Summer+beer=dilemma

[Old Gil]

I have no means to cool my brew in summer before pitching yeast, i was thinking that i could make the wort without pitching the yeast and letting it settle for a day in my nice cool linen cupboard as I've noticed that it takes about 24 hrs to get down to 22 degrees in there while fermenting, so it would probably get there sooner without the act of fermentation.
Obviously i would fit the airlock and do everything as normal except pitch yeast. I was just thinking though that some of the fermentables would sink to the bottom and get left out, then I thought, but yeast sinks to the bottom anyway. I'm in a dilemma about that and the threat of infection if i leave the wort for a day or so before pitching yeast. Any advice? I know I risk infection when I open the fermenter again but I'm confident that won't happen because I used to use finings and re-opening the fermenter never caused me a problem. The only other way I can think of without buying a chiller is to get a few pots of cool boiled water in the fridge and cool it overnight. but wouldn't that be just as risky infection wise?

[warra48]

Are you brewing with kits and extract, or all grain?
If you are a kit or extract brewer, what I suggest is that you cool down your top up water for the fermenter in the fridge for a day or two before brewing. You can do that in 2 or 3 litre soft drink pet bottles.
Alternatively, you could use ice to add to your fermenter, but be aware this is controversial. However, here is a thread with discussion about this.
http://www.homebrewandbeer.com/forum/vi ... f=2&t=5230

[Old Gil]

I might try and get the frozen water method goin. I reckon there's less chance of infection. Doesn't bacteria die in a freezing environment just as it does in a boiling one

[remik]

Agree on putting water into fridge pre-brew for easy wort cooling, then I put the fermentor in the stainless steel laundry tub, little bit of water in the bottom and 1.5L soft-drink or similar bottles with frozen water from the freezer changed twice a day. I've found that after getting the temp down, a single frozen 1.5L changed twice a day keeps my fermentor at 18-20C, 3-4 frozen bottles changed twice per day easily keeps it at 12-14C even on 40C+ days in Melbourne.

Hope that helps,


Remi

[Tim...]

If you are a kit or extract brewer, what I suggest is that you cool down your top up water for the fermenter in the fridge for a day or two before brewing. You can do that in 2 or 3 litre soft drink pet bottles.

I read somewhere here about someone complaining of infection everytime he pre-chilled his water in the fridge. Because of that, I have been to scared to do it. I may give it a shot with a cheap brew. Might chuck on a toucan stout or something.

Normally I just fill the laundry sink with water, place the fermenter in that, and put ice packs around it. Then at night I chuck the ice packs back in the freezer. Going to start freezing coke bottles for this role instead.

[drtom]

Normally I just fill the laundry sink with water, place the fermenter in that, and put ice packs around it. Then at night I chuck the ice packs back in the freezer. Going to start freezing coke bottles for this role instead.

I've never cooled my fermenter in the sink *because* I am paranoid about infection - all those lovely germs getting into the tap so that when I rack/bottle they get in. <shudder> Am I just paranoid, or are they really out to get me?

T.
ps FWIW, I have carefully sanitized freezer containers and fill them with boiled water and freeze them.

[rwh]

I've never cooled my fermenter in the sink *because* I am paranoid about infection - all those lovely germs getting into the tap so that when I rack/bottle they get in. <shudder> Am I just paranoid, or are they really out to get me?

They really are out to get you. I used to fill my big 40L pot with water and immerse my fermenter in that. Used to get an infection after racking every time. I suspect it was the fact that there are lots of little flies and moths in my appartment and they used to fall into the water and die, so the inside of the tap really was laced with an unacceptably high level of bacteria.

What I do now is use my brewfridge and I now always spray the inside of the tap outlet with sanitiser before racking.

ps FWIW, I have carefully sanitized freezer containers and fill them with boiled water and freeze them.

I've cooled topup water in the fridge before and it works really well. What I did was buy one of those 10L cubes of spring water. Drank the water and then sanitised and refilled with tap water, popped that in the fridge and the next day you're ready to top up with 10L of 4°C water. That really has some cooling power. The idea of blocks of ice made in sanitised freezer containers sounds good too so long as you don't get anything from the outside of the containers falling in your wort. One idea to avoid this is to use snaplock bags to cover the containers. Then you take the container out of the fridge, remove the snaplock bag, and you then have a container that is completely sanitary.

Another idea that I thought was cool but haven't tried (from Charlie Papazian's Complete Joy of Homebrewing) is to fill a snaplock bag with water, sanitise the outside, put into another snaplock bag, then put in the freezer. Brew, top up to the usual volume, then remove the snaplock bags from the freezer, remove the outer bag, then pop the inner bag with the ice in it into the brew. Once the brew is complete, you rack or bottle, leaving the snaplock bag behind.

[drsmurto]

Instead of putting the fermenter in the sink with water why not put a pot in the sink? No tap, no infection. I used to do my small boils for kits and bits in a 17L pot which i put in the laundry sink with water to cool down. I would add a few frozen 2L bottles to keep the water cool.

Other idea if you are paranoid about infections from dodgy water is to pre-boil all your top up water, cool it down and then pour it into sanitised 2L coke bottles and freeze. Drop that into your hot wort and voila.

Or invest in a plate chiller.......

[drtom]

Or invest in a plate chiller.......

Indeed. I was quite taken by the design when I first read about them. In my usual way, I spent a week reading about heat exchanger design.

If my previous employer had not gone broke, owing me a large amount of money, I might buy one. <sigh> However, in the mean time, my ice technique seems to work okay.

T.

[Swifty]

Now if you are lazy and a tight arse like me you could just put the wort in the fermetner, wrap in a wet towel and direct a fan at it. The next morning it has always been ready to pitch. You don't even need to bother with the fan usually. Haven't had one infection yet and the beer still taste's good.

[Old Gil]

I dunno I've tried the wet towel trick and it doesn't seem to get me anywhere near the 20 degree mark. Usually my wort starts @ 30 deg in summer and the towel trick only ever brought it down to 25 deg if that. Maybe I need a stronger fan.

[Paleman]

For cooling your wort, just mix your fermentables first in a pot with a boil, then cool it in a sink full of cool water, topping up the water in the sink when the sink water gets hot. Then when cool enough add to your fermenter, along with around 15 litres of bottled spring water, thats been in the fridge for a few days. Should have a fermenter temp of around 20 degrees.

Then place your your fermenter in one of these baby's when she's ready.



100 Can Cooler from BigW. Very cheap. When your fermenter is in, and it fits in well ........ added with a couple of frozen bottles of water, you can keep the temp down to 18 degrees for the entirety of the brew.

Summer brewing becomes as enjoyable as Winter

[earle]

This cooler would work best with cling wrap rather than air lock I suppose?

[Paleman]

This cooler would work best with cling wrap rather than air lock I suppose?

Yep true, if you have a taller version fermenter. The shorter squatter ones, like the coopers fermenter can be fitted in with airlock and closed.

I have used cling wrap, with no problems, and i have used a taller fermenter with airlock fitted, and lid not fully closed, and still managed to keep the fermenter under 20 degress. Just stick a towel over the top.

[Old Gil]

That can cooler looks like it's the way i'm gonna go. I didn't know they even made those suckers, thanks Paleman, ur a champion . I'm getting one this weekend for sure

[Kevnlis]

Be warned Swainy, they can be a bugger to track down. A lot of people have complained of not being able to find one.

[drsmurto]

2nd that - i rang every BigW, KMart etc in Adelaide and got nowhere. Dead fridge + 2L ice blocks and the temp is now 11C and thats with only one bottle, put 2 new ones in this morning so hope it gets even lower! This is uber impressive - it over 30 here today and the fridge is in a tin shed!

[Old Gil]

I just rang a few BigW's myself and none of them even knew waht I was talking about.

Paleman, do know the brand name of the cooler? maybe I can track it down from the manufacturer

[damian44]

You can get the 100 can cooler bags at Anaconda camping store ($45). I did. it works great. But you could pick up an old fridge for that, and install a Temp controller ($50) plus some bits and pieces, eg box to mount controler to fridge and extension cord.

Cheers Damo

[Old Gil]

I'll check Anaconda out, the fridge was on the agenda but I think the missus will crack it if I get too much bulky stuff for the HB, I'm already getting the degree for all the box's of beer lying around. I only have a 14sq house. I was just checking out the Doc's fridge on e-bay and when I told her about it she seemed reluctant, so thats a no really