Using the Outdoors Instead of a Chiller? Concerns about lactobacillus

[jgo_unchained]

Trying brewing for the first time in the Great White North.

I don't have a chiller and it is might cold outside. Can I leave my 4 gallons of wort out there to cool without worrying about lactobacillus growth? Would speed things up dramatically...

Thanks for any help!

 

[RM-MN]

Of course you have to worry about lacto, but not much. If you have a tub that is big enough to set the pot in and some snow you can chill that in 20 to 40 minutes. Put the tub outside and pour water into it while the wort is just starting to boil. When the boil is over, set the pot into the tub and dump in as much snow as you can. In 10 minutes, replenish the snow. You may have to add snow one more time to get all the way down to 60 for pitching. I do this all the time in the winter. It works fastest when the temperature outside is -30 but any temp below freezing will work.

 

[Agate]

I've done it without any harm, but it'll take over an hour. A cold water bath will be much faster, as liquid to liquid heat transfer is much more effective than liquid to air.

 

[darrenbrews]

I've done it without any harm, but it'll take over an hour. A cold water bath will be much faster, as liquid to liquid heat transfer is much more effective than liquid to air.

Same here

 

[jgo_unchained]

Wow guys! Thanks for the quick response. Getting out the tub and shovelling now...

 

[AlCophile]

Pour it into a corny, bubble CO2 in if you have it, stick it in a snow-water slush.

 

[IvanTheTerribrew]

While I know you're worried about infection, just remember that any chilling you chose to use, it will work faster if the wort is moving. Like using a IC works even faster if you keep the wort moving so that the work that is away from the chiller and warm can keep moving. I wouldn't see much harm in you covering your wort and keep stirring it by either lifting the lid and stirring or by just shaking the kettle. I've done this before and never had an issue.