I usually boil about 2.5 gallons, then put the pot in a sink with ice water around it. It comes down below 100 deg.s in less than a half hour or so. Then I add it to another 2.5 gallons of cold water in my fermentor, which brings it to under 80 or so.
Do you think that is too long to cool?
question about oxygen
Moderator: slothrob
Fast enough
Your cooling method will suffice. It usually takes me 30-45 mins to have the full 6 gal batch cooled down to pitching temp and I never have skunkiness issues. In fact, there is a forum member who just leaves the wort to cool to ambient temp overnight and then racks and pitches (I forget who). He says his beer is fine. Besides, you don't have to worry about hot side aeration unless you are shaking the wort alot, and even then the oxidation would be minimal. Skunkiness can also be caused by light exposure. Are you brewing in glass that is in direct light?