Q: brewing without pitching?

There's a lot of variables... in theory, you should be fine. Have you heard about the no chill method of brewing? Basically, you put in the near-boiling wort into a plastic bucket, get rid of all the air, and let it sit until it reaches pitching temperatures. I've heard people extending this out to almost a month with no ill-effects.

 

As MaxSpang said there are homebrewers who use this method. I think the key here is your wort needs to be near boiling when it enters the container to keep everything sanitized. If you cool it first and then put it in you risk infection. Along with this is minimizing the airspace in the container.

 

What is the benefit of this?.

 

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/No_Chill_Method

Taken from that link:
Advantages:
- minimal outlay (no chiller required to make all grain beer, only a cube)
- minimal time required (the time usually allocated to chill the wort is avoided on brew day)
- minimal water required (ie sanitisation only)
- storability of the wort for extended periods (wort production does not have to coincide with yeast starter preparation)
- ability to make wort in bulk and store for later fermentation
- portability of wort in the cube

Disadvantages:
Some research into the no-chill method will bring up some criticism of the method. Arguments against include
- Beer haziness
- Problems with long term beer stability
- Loss of hop aroma
- Increased bitterness
- Leeching plastic
- DMS production
- And, in the extreme, the risk of botulism (a deadly anaerobic bacteria)

 

It is very clear that disadvantages overpower advantages,IMHO

 

Botulism isn't pretty.

 

Haha. Yeah, in summary: it's easier, but likely to look, smell, and taste like shit while having possible negative health effects.

 

I think the negatives are a bit exaggerated up above. I've done an overnight chill just by leaving a bucket outside in the winter due to necessity before and still made a good beer. Still, I wouldn't use the no chill method exclusively unless you're in a drought area or something. It's easy and inexpensive enough to make a simple immersion chiller.

 

For me the tough part would be transferring the near boiling wort from the kettle into the storage container. You would need some sort of metal racking cane, sounds like an easy situation to get burned. Second, I think you really have to make sure you have the right kind/size container so there is as little headspace as possible and then squeeze the excess air out and seal it up. However, if you have these things then I think it is workable method for most styles, maybe don't try and brew a pilsener this way. But to be clear, I have not tried this method.

On a side note I have heard that there are some companies/stores in Australia that sell unfermented wort in this manner, so essentially all you have to do is pitch your yeast.

 

I don't see the point in brewing the beer two weeks prior to pitching the yeast, just brew it in two weeks and pitch the yeast after it cools if you don't have the time now.

 

Ha! Reminds me of those ads you see on TV, where some drug is supposed to cure restless leg syndrome, but "may cause loss the of scalp and penis." No thanks!

 

Theoretically you should be fine. But honestly, if it has to be done, it has to be done and there's no point in worrying. Just check it in a couple weeks to make sure it hasn't soured or spontaneously fermented. If it did, you may have a pseudolambic in your hands. Otherwise, congrats and pitch the yeast.

 

Wow, at that point you might as well just buy a case of beer.

 

Indeed. I moved to Canada last year and there are a bunch of brew on premis places here. Essentially you pick a beer recipe and they brew it for you but you pitch the yeast. By doing this you pay much less tax which is why people do it.

 

Wait. Brew on Premises is cheaper (after taxes) than just buying a case(s)?

 

So where did the OP ask about the no-chill method?

 

Yup, for example 24 cans (12oz) of coors light costs $39.95, a 30 pack costs $48.95.

Any six pack of "craft" beer costs $13.00. Shit is out of control.

 

I guess he did not ask directly about it but the fact that he is inquiring about storing unfermented wort leads to the no-chill method. But you are right, just cooling and storing wort will not work as described in the original post, you must follow the no-chill procedure to have any success in storing unfermented wort.

 

"Some research into the no-chill method will bring up some criticism of the method."

Not sure if any of this "research" has turned up anything other than some who criticize the method. You could probably conduct research and find there are those who criticize the use or non-use of secondary fermenters, rehydrating and not rehydrating yeast, etc.

From the same forum site, the OP may find more info from the "Exploring "no chill" brewing" thread:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/exploring-no-chill-brewing-117111/#post1297636


And, from the Basic Brewing Radio / BYO Chilling Experiment:
"August 2, 2012 - Chilling Experiment
James, Andy Davison of the Australian National Homebrew Conference, and Chris Colby, editor of Brew Your Own magazine launch a collaborative experiment to test the effects of different wort chilling methods."
http://www.basicbrewing.com