Do I need a wort chiller?
You do not need a wort chiller, although it is a great help in reducing the time it takes for wort to cool. Faster cooling times mean you can add the yeast sooner, reducing the time the wort sits without the protection of a fermentation produced C02 blanket. If you don’t have a wort chiller, try putting the boiling pot (careful, it is heavy and hot!) into a cold water bath. See the section on brewing in warm Summer weather below for more on this.