# Jaded Hydra Chiller - Australian alternative?



## DigitalGiraffe (30/8/16)

I'm in the market for a chiller and spotted the Jaded Hydra while browsing the net.

http://jadedbrewing.com/products/the-hydra

I looked at having one shipped to Australia but it was going to cost about $350 all up. Does anyone know of someone making a similar product here?

Overkill or awesome?


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## pcqypcqy (30/8/16)

Personally I'm a fan of their chinchilla (http://jadedbrewing.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-chinchilla). Should use less water for the same chilling effect. 

As for Aus, most chillers seem to be a standard round stack. The advantage of the hyrda appears to be that it splits the inlet into 3 smaller diameter pipes.

Do you have a chiller that you're using currently? There are ways to improve the efficiency of a basic chiller that are much cheaper than a fancy chiller, and simply stirring (or whirlpooling if you're set up for it) will arguably have the greatest effect.


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## timmi9191 (30/8/16)

I think their cyclone is a great design http://jadedbrewing.com/collections/counterflow-chillers/products/jaded-counterflow-chiller-cfc

Should be easy to DIY


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## nosco (31/8/16)

Id like to try one of these but it still seems like alot of copper.

http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php


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## Cervantes (31/8/16)

I bought the bits to try and copy one of those a while back, but haven't got around to it yet. Maybe now that summer is on it's way I need to get on with building it.


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## DigitalGiraffe (5/9/16)

pcqypcqy said:


> Personally I'm a fan of their chinchilla (http://jadedbrewing.com/collections/frontpage/products/the-chinchilla). Should use less water for the same chilling effect.
> 
> As for Aus, most chillers seem to be a standard round stack. The advantage of the hyrda appears to be that it splits the inlet into 3 smaller diameter pipes.
> 
> Do you have a chiller that you're using currently? There are ways to improve the efficiency of a basic chiller that are much cheaper than a fancy chiller, and simply stirring (or whirlpooling if you're set up for it) will arguably have the greatest effect.


Currently running the no-chill chiller, not to be confused with the chinchilla. A basic immersion chiller will set me back about $200, was just curious if an extra $150 would be worth it.


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## Mardoo (5/9/16)

If you're going with a basic immersion chiller, make your own. Dead simple.


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## pcqypcqy (5/9/16)

DigitalGiraffe said:


> Currently running the no-chill chiller, not to be confused with the chinchilla. A basic immersion chiller will set me back about $200, was just curious if an extra $150 would be worth it.


How do you feel about using water? If you're really worried about it and want to use as little as possible, then a more efficient chiller might be the way to go. 

If you're less worried, or can re-use the warm water generated (I've been using mine to wash up brewery gear and fill up the washing machine), or you can use tank water and return the water to the tank, then run the chiller at full flow. My guess is that for the sorts of temps and volumes we're talking about, a standard chiller will only take a few more minutes to get you there than a fancy one.

FWIW, I made my own rib-cage immersion chiller from a roll of annealed copper from bunnings (6m roll, which was on special at around $100). Took about 3 minutes to build by rolling around a corny. Works well but I could probably have gotten away with using half the length and making a standard chiller, especially now that I've set up whirlpooling on my kettle.

Like I said before, my guess is that whirlpooling/stirring with a bog standard chiller will beat a fancy chiller with no stirring, so I'd lean towards not spending the extra. If you don't whirlpool, just using a sanitised spoon/stirrer every few minutes will really increase the chilling rate.


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## DigitalGiraffe (6/9/16)

pcqypcqy said:


> How do you feel about using water? If you're really worried about it and want to use as little as possible, then a more efficient chiller might be the way to go.
> 
> If you're less worried, or can re-use the warm water generated (I've been using mine to wash up brewery gear and fill up the washing machine), or you can use tank water and return the water to the tank, then run the chiller at full flow. My guess is that for the sorts of temps and volumes we're talking about, a standard chiller will only take a few more minutes to get you there than a fancy one.
> 
> ...


Sure I'd like to use as little water as possible but it always goes to use on the garden and rinsing brew gear when I've borrowed a chiller, it's not wasted at all.

I can have a 14m immersion chiller delivered for about $225 (has hose connectors welded on) or I could have a crack at making my own for about $120 (18m 1/2" from Bunnings) then the price of connectors etc so maybe $140sh?

Cheers I think I'll watch a few more youtube vids on making a chiller to try and convince myself. There's a bit of a saving there.


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## pcqypcqy (6/9/16)

DigitalGiraffe said:


> Sure I'd like to use as little water as possible but it always goes to use on the garden and rinsing brew gear when I've borrowed a chiller, it's not wasted at all.
> 
> I can have a 14m immersion chiller delivered for about $225 (has hose connectors welded on) or I could have a crack at making my own for about $120 (18m 1/2" from Bunnings) then the price of connectors etc so maybe $140sh?
> 
> Cheers I think I'll watch a few more youtube vids on making a chiller to try and convince myself. There's a bit of a saving there.


Sorry when I said 6m roll, I meant what you said.

Seriously, it's very easy. Just take it easy and try not to kink the pipe too much. I did it all using a corny as a guide for my bend radius, then bent the ends up vertically and over the side of the pot by hand. Then a few compression fittings and garden hose fittings and you're set.

If you really wanted to imitate the chiller you saw, I've noticed my local mitre10 has 3/8 inch (10mm) and 1/4 inch (6mm) copper sold by the metre. Not sure what the rates are, but I think it's similar. The trouble is getting the fittings I'd imagine, you might need to check a proper plumbing supply store. Smaller pipe might be easier to kink though, so it's all a trade off.

Just follow the videos online. I remember looking at these two at least. Mine's not quite the same, it's more like two equal diameter columns that are interwoven, but it's the same idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S94Lhp-bv8M
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHoXvAotoM4


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