Cooling your hot wort down to fermentation temperatures after your boil is an important step in the beer making process. Hot wort will kill your yeast, and warmer temperatures can create less than perfect beers. It is important that you cool your wort down quickly, to avoid any wild yeast or bacteria getting into your beer. Remember to practice the highest possible level of cleanliness and sanitation from here on out.

The best way to chill your wort is with an immersion chiller, or a counter-flow chiller. You can also boil 2.5 gallons. Then add this hot liquid to another 2.5 gallons of ice cold water already in your fermenter. You can place your covered kettle in an ice bath in your sink. Swirl the kettle around every so often. Be sure to replenish the ice bath as it takes the heat out of your wort. In order to make sure you have chilled your wort enough, check your temperature periodically with a sanitized thermometer.

If you have any questions about cooling your wort, please feel free to call us at 1-800-450-9535, or e-mail us at outpost@homebrewers.com