My Conical Method

[Bryan R]

After boil, I do a whirlpool to keep the "big chunks" in the kettle.

Then I rack into the conical, put in the fermentation chamber and crash cool.


After ~4-6hrs I dump the cold break and remaining trub out of the conical.


Using my O2 stone, and some stoppers I fashioned up, I hook it up to the conical and oxygenate.




Yeast is then pitched, and the wort allowed to free rise to fermentation temp.

[Beersk]

So, you don't feel that using a chiller and quickly chilling that way has an effect on the beer? This seems like a hybrid no-chill setup, I wouldn't mind trying that sometime. Chilling, I think, is my least favorite part of the brewing process.

[Bryan R]

Sorry if it is unclear. This is in addition to a full chill to 60F before the transfer to the conical. So full chill utilizing a whirlpool down to 60f, then rack and go to conical. I try to leave all hops and hot break in the kettle. In my trub dumps (the jars) there is very little hop matter( if any).

[Ski]

Again, more very useful information. Thanks Bryan.
My ground water is about 12C/54F this time of year, so I can chill directly to conical in the vicinity of 12C.
I have my conical in a fridge, so I can start crash cooling. It would probably take about over 10 hours to get down to 5C.
Am I better off pitching at around 12C and cooling down to 5C, then letting it free rise to 8C
or is it important to wait until the wort is at 5C before pitching? I would have instinctively thought "pitch the yeast as soon as possible" is the best option. Also, could you describe (perhaps in a separate thread) how you handle starters?
Thanks - Ski

[Bryan R]

Please ignore all posts that seem to have information prior to about December 2015, they are wrong.

[Kit_B]