Cooling Wort - How long do you have to get to pitching temperature?

[BeginnerBebeBrewer]

Hi Everyone,

Currently waiting for my first brew to cool before I pitch the yeast. I have my brew pot submersed in the bath tub at present and its cooling down. However, I have read about the dangers of oxidation and sulfur containing compounds and I just wondered whether there was an agreed upon maximum time for allowing the wort to cool to pitching temperature?

I'm brewing a west-coast IPA and it is advised that I cool to 68 before pitching.

Cheers everyone,

 

[PADave]

Some people do no chill and don't pitch until the next day, or more. So I'd say no, there is no agreed upon maximum time.

 

[david_42]

Oxidation is a boogieman. First, because the yeast need oxygen to multiple, any in your wort before pitching will be used up; second, Unless you make an effort to put oxygen into your beer post-fermentation, there won't be enough to worry about.

 

[Sparge]

I've started no chilling my last several batches. It saves cleaning up a pump, chiller and lines. I usually pitch the next day, but my last 10 gallon batch didn't get yeast for a couple of days. As long as you are careful in keeping the wort closed up and clean, it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Atlmustang]

Agree with the above. Just keep the wort protected from outside contaminants and you'll be fine.

 

[Tx6686]

Yea I don't think there is a maximum time people just worry about time because of it possibly getting contaminated if left exposed for long periods . I have a big bucket with ice that fits my kettle and use my chiller and it gets the job done in a decent amount of time

 

[ncbrewer]

I was under the impression that fast cooling promotes a good cold break, which minimizes chill haze. I understand that no-chill is an accepted technique, but doesn't it potentially produce hazy beer? (I think being refrigerated for a week is supposed to settle this out.) I haven't experimented with cooling rates, so can't speak from experience.

 

[FVillatoro]

I get my temp down ASAP in order to prevent contamination - the actual process takes me about 15 mins from boiling to 65 degrees

As for sulfur being an issue, some people steep hops in 180-degree wort for 30 minutes in order to infuse it with hop flavor/aroma - DSM doesn't seem to be an issue. Personally I haven't done it.

In Australia, there is a chilling method that involves pouring hot wort into a container to sanitize it. The container is left for days, even weeks and possibly months until a fermenter becomes available or the weather changes. There's a website that tested out this method, and there were no issues on clarity or contaminants. Personally I haven't done this either, but it's pretty interesting.

 

[Sparge]

I was under the impression that fast cooling promotes a good cold break, which minimizes chill haze. I understand that no-chill is an accepted technique, but doesn't it potentially produce hazy beer? (I think being refrigerated for a week is supposed to settle this out.) I haven't experimented with cooling rates, so can't speak from experience.

After fermentation, chill and use gelatin and you can make clear beers. I've done it both ways and can not tell the difference in clarity. The great thing about no chill is an easy clean up. Combine that with BIAB and there is only the kettle to clean on brew day, no MT, HLT, pumps chillers multiple hoses, etc.

 

[jddevinn]

Rapid chilling is good for the cold protein break and removing chill haze.

Oxygen is terrible for beer but good for yeast. When oxidizing before pitching yeast the yeast quickly consume the O2 before it can convert to more reactive states.

That said many people no chill their beer.

 

[C-Rider]

I use to take up to an hour w/ice bath until I got an emersion chiller. Never had a problem pitching as soon as it got below 80* using dry yeast.

 

[RM-MN]

The speed for chilling affects the hop utilization and thus the bitterness and flavor. If you have a late hop addition for flavor and do not chill quickly, those hops now become bittering hops and their flavor is compromised. If you decide to no chill batches, you need to adjust recipes to take that into account.

 

[Coathanger]

Made my own immersion chiller for about $30 and the cool down on 5gal batches takes about 10-15 min. But when I started, I'd leave the hot wort in an ice bath (even outside in the snow a couple times..Canada) for over an hour and had no issues.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

I chill to around 100 deg to lock in hop flavor and no chill the rest of the way and pitch the next day. It gets to 100 deg pretty quick