Getting wort cold

[sav]

I have been playing around with bits and peices to get my wort down lower than the tap water,so just say I have been running my chiller until it is tap water temp ,about 30, so then I have connected 2 power heads (aquarium)in a esky with 3 metre copper coil as a second chiller,one power head is 500lts an hour connected to chiller and the other is just to push the water around the esky,I will freeze some ice cream containers at the moment seems to be working good and saving on water ass well,I didnt get a cold break last brew so I will see how it goes next one.
Is anyone doing anything similar to this.
cheers sav.

[warra48]

Hi Sav.

You've made yourself something like a pre-chiller, but probably more efficient. I take it your are recirculating the water from your chiller via the pump, rather than using tap water for the final chill?

I have a standard pre-chiller, through which I route my tap water, and it works well, helping to drop the last 5 or 10ºC when chilling.

I found it most efficient if I waited to route the chilling water through the pre-chiller till I'd got the wort down to about 35ºC. That seemed to make the best use of any ice I could produce at home.

I must admit I've got lazy with mine, and tend not to use it. Now I chill to about 30ºC, drain to the fermenter, taking care not to aerate, and cover with gladwrap. I chill it in the fridge until the next morning when it is usually around 18ºC. I then aerate with an airstone and pitch the yeast.

[sav]

Yep thats what I will do,knock some heat off and then recirculate,Save some water,What are you earating your wort with.

[warra48]

I use an aquarium pump, and an airstone, to aerate my wort.

Bought it all for about $15 at a local pet shop.

I know Ross sells a couple of different SS airstones, but I have a feeling those a primarily aimed at keggers for charging their kegs with Co². I may be wrong on that, but don't see why they wouldn't work in aerating a brew in a fermenter if used with an aquarium pump. Come to think of it, Ross sells those pumps as well.

[billybushcook]

I must admit I've got lazy with mine, and tend not to use it. Now I chill to about 30ºC, drain to the fermenter, taking care not to aerate, .

How low should the wort (steeped or mashed) be before you can safely aerate it or pour it into the fermenter & still avoid the wet carboard effect?
why does this not effect concentrates???

Cheers, Mick.

[Kevnlis]

You should not aerate the liquor until after you have finished the boil and chilled the wort to below ~30C. At all other times you should be doing all you can to avoid it.

[billybushcook]

Thx, Kev,
I know we are in the grain section, but,...Are concentrates vunerable to the same problem, for years Iv'e been putting a jug of hot water in the fermenter, add K&K, then stirr like hell & earate it while filling up with the water straight from the tap & have never noticed any adverse affects.

So what is the difference with concentrates??

Mick.

[warra48]

I brew AG, and take care not to aerate my wort until I'm ready to pitch my yeast.

I normally chill my kettle to about 30 or down to 25ºC, then transfer to the fermenter through a hose on the tap from the kettle into the bottom of the fermenter.
The fermenter goes into the fridge, and it is usually down to 18ºC or so by late that night or early the next morning.

I then run my pump and airstone to aerate the wort and pitch the yeast. Then it's back into the temperature controlled fridge.

In my view, it's best to avoid aerating unless you are ready to pitch your yeast.
Other's experience may vary, but that's my view.

[Kevnlis]

With extract you should aerate immediately, unless you have boiled the wort, then you should wait for it to cool.

[billybushcook]

With extract you should aerate immediately, unless you have boiled the wort, then you should wait for it to cool.

My point Kev, when you mix the concentrate into a jug of hot water, you have "a hot wort".
But vigorous stirring, doesnt seem to affect can concentrates,
Could it be that they have "antioxidents" in them as a part of thier idiot proofing to prevent the wet cardboard effect???

Cheers, Mick.

[Kevnlis]

The oxidative reactions that take place in brewing mostly happen in the mash. The post boil reactions only affect the flavour and aging of the beer. Since most HB has these problems anyway, you don't have much to worry about.

[Hoppiness]

I thought this was about "cooling" wort. Well, anyway, my two bobs worth. I'm only 3 brews into the whole home brewing thing, and not quite away from extract brewing. I read on the John Palmer's howtobrew.com to give the fermentor a vigorous gyration after pitching the yeast. I usually take a seat, prop the fermentor on the ground at my feet, and start the back and forth for about 12-15 minutes. Not sure how it would have been without this action, but with it I've always had good action from the yeast.