why cool wort??

[jonboymentalhealth]

Im still reading up on AG brewing and i keep reading about cooling the wort and cold break but what is the purpose of doing this?? :whistle:

 

[Wez]

Cooling the wort coagulates (sp) all the things you dont want in the beer so that they drop out - leaving nice clear bittered wort to ferment. The faster the cooling the more you get out.

 

[robsan77]

cooling rapidly not only helps the proteins coagulate giving you a clearer beer and reducing protein haze but minimizes the risk of infection. :thumb:

 

[mysterio]

The main point is to get the wort down to a pitching temperature, i.e. to get the yeast in the wort as soon as possible to prevent bacteria/spores taking hold.

There is no real reason beyond that. The cold break will form whatever happens, it depends on the temperature low the wort reaches, not how rapid the wort is cooled.

 

[jonboymentalhealth]

ooops ive done two extract brews so far and not done that, luckily they have turned out ok but i will make sure i do it next time.. :whistle:

 

[robsan77]

The main point is to get the wort down to a pitching temperature, i.e. to get the yeast in the wort as soon as possible to prevent bacteria/spores taking hold.

There is no real reason beyond that. The cold break will form whatever happens, it depends on the temperature low the wort reaches, not how rapid the wort is cooled.

I have found that faster chilling creates bigger clumps of cold break material which gets trapped better by the hop bed. Beers I havent chilled effectively have suffered from chill haze.

 

[Dunfie]

ooops ive done two extract brews so far and not done that, luckily they have turned out ok but i will make sure i do it next time.. :whistle:

I didn't have a chiller for years and I didn't have a problem that I could attribute to the lack of a quick chilling solution. Just make sure the vessel that you are storing the wort in is fully sterilised and you reduce the chance of infection.

I have had some fairly heated discussions with people over this but the botton line is that the proof of the beer is in the drinking and if the beer is good then don't fret.

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