Pretty self-explanatory. Never liked or used ss chiller but this has come up. It's a lot of overkill for 5 gallon batches but with 50' and 1/2" ID room to grow - just prefer copper. Would you do it?
Of course there's a point where diminishing returns start to slide in...There is no amount of overkill when it comes to chilling!
On homebrew scale it may be a marginal difference in time/efficiency.Copper is a bit faster but SS is better to avoid certain reactions that promote staling over time.
Bobby would you say it would be insufficient then, for a 10 gallon brewlength? Ideally though I'm only doing 5.5 gallons now, I'd want the 50' x 1/2" to handle a larger batch size.For the price it's great and honestly that length is absolutely required given how poor the heat transfer is through stainless.
Bobby would you say it would be insufficient then, for a 10 gallon brewlength? Ideally though I'm only doing 5.5 gallons now, I'd want the 50' x 1/2" to handle a larger batch size.
There is no amount of overkill when it comes to chilling! If I could get chilling time down to 1 minute I would consider the options... Copper is a bit faster but SS is better to avoid certain reactions that promote staling over time. Heck, I have a 35' inside of a 50' for 5 gallon batches.
1 minute is achievable, and so is overkill. Consider, for a minute, stirring, an immersion chiller inside, and massive cold water flow on the outside. And a pool noodle and some duck tape.
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The more reason to get a1 minute is achievable, and so is overkill. Consider, for a minute, stirring, an immersion chiller inside, and massive cold water flow on the outside. And a pool noodle and some duck tape.
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You should show them the other picture of your kettle floating in the pool on its own...
Cheers!
OH MY GOD, LOL!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you for that. I love embarrassing myself, and I have lots of ammo.
I used to let my kettle float in the pool, with the immersion chiller working as well. Worked well. Or as the say in FL, "it done werked purty well". Pool noodle and duck tape, yessir.
Hold my beer...
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Gloriously, and oh, go on.Gadj, my brother from a different mother...
are we off topic yet?
Apparently trying to fabricate a pouring spout...That kettle looks like a MAC truck backed over it
I got it used from another guy. Came like that. Pot, burner, chiller, bottles, etc for $50. I used it for a year or two and upgraded to electric.Apparently trying to fabricate a pouring spout...
Thank you for that. I love embarrassing myself, and I have lots of ammo.
I used to let my kettle float in the pool, with the immersion chiller working as well. Worked well. Or as the say in FL, "it done werked purty gud". Pool noodle and duck tape, yessir.
Hold my beer...
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Insert a cylindrical "weight" in the middle of the coil, raising the wort level to cover the top turn of the coil. That will double the chilling speed/efficiency. It also leaves the coil intact for chilling larger batches.Those 50' chillers generally aren't fully submerged in 5.5 gallons of wort depending on the pot.
Hopefully you are not floating the electric unit around in the pool?!?I got it used from another guy. Came like that. Pot, burner, chiller, bottles, etc for $50. I used it for a year or two and upgraded to electric.
Thanks, good points. Probably ill-advised, now that you mention it, but part of the thought was in case I decide to go bigger....but in truth, that's not going to happen, much as my impulse is calling for it. I worked like hell to lose 70 lbs and get back to good health, and that's all any of us in my family needs is to be drowning in the good stuff.Those 50' chillers generally aren't fully submerged in 5.5 gallons of wort depending on the pot.
IMHO, you're better off saving your money for a stainless counterflow or even a 25' stainless coil... depending on your setup of course.
Looks like somebody's extract batch boiled over More taken aback by the extract than the pool
I've tried the pre-chiller coil in a bucket with ice water, but it's much faster (and economical) to use the ice water directly through the chiller, to get those last 40-60°F down.Our water is currently colder, with winter, but maybe better advised is just to use a second chiller with the first in an ice-bath as a pre-chiller.
Great solution!I've tried the pre-chiller coil in a bucket with ice water, but it's much faster (and economical) to use the ice water directly through the chiller, to get those last 40-60°F down.
After 74F tap water (in Summer) chilled the wort down to around 120F, I filled a 6.5 gallon bottling bucket with ice cold water (32F, ice chunks floating in it), from a spare freezer. I then "pushed" it through the plate chiller by gravity (no extra pump available).
20' later I had 5.5 gallons of 65F wort in the fermenter, ready to oxygenate and pitch the awaiting yeast slurry. Done!
That's the chilling process I've been using since.
Yeah, keeping the plate chiller clean and sanitary, which means free from any clogs, has been a bit of a challenge. There are many good ideas around to accomplish that.My only reservation with a plate chiller is the fear of cleaning issues, even getting stuck during a transfer. How have you dealt with the possibility and/or cleaning protocol?
For me whirlpooling has done a good job, knocking on wood. I usually get clear wort going into the fermentor. Thanks for the thoughts, appreciate them.Yeah, keeping the plate chiller clean and sanitary, which means free from any clogs, has been a bit of a challenge. There are many good ideas around to accomplish that.
There's only one rule:
Prevent any solids going down the chiller!
Cold and hot break by themselves have not posed any issues. Hop matter, (fruit) pulp, large grain bits, Irish Moss, etc. need to be contained. Hop bags and/or a filter before the exit port can do the job.
Once that's in place, cleaning and sanitizing just becomes routine as with anything else on the cold side.
Compared to plate chillers, counterflow chillers are just one fairly large passage that can handle quite a load of solids. The larger diameter the inner tube, the more and larger solids can flow through. When clogs occur, they can usually be blown or flushed out.
Are you using a 25' copper IC currently?For me whirlpooling has done a good job, knocking on wood. I usually get clear wort going into the fermentor. Thanks for the thoughts, appreciate them.
Same here, I've only gone to smaller batches, haven't brewed a 10 gallon batch in years.part of the thought was in case I decide to go bigger....but in truth, that's not going to happen,
Yep, just the store's 25'. It's OK, but to be truthful the little rubber faucet adaptor is a PITA. I'd rather have hose fittings but hey, it's free.Are you using a 25' copper IC currently?
Same here, I've only gone to smaller batches, haven't brewed a 10 gallon batch in years.
The past 2-3 years I've often been splitting 6 gallon batches into two 3-gallon ones. Either after the mash, or after the boil, using different whirlpool hops at reduced temps (Pales, IPAs, NEIPAS).
Now, that 7.5% ABV cereal mashed Wheat beer was a 5 gallon batch. Due to the time and effort involved I wanted a decent beer pay-off. It still kicked rather quickly, but there were a couple late-Summer club events.
One of those rubber connectors that slides over the aerator?Yep, just the store's 25'. It's OK, but to be truthful the little rubber faucet adaptor is a PITA. I'd rather have hose fittings but hey, it's free.
On a system designed for 10-15 gallon batches? Yup!As it is I'm finding even a 5 gallon batch with a pretty shallow mash volume.
I wouldn't roll "the big rig" out for those.I'd probably brew in 2 gallon brewlengths [...]
Sadly, I have yet to succeed in turning my beer into lucre.becomes very lucrative
Yeah - the popping off thing can be a bit irksome, but dealable. Just a very first-world gripe.One of those rubber connectors that slides over the aerator?
They're quite sound actually, as long as they stay put.
If there's a "kink in the hose" they may pop off due to pressure build-up.
But yeah, a secure screwed-on fitting would be preferable.
On a system designed for 10-15 gallon batches? Yup!
I wouldn't roll "the big rig" out for those.
Induction burner and a properly sized kettle is all you'd need.
Most of brew time is spent on waiting for the mash to finish, followed by an hour boil time. With some planning, splitting larger batches, finishing each to your liking, becomes very lucrative.
Among my regrets when I sold everything off was exactly that - the pond pump.I have to second @IslandLizard .
Tapwater through chiller for 2-3 buckets saved for cleaning then switch to cooler filled with ice recirculated with pond pump through chiller and my 5 gallons can be to 60F in 17 minutes.
The main help is to CONSTANTLY agitate the cooler coil in the wort.
CONSTANTLY.
I found running the ice water slowly through the (plate) chiller in a single pass works better than recirculating it. Returning it to the reservoir will cause the chilling water to warm up, which is counterproductive, as colder water is needed to nibble off the last 10-20 degrees.[...] then switch to cooler filled with ice recirculated with pond pump through chiller
If I ever write a book, it'll be called Among My Regrets. Sums up all my quiet thoughts succinctly.Among my regrets when I sold everything off was exactly that - the pond pump.
Oh, man. Maybe we should all put together a book for the ages. We each get a chapter. "Brewers' Lament....".If I ever write a book, it'll be called Among My Regrets. Sums up all my quiet thoughts succinctly.
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