rms5555
Member
Why is it bad to add ice directly to the wort to cool it. Just thinking of ways to coll wort quickly until I upgrade to a wort chiller.
cooling wort
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SteveLikesBeer
Well-Known Member
Adding ice may introduce unwanted bacteria from the ice maker/freezer/manufacturer.
rms5555
Member
Thanks guys. I am still using extracts and a 2 gallon boil then adding water after the boil to take it to 5 gallons. That's why I add water and I figured I could just add ice right to the wort instead of putting the pot in a sink full of ice. Thanks for the advice guys.
Weizer said:I second the 2 above posts. Besides, why would you want to water down your beer?
Most extract brewers don't do full boils. They have a 3 gallon pot and top off with water.
I've used ice and it turned out fine. I only did it once though. It's a small risk. Whether it is an acceptable risk is up to you. It sure cooled it down fast! That batch probably had the best head of any beer I've made. I've wondered if the ice was part of that.
Didn't realize he was an extract brewer. Makes sense!
I took a 1.75 qt ice cream container sanitize it. Put bottle water in. freeze it. Toss it in me wort. I only brewed 1 Gallon. It made up for a little water I lost from evap. Cooled down in 10 mins or so. Plus, I filled my sink with is water, which helped too.
hops2it
Well-Known Member
Idea...boil water and place into something like a sanitized plastic, gallon ice cream container and then into the freezer a day or two ahead of time. I'm thinking if you use hot water around the outside of the container, the large ice chunk would be removable for the purpose you're wanting. Only bad thing is I'm guessing it'd still need an ice bath so it may defeat the purpose. One way to find out I guess.
Edit: wow check out that ninja job on the previous post lol!
Edit: wow check out that ninja job on the previous post lol!
rms5555
Member
I did not boil the water but I did filter it and sanitized the ice trays. I'm gonna try it. Took a few days but I have about 7 lbs of ice which should be about a gallon of water. I'll let you guys know how the beer turns out.
SteveLikesBeer
Well-Known Member
Be careful not to cool it down past the recommended pitching temperature for your yeast!
I use ice all the time to cool my extract wort. I make my own ice the night before, put the ice in my FV an pour the hot wort directly on it. NOTHING cools the wort faster. I have never had an issue with this method. You do everything with that water, make ice, drink it, brush your teeth.......
But for some reason people think it is so UNSAFE they will not use it too cool the wort.
Personally I hope this myth will go the way of the YOU MUST SECONDARY or your beer will fail.
But for some reason people think it is so UNSAFE they will not use it too cool the wort.
Personally I hope this myth will go the way of the YOU MUST SECONDARY or your beer will fail.
Tippsy-Turvy
Well-Known Member
Cooldood, what proportions of ice to wort are you using for your extract brews and are you using lots of cubes or large blocks? Thanks.
I have taken empty pop bottles, cleaned and sanitized of course. I would then fill the with water I boiled then cooled off enough to not melt the container then stuck it in the freezer. When I was ready to cool, cut the plastic away with sanitized scissors an carefully put it in the wort. It was probably an overkill but it worked for me.
mvcorliss
Well-Known Member
It's not overkill. Contrary to some mid-informed opinion, proper sanitation is not a myth. Anytime you deviate from that you risk an infection. Pretty much nothing we do involves sterility so there is always a competition going on between your yeast and any contaminants. It's it up to you to see that the yeast wins the battle. Just because someone has gotten away with poor sanitation practices so far and is comfortable with the risk is not good reason to arbitrarily declare it a myth and suggest newbies do the same.
Rant over. Shields deployed.
Rant over. Shields deployed.
I'm with you. I understand sanitize, sanitize, sanitize. But, think sanitizing everything before I boil me wort is overbored. Don't get me wrong. I make sure eveeything is clean. Isanitize my cider jug, stopper, and blow off. While my wort is boiling. But, hey. Thats me. Not telling anyone to do the same. Disclamer. These are the veiws and actions of 25518.
mvcorliss
Well-Known Member
Before you boil?? Hell, you can practically spit in your wort BEFORE THE BOIL! But the OP was talking about adding ice to cool his wort post boil. Unless I'm mistaken of course, which my wife believes is more often than not! 😁
I put three gal jugs of distilled store bought water in freezer whenever I put water in my pot and start heating it.
Whenever I am done with my wort boil, I placed pot in an ice bath for about 5-7 min till I get my wort to 120-150.
I then take my almost frozen jugs of water and fit as much as I can in my boil pot, usually bringing me down to around 80. I then dump into my fermenter and top off with remainder nearly frozen water to 5gal, then pitch my yeast and I am always 60-70 at this point.
Fast, easy, reliable.
Whenever I am done with my wort boil, I placed pot in an ice bath for about 5-7 min till I get my wort to 120-150.
I then take my almost frozen jugs of water and fit as much as I can in my boil pot, usually bringing me down to around 80. I then dump into my fermenter and top off with remainder nearly frozen water to 5gal, then pitch my yeast and I am always 60-70 at this point.
Fast, easy, reliable.
I used to do it when I did extract and it was SUmmer.
I boiled so water and when it cooled I put it in Ziplock Freezer Bags and froze it.
I would coll the wort as low as I cold with Tap water and ICE and then near the end drop in the big chunks of ice.
It worked fine.
I would sanitize the outside with some Star San before use...
If needed I would use tap water (the spray wand on the sink to top it all off).
DPB
All good. I've read other threads, post about sanatizing. I should have just started a new thread.
woozy
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It isn't bad. It's good.
Sometimes. In your case, it is. *Obviously* you only want to do this is you are topping off anyway. As for sanitation; sanitize and cover the container you use to freeze ice (you can do this with boiling water and this is the one case where boiling is easier and more convenient than sanitizer) and as for the water itself-- well, use whatever water you were going to top off with.
Ice *in* the wort is pretty much the quickest cooler, and you need to top off anyway, so... It's a good idea.
Sometimes. In your case, it is. *Obviously* you only want to do this is you are topping off anyway. As for sanitation; sanitize and cover the container you use to freeze ice (you can do this with boiling water and this is the one case where boiling is easier and more convenient than sanitizer) and as for the water itself-- well, use whatever water you were going to top off with.
Ice *in* the wort is pretty much the quickest cooler, and you need to top off anyway, so... It's a good idea.
