no chill cube problem...

[Cazamodo]

Ok I brewed at the weekend, and. Thought I would no chill into a jerrycan and pitch the yeast this weekend when I had time. Just checked it and the jerrycan has swollen right up and there looks like froth on top of the beer. I cracked the lid and let some pressure out, and didn't much like the smell. I've never kept a nochill cube longer than a day before. Am I right in thinking it wasn't as clean and sterile as I thought?

[Brewmeister]

You dont want to be leaving wort a week before adding yeast, add it as soon as it has cooled.

You also need to invest in a cooler for a number of reasons, one being it reduces the chance of infection.

I'd get a fresh brew on this weekend

[ChuckE]

Ok I brewed at the weekend, and. Thought I would no chill into a jerrycan and pitch the yeast this weekend when I had time. Just checked it and the jerrycan has swollen right up and there looks like froth on top of the beer. I cracked the lid and let some pressure out, and didn't much like the smell. I've never kept a nochill cube longer than a day before. Am I right in thinking it wasn't as clean and sterile as I thought?

Yes. There's a problem somewhere. Three questions;

How hot was the wort when you transferred?

How did you prep the cube?

Did you set it on it's side when hot to sterilize all sides?

BTW, just last week I cracked open and pitched a batch I brewed back in April.

[Beer O'Clock]

Ok I brewed at the weekend, and. Thought I would no chill into a jerrycan and pitch the yeast this weekend when I had time. Just checked it and the jerrycan has swollen right up and there looks like froth on top of the beer. I cracked the lid and let some pressure out, and didn't much like the smell. I've never kept a nochill cube longer than a day before. Am I right in thinking it wasn't as clean and sterile as I thought?

That does sound like the cube wasn't as sterile as it could have been. It sounds like a "wild" yeast infection. Some can be fairly benign. I had one a few months ago (sounds similar to yours) and decided to add the yeast anyway. It turned out to be a decent beer. No award winner but decent enough to enjoy. All may not be lost. It's up to you as to how to proceed.

For those who are interested; the wort should be as hot as possible when transfered and no head space. It should be sloshed about to heat treat all surfaces then squeezed to expell any air. Wort should fill the cube with no space. Under usual circumstances, this technique will allow you to keep wort for weeks, even months without any problems.

Was there any "head" space ? Did you thoroughly clean the cube before filling ?

<<Chuck E just got in before me>>

[Cazamodo]

I squeezed as much air out as possible, and then. Swilled it all around so it had contact with every surface, filled it straight from boiler as soon as boil was done. I prepped cube by giving it. A good clean with oxy then I swilled a load of boiling water around as its the first time I'd used it. The reason I haven't used it yest is I've run out of dme to make a starter, I should of really just used some wort but I didn't think I would be this delayed. I was going to split. This batch on fruit, so if a wild yeast has taken off I can always try a sour beer haha!

As it doesn't look like its gone too mad I may just try and get a starter made asap and pitch anyway.

[jonnyt]

So you didn't sanitise the cube first?

My technique is thus:

Clean the cube with Oxy
Sanitise the cube with Bleach or Videne
Leave wort to settle for 20 to 30 mins post boil, it's still hotter than Louis Pasteurs famous method!
Transfer wort through a sanitised tube that reaches the bottom of the cube to avoid adding Oxygen
When transfer is complete squeeze out as much air as possible
Seal cube and stand on different sides for 5 mins each

To date I've done 6 no cubes with zero infections and left the wort between 2 days and 3 weeks before fermenting without any issues

[crafty john]

I squeezed as much air out as possible, and then. Swilled it all around so it had contact with every surface, filled it straight from boiler as soon as boil was done. I prepped cube by giving it. A good clean with oxy then I swilled a load of boiling water around as its the first time I'd used it. The reason I haven't used it yest is I've run out of dme to make a starter, I should of really just used some wort but I didn't think I would be this delayed. I was going to split. This batch on fruit, so if a wild yeast has taken off I can always try a sour beer haha!

As it doesn't look like its gone too mad I may just try and get a starter made asap and pitch anyway.

Bugger the starter, just pitch a dry yeast. Saves loads of time.

[Cazamodo]

Yea thinking ill chuck a packet of S04 in and hope for the best! And nope I assumed since I was putting just under boiling wort in there I didn't need to sanatise first? I suppose theres no harm in it though.

[boingy]

It depends how bad the smell was but I'd probably go ahead and pitch the yeast to see whether I got away with it!
Another option would be to boil it up again the cool and pitch.
In future definitely sanitise the cube before the wort hits it.

[ChuckE]

I squeezed as much air out as possible, and then. Swilled it all around so it had contact with every surface, filled it straight from boiler as soon as boil was done. I prepped cube by giving it. A good clean with oxy then I swilled a load of boiling water around as its the first time I'd used it. The reason I haven't used it yest is I've run out of dme to make a starter, I should of really just used some wort but I didn't think I would be this delayed. I was going to split. This batch on fruit, so if a wild yeast has taken off I can always try a sour beer haha!

As it doesn't look like its gone too mad I may just try and get a starter made asap and pitch anyway.

A few items to consider;
- Rather than just swirling the hot wort around to contact all surfaces, fill the cube with near-boiling wort, cap it, immediately lay the cube on it's side for 10 minutes, then flip it on the opposite side for 10 minutes. This way ALL surfaces, including the cap, spend 10 minutes covered in near boiling wort. Gunk in the cap is the usual culprit.
- It's probably over kill, but I sanitize the cube.
- Personally, I don't think air being left in the cube is the issue. If I'm going to pitch within a week, I don't bother burping out the air. (I've no chilled 40 something brews.)

I would have asked the questions below had it not been the cube's first use.
- Was the cap clean? Sometimes the gasket needs to be removed so the cap and gasket can be oxicleaned, rinsed and reassembled.
- Was the top of the cube also cleaned? I oxiclean the cubes twice before use. Once right side up, then upside down.

As has been said, you can always boil the wort again to clean it up, cool and pitch.

[Cazamodo]

Ok, went. To put this in a fermentor. Today to try and. Save it, had a sip and wretched it up. Not good, so down the drain it went! Next brew ill wait till I have the fittings for my plate chiller haha