5 gallon sealed containers

Ultrastevep

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I was at my LHBS today and we were discussing BIAB. I was looking at their immersion chillers and mentioned to them that I was doing a iced water immersion in a tote, but that it was a lot of work lifting the pot with over 5 gallons in it. They then mentioned to me that some of the BIAB'ers transfer their hot wort into a sealed cube and let it cool down overnight. They then transfer that into their fermenter, so no need for cooling.
Anyone know what these containers are they are talking about? I'm not sure why you couldn't just put it in the fermenting bucket, seal it and the next day dump in your yeast.
Thanks,
Steve
 
You could put it into any sanitized container large enough to hold it and capable of being sealed, even if the seal is a sheet of Saran wrap or aluminum foil. Added bonus: Trub and hop debris settles out and you can rack the "clean" wort off of it into your fermentor, if you so desire. But my experience with hot wort, 24 hours might not be enough to cool it to pitch temperature. If you have a way of cooling the carboy or other vessel, this can work well.
 
I live at 8200' in Northern NM, it's easily in the 20's overnight now and will be in the 60's all summer in my garage. It "might" cool down in the summer....but i like the idea! I have always been told that you must cool it down within 15-20 minutes and have always been fine with an ice water dunk, but with the 10 gallon pot it's much harder.
 
I had stumbled across this before, it's called no chill brewing. From what I remember a lot of people had success with it. Just google "No Chill Brewing" and there will be lots of information available.

As far as the containers are concerned I think people used the 5 gallon soft plastic HPDE. Which when cooled would pull in the sides of the container taking up all of the space inside so there was no worry about contamination cause it would sit for a couple days cooling.

http://www.brewersfriend.com/2009/06/06 ... ue-tested/
 
Faster is better to get the cold break but if you can get it below 120 degrees, the cold break is done.
 
Ive put my plastic carboy in the zero degree freezer over night plenty of times with good success, one thing you need to worry about besides infection is dms from the steam building up in a sealed container being cooled down, always wait till the steam is gone or use an airlock or small opening for a couple of hours, then seal it

I laughed at this the first time while drinking but I remember a square cube being used here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... 53Q3X0Yjlg
 
The last 8 brews I have done I have not used my chiller as it has been cold here

so after the boil I have been let then cool in the boil kettle with the lid on, I do wait a bit for the steam to die down

then let it sit until the next morning transfer to the fermenter in my chest freezer and pitch my yeast at 64 degree

everything has been coming out well and tasting great, I have done some real light beers and real dark beers this way

brewing all grain

in a couple of weeks I will get the chiller out but for now it has worked out well

all the best

S_M
 
Social misfit, I like that idea, might try it this weekend. Also am going to search the No Chill brewing methos.

Thanks all! :D
 
Ultrastevep said:
Social misfit, I like that idea, might try it this weekend. Also am going to search the No Chill brewing methos.

Thanks all! :D

give it a try I am doing a Munich SMaSH tomorrow morning that way it will sit until it is cool enough to pitch my yeast ( US-05)

I work from home on Tuesdays and Thursdays so they will be paying me to brew :)

all the best

S_M
 
So you think your kettle lid seals it enough overnight? I was thinking maybe some plastic wrap under the cover just to be on the safe side. Then in a day, transfer to the fermenting bucket and pitch the yeast. It was 17 degrees this morning, so cooling will happen, maybe too much! ;)
 
Ultrastevep said:
So you think your kettle lid seals it enough overnight? I was thinking maybe some plastic wrap under the cover just to be on the safe side. Then in a day, transfer to the fermenting bucket and pitch the yeast. It was 17 degrees this morning, so cooling will happen, maybe too much! ;)

I put four clips on it to hold it on and spray the rim with Star San, I just finished brewing my SMaSH about 15 minutes ago

it will sit overnight or until it is in the low sixties, I am pitching a top cropped US-05 slurry

I haven't had a problem yet using just the lid but you need to do what makes you feel comfortable :)

I broke the pipe going to my outside faucet so I went to no chill and my garage where I brew is cold so why not

but it is starting to get warmer here in New York so I will be using my chiller soon yet

all the best

S_M
 
I've never worried about a total seal in my freezer , now if out side yes just for bugs and wild yeast
 
Bacteria and yeast are notoriously bad crawlers - a complete seal is not necessary as long as you leave the lid on.
 
Nosybear said:
Bacteria and yeast are notoriously bad crawlers - a complete seal is not necessary as long as you leave the lid on.

I put clips on my lid because I have them

S_M
 
This has been a great discussion, thanks for all the input. I brewed 2 weeks ago and put the hot wort directly into the fermenter and it was fine. The next day I pitched the yeast and after bubbling for a few days has been sitting and this weekend will do my secondary, bottle in 2 weeks.
I'm also going to do a Dead Ringer iPA clone this weekend and will try leaving it in the kettle with the lid on for cooling, pitching the yeast the next morning.

Thanks!
 
I'm also going to do a Dead Ringer iPA clone this weekend and will try leaving it in the kettle with the lid on for cooling, pitching the yeast the next morning.

I will be doing my tenth no chill this a brown mild I am very happy with the no chill brewing I have done recipes that I have chilled with a chiller and they taste the same to me

but that being said in a couple weeks I will be getting my chiller back out as it is warming up :) finally

all the best

S_M
 
I have researched many forums and threads on this. If you want to read until your eyes pop out :shock: , this seems to be the most complete source.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/explori ... ng-117111/

The winpack container seems to be a good way to do it, but I typically try things with what I have first.
I brewed quite a bit with this method and have had success with it. I will say the results are different though.
If I'm going to use the method, I stick to a beer style with only a bittering addition and always a 90 minute boil.
At the end of the boil, I just set the boil pot on a concrete floor and put the lid on it. I then cover the pot with a sanitized towel and then place a garbage bag over that. The next day, I transfer clear wort to the fermentor. There will be quite a bit of settled break material in the bottom of the pot so I'll pour that though a sanitzed bag and then add the strained wort to the fermentor. Then aerate and pitch. Easy Peasy!
Give it a try and submit your results.
Next time I do it, I plan on pitching directly into the brew pot and fermenting in there. Should be a cool experiment.
Good Luck
Brian
 
Thanks for your tips, Brian. My Smash session that I no chilled a couple of weeks ago seems fine, I just put it in the secondary for more clarification. I will note that the OG was really low and the calculated ABV so far will be -3%...not that there's anything wrong with that ;)

This weekend I'm going to brew a Dead Ringer IPA clone (found here) and use the no chill method of leaving it in the pot overnight. The nights here in NM are still cool enough (mid 20's) that is'll be chilled by the morning. I may even have to move it into the sun to warm it up enough for the yeast! :eek:

I'll post the results in this thread.

Thanks,
Steve
 
Pitching a bit cold and letting it warm up to fermentation temperatures works well, especially if you have a healthy pitch.
For example, I brewed a session ale with an OG of 1.031 on Saturday and pitched @ 60°around 6 pm. By Sunday noon (first time I checked it) there was airlock activity and a full Krausen @ 62°. Monday morning, I had blowoff and had to change out lids and airlocks all at 62°.
This was a 3rd generation Chico strain with an optimal fermentation range of 68-73°
I'll warm it up today and let it finish.
Brian
 
I do the same thing when I can, pitch at 60. if new with 2 packs of yeast and slowly warm it up to 66 or 67 then after 5 or so days stir the yeast cake slowly then raise to 70ish, works very well for me

one thing to note that air temperature has nothing to do with wort temperature, I measure the wort and the air separate and most of the time the air is much cooler, sometimes 64 and wort is 68, I have my pid temp probe inside a Thermowell and have my pid set to keep the wort at 67 and the air will go up and down to accommodate
 

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