This is probably an incredibly stupid question, but I thought I would ask anyway. While the wort is cooling down is it recommended to stir it to help the cool down process?
3 Answers
It helps to get the wort moving around to cool evenly. You run the risk of introducing contaminates from the air or stirring utensil, but it's pretty low. Use a sanitized or boiled spoon.
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To sanitize the spoon you can leave it immersed in the wort for the last 10 minutes of the boil. Jun 28, 2010 at 22:19
I create a whirlpool in my wort while it is still boiling, and then drop the wort chiller in. The whirlpool lasts for quite a while, and helps to clarify the wort. I also do this when I've had to use an ice bath. But I'd recommend a wort chiller :)
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I would really like to make one of these myself (probably immersion)--doesn't look that hard. Is yours DIY or commercial? Jan 3, 2010 at 3:42
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I bought it. I don't think it's too hard to build them either. I really want a plate chiller, which I'm pretty sure I can't build. Jan 3, 2010 at 12:47
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They're not hard to make. Get some soft copper tubing, vinyl tubing and garden hose adapters. The inner diameter of the vinyl should match the outer diameter of the copper. Form the copper around something and clamp together. Jan 3, 2010 at 17:32
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"Form the copper around something" ... what might that "something" be? Coffee can? PVC tubing? Jan 4, 2010 at 0:54
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@tony I've seen guys use a corny keg. Check out => youtube.com/watch?v=G8EolKTDZUQ Dec 7, 2010 at 4:55
I don't have a wort chiller, so I do an ice bath and occasionally stir just to get it to cool evenly. The most important thing to remember is sanitize the spoon. Everything the wort touches from this point forward needs to be sanitized.