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Post #51 made 13 years ago
by stux
shibolet wrote:Ralph,
How did you get a tap on your cube? don't you need to screw it in from the inside of the cube?
I use a jerrycan that was previously used for shipping LME so at least in know its food grade and any remaining odors will be beer related.
Cubes in Australia all use the same "drum" thread and drum taps, which you just screw the tap in, or a bung.
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or
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as opposed to the type where you have to screw a backing nut on
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Thanks to http://www.absolutehomebrew.com.au" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; for the pictures!
Last edited by stux on 28 Jan 2011, 22:24, edited 18 times in total.
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III

5/7/12

Post #52 made 13 years ago
by Lylo
I really like this thread and thought I would give it a nudge.Here in western Canada as May turns to June the memory of last winter is starting to fade,so we start preparing for the next one coming just a few months down the road.I am presently brewing and chilling outside but do not look forward to hooking up and dragging hosed through the snow.What really caught my attention was the use of cubes as storage devices!I'm thinken this fall to get real busy brewing and store the cubes inside to start as I need them to keep my pipeling flowing.If I brew in late Oct,could I expect my cubes to stay viable til maybe next April? Come to think of it I may have to rent a storage facility for that may cubes!!
AWOL

Post #53 made 13 years ago
by stux
Commercially with "Fresh Wort Kits" they sell them with 2 years viability I think.

I currently have my last batch of cubes waiting to be fermented, so I'm going to make some more wort this weekend ;)

The nice thing with cubes as opposed to jerrys, is they stack
Fermenting: -
Cubed: -
Stirplate: -
On Tap: NS Summer Ale III (WY1272), Landlord III (WY1469), Fighter's 70/- II (WY1272), Roast Porter (WY1028), Cider, Soda
Next: Munich Helles III

5/7/12

Post #55 made 13 years ago
by thughes
I moved to BIAB to shorten my brew day but biggest hassle that remained was dragging out the hose and running the chiller (in addition to having to wait until I have a primary free and some room in the fermentation fridge).

So.....I made the leap and bought a couple of 7 gallon cubes at Wallyworld for $10.00 ea. Filled my first one last night; the additional 30 minutes it knocked off my brew day may just make me a convert to the "Church of the NC".
WWBBD?
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Post #56 made 13 years ago
by shibolet
one other thing,
after transferring from my cube to FV, i rinse the cube out with dishwasher detergent and then store the cube with a dilute mix of 1-2 liters of water and a cap full of household bleach.
Cube:
fermenter: Sourdough Spelt Ale, Classic Lambic, Oud Brune, Barrel Aged Belgian Dubbel
Kegs: Bob's Black IPA, Blanc Blond, Soda...
to be brewed:

Post #57 made 13 years ago
by Mad_Scientist
I had no problem with my first NC experience. I'm drinking the fruits thereof now!

I transferred my second cube to my FV and this time did not dump the trub in there, but measured it. I got 85 ounces (2.5 L). Now, my cube doesn't hold much more than 5 gallons (19 L) and my corny keg holds the same. To get 19 L of good wort in the cube and assuming next time I have the volume in the kettle, after whirlpooling and waiting, What is the lowest safest temperature from kettle to cube? After a 10 min. whirlpool I was already down to 190 F (87.8 C). I guess covering the keggle and appling some gentle heat would help maintain the temp while whirlpooling is happening. Maybe 30 mins?
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Post #58 made 10 years ago
by jerryd68
I am intrigued by the NC methood, has anybody ever used cubes that contain other things prior. The reason that I ask is I work for a cheese producer and we recieve rennant and cheese coloring in the same type of cube, I just don't know if it is possible to remove all residue from the cubes. What is all your thoughts on this?

Post #60 made 10 years ago
by shibolet
i only use cubes that had malt extract in them prior or dishwasher detergent.
Cube:
fermenter: Sourdough Spelt Ale, Classic Lambic, Oud Brune, Barrel Aged Belgian Dubbel
Kegs: Bob's Black IPA, Blanc Blond, Soda...
to be brewed:

Post #61 made 10 years ago
by mally
I have 4 cubes that previously held lab grade water.
G B
I spent lots of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I squandered
I've stopped drinking, but only when I'm asleep
I ONCE gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life
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Post #62 made 7 years ago
by kbaggen
Hi all,
I have used no-chill in the ferment vessel for a ½-year now and I do it the layzy way by "poring" the still hot wort though a stainner/metal-filter to remove hops and the trups there might settle in the hops/stainner filter. I do get a lot trup, but that is fine to me!

I have 10 liters wort in 11,6 Liter vessel (I accpet blow-outs), hence, low headspace to avoid oxygination, and when "pouring" I try to splash at little as possible, but ofcouse by using a stainer it will oxygenate the hot wort.

I cool down over the night and put on air-lock with starsan no-rine solution to hinder infected air enter doring the cooldown there will drag in contaminated air if no airlock. I accept a little of the starsan goes into the beer during the cooldown!

During the last 25-30 brews this have wok well.......I have lately been transfering the still hot wort with siphon after wating 10 min "cool break" (and hence not transfing the last 1 liter of trups) but seems to see no big different!

You can see what I do here --> http://posebryg.bagge-nielsen.dk/processen/

Any advice is ofcouse appreciated !

KBN
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Post #63 made 7 years ago
by Muggy Dawson
I've gone down the no chill cube road straight out of the blocks. Up until a couple of weeks ago I only had the one temp controlled fermenter, and ended up with two cubes sitting waiting for a guernsey. It's a very convenient way of planning out your production and they keep well. I've read about some people experimenting with dry hopping in the cube pre-fermenting, and some even using the cube as the fermenter. That's my next steps.
Stout, Stout, Stout, and some other stuff...
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Feedback on No-Chill

Post #64 made 7 years ago
by Contrarian
I've only used cubes that previously held wort or were bought new but I have neglected a few that grew some pretty funky stuff in them. I have managed to salvage them all with warm water and bleach soaking and then plenty or rinsing.

I wouldn't use cubes that had any chemicals in them but anything that was edible and can be cleaned thoroughly should be fine.

With respect to pouring into a cube the amount of oxygen that can dissolve into your wort at temperatures around 90C will be fairly low and should have very little impact on the final product.

Post #65 made 7 years ago
by Muggy Dawson
Contrarian wrote:With respect to pouring into a cube the amount of oxygen that can dissolve into your wort at temperatures around 90C will be fairly low and should have very little impact on the final product.
I've finally found a good local supplier of new cubes in my town, and at AUD$14.80 each for something I can reuse over and over, I would recommend going new.
My new process is;
- I let my wort cool to about 85-90C before transferring from the urn into the cube through a silicone hose. I just crack the ball valve to let it go very slowly.

- Cools overnight, but can be left for weeks/months if needed. I'm on holidays ATM and have two temp controlled fridges running two FV's so I've managed to get another two cubes brewed and ready for change over, plus bought another two cube containers today to back up the stock pile. Once I get back to work and start working 12hour days again I can easily keep up my demand plus more.

- When I'm ready to ferment, I transfer again into the fermenter, give it a burst of O2 with the oxygen tank which is attached to an oxy wand and S/S aeration stone for a couple of minutes to aerate the wort before pitching yeast.

This is a process I've only done on a couple of batches so far after the recommendations of others regarding the oxygen input and cubing. I have two batches currently fermenting from this that have about another week to finish.
Last edited by Muggy Dawson on 25 Nov 2016, 13:42, edited 18 times in total.
Stout, Stout, Stout, and some other stuff...
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Re: Feedback on No-Chill

Post #66 made 7 years ago
by Muggy Dawson
5 batches now with the above process and all well, except the one cube which was storing a Choc Stout. It spewed up all over the shed floor with an infection. Likely poor cleaning practices on my part. Beside this one hiccup, the cubes have worked well.
My latest is a Foreign Export Stout, and I placed the cube into the temp controlled fridge the day after for it to get to my required pitching temp.
The oxy wand appears to help but this is something I haven't been able to measure accurately yet as I'm still using different recipes, yeasts and fermenting temps each time.
Stout, Stout, Stout, and some other stuff...
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Re: Feedback on No-Chill

Post #67 made 7 years ago
by PistolPatch
To get "free" cubes, buy a Fresh Wort Kit if your LHBS supplies them. Ferment the FWK and then keep the cube.

Avoiding Fails

I've done lots of no-chills in the cube or what should be better termed, "made my own FWK's," and one problem I noticed (at great expense) is that the seals can fail on multiple uses. For example...

I've kept many cubes for well over a year with no problems but, when I repeated the exercise (can't remember if after one or two more goes) found they failed. They probably would have been fine if I had pitched within a month or so on those second/third re-uses.

Anyway, the lesson I've learned is that next time I want to go really long-term storage, I'll be not only removing the existing seal (often hard to do) so as to ensure all is sanitised but I'll also be looking at something more like a white silicone o-ring to use instead of the normal seal.

If anyone finds such a seal, let us know! (Haven't had time to look)
Last edited by PistolPatch on 29 Mar 2017, 21:33, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Feedback on No-Chill

Post #68 made 7 years ago
by Muggy Dawson
I'll continue to push my luck and see how many cycles I can get from each cube.
I did end up with an infection in one which was holding what I thought might be a beautiful chocolate stout. It swelled right up and out like a balloon and just seeped out. I carefully took it outside and eased off the lid slightly, the pressure must have been immense because it hissed for almost a full minute.
I'll keep looking for replacement seals, but I suspect that the wear of the plastic thread over time may also be a factor in cube lifespan.
Stout, Stout, Stout, and some other stuff...
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