had in the fridge ( nice cold water) I usually will stop cooling my wort around 80-85 degrees F.. if not, then I drop it down to the 70s. if AG, you will want to cool it all the way down to 65.

And what are you touching, the kettle, your wort??

 

[Redpappy]

Thanks! So basically I’ve been cooling for about two hours. Looking at around 90 degrees. I used the small sink instead of the tub like I should have. Switched over now. I know it’s supposed to be quick. Will the length it’s taken affect the outcome?

I have read that some people will put the lid on after the boil and leave it for 24 hours. Just make sure that you keep it covered.

With a cold bath, you can swirl the wort around with a sanitized spoon , in which it will help with the heat exchange, I also tend to swirl the water around as well ( but have only done baths with 1 gal batches)

 

[TBC27]

The yeast packet will warm to room temp in a couple of hours or so. So you should be ok. Shake that yeast pack really well before opening! You want all that goodness going in your wort to get the beer making party started. Cheers!

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks! So basically I’ve been cooling for about two hours. Looking at around 90 degrees. I used the small sink instead of the tub like I should have. Switched over now. I know it’s supposed to be quick. Will the length it’s taken affect the outcome?

It might. It depends on the recipe and when the hops are added. Hops added late in the boil isomerize a bit to add to the bitterness but are added late to maintain some of their aromatic oils. The isomerization continues until the wort cools below 170. Once the wort is colder some of the aromatic oils will still be lost but the rate of loss reduces as the temperature goes down.

If your wort does not have late addition hops, then the rate it cools is not much to worry about. I've had one batch take 36 hours to get to pitching temperature. Just make sure to have a lid on as there will be bacteria in the air and you don't want to give them easy access to that nice sugary wort. When the wort gets to pitching temperature, limit the amount of time the fermenter is open to limit the amount of bacteria that can get in as you pitch the yeast.