Disadvantages of No Chill

[thebaron1974]

Hi.

I am a very new brewer and wondered what the disadvantages of 'no chill' are? I am thinking I would give it a try as I have lost my freezer blocks (don't ask!!)

I am looking to brew a citra/maris otter SMASH!

Cheers!

 

[Braufather]

No hot break so beer tends to be cloudy.

 

[Drunkula]

No hot break so beer tends to be cloudy.

There is hot break, we know you mean cold break.

I've done it loads and haven't found the beer to be cloudy. Even my wheat beers are too bleedin' clear.

Some reports of it causing DMS precursors so that can be an issue. No idea if that's a problem with modern malt and people don't seem to get DMS boiling with the lid on any more.

You've got to change your hop schedule about of course.

Somebody changed to a secret experiment of doing no-chill for a year and... read about that here.

 

[thebaron1974]

No hot break? Thought that happened during the boil? Am I getting confused with something else?

 

[jceg316]

As @Drunkula says You may have to change hop schedules, but I've also read (if I can find the link again I'll post it) it's not good for hoppy styles. Because the wort is not cooled quickly late hops can lose their aroma.

 

[MyQul]

You'll get chill haze when you put your beer in the fridge

 

[thebaron1974]

Hmmm interesting. Maybe I'll do a couple of batches and compare!

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I'm confused by this thread, is it about chilling the wort after the boil or cold crashing after primary fermenration?

 

[marshbrewer]

It's about letting the wort cool naturally overnight or whatever, rather than chilling it using a wort cooler / chiller of some kind.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

It's about letting the wort cool naturally overnight or whatever, rather than chilling it using a wort cooler / chiller of some kind.

Ok but some of the answers suggest confusion.

 

[trueblue]

You increase the risk of the wort picking up an infection. You want to get the wort cooled and yeast working as quick as possible.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

You increase the risk of the wort picking up an infection. You want to get the wort cooled and yeast working as quick as possible.

+1 to that

 

[thebaron1974]

If the wort is sealed (cling film etc) surely the risk is mitigated?

 

[trueblue]

If the wort is sealed (cling film etc) surely the risk is mitigated?

Yes it can all help but the best way to avoid infections is to get the yeast working as soon as possible. I like to get my yeast working in a few hours from pitching rather than several hours delay.

 

[Drunkula]

If the wort is sealed (cling film etc) surely the risk is mitigated?

Yep. And especially if you use a cube. The hot wort will murderise anything inside. Some brewers store cubes for weeks before pitching.

 

[thebaron1974]

Murderise! New fave word!

 

[Session]

Yep. And especially if you use a cube. The hot wort will murderise anything inside. Some brewers store cubes for weeks before pitching.

+1
Drunkula is spot-on. A no-chill cube filled with wort at 70’C will pasteurise everything inside. I keep mine for weeks without any signs of infection.

With regard to hoppy beers, I am experimenting with making a basic wort with only bittering additions, and adding my late-hop additions as a hop tea... will let you know how it goes! In theory it means you get all the benefits of no-chill without having to alter you hop additions.

 

[samale]

You increase the risk of the wort picking up an infection. You want to get the wort cooled and yeast working as quick as possible.

Have you experience of not chilling your wort resulting in infections

 

[jceg316]

+1
Drunkula is spot-on. A no-chill cube filled with wort at 70’C will pasteurise everything inside. I keep mine for weeks without any signs of infection.

With regard to hoppy beers, I am experimenting with making a basic wort with only bittering additions, and adding my late-hop additions as a hop tea... will let you know how it goes! In theory it means you get all the benefits of no-chill without having to alter you hop additions.

This sounds like it would be a good work around, I'd be interested to hear how it comes out.

 

[trueblue]

Have you experience of not chilling your wort resulting in infections

I personally would not risk it but I do know someone it has happened to.