Home Made Immersion Chillers?

[String]

I've just gotten into BIAB and wondering about the 'chill vs no chill' options.
I really enjoy the late hopped beers I've had like the Vale IPA and the BrewBoys Galactic Ale, and wasn't sure if brewing stuff like this, and allowing the pot to cool on it's own to pitching temp would effect the aroma/flavour of late hops.

Could you use a length of silicon(or similar) hose as an immersion chiller?
I could hook it up to my rainwater tank, sterilise the outside of the hose, say 1 metre length, and pump rainwater through it and back to the tank.

Crazy? Been done and failed?

 

[mxd]

you can no chill then do a dry hop or a french press or both to get the aroma/flavour.

e.g pour you no chill into fermenter with the exception of 1 ltr, put the 1 ltr in a pot bring it to the boil, throw in hops, turn it off, give it 5 min then strain back into fermenter.

N.B I just dry hop

 

[Malted]

I've just gotten into BIAB and wondering about the 'chill vs no chill' options.
I really enjoy the late hopped beers I've had like the Vale IPA and the BrewBoys Galactic Ale, and wasn't sure if brewing stuff like this, and allowing the pot to cool on it's own to pitching temp would effect the aroma/flavour of late hops.

Could you use a length of silicon(or similar) hose as an immersion chiller?
I could hook it up to my rainwater tank, sterilise the outside of the hose, say 1 metre length, and pump rainwater through it and back to the tank.
Crazy? Been done and failed?

Allowing the pot to cool down on it's own can increase the bitterness of the hops but you can account for this.

Most folks use 20 odd metres of annealed copper 3/8" tubing coiled up. Silly-con hose won't have the same thermal transfer ability as copper and would be cumbersome. Annealed copper is softish and can be coiled around almost any cyclindrical object to make an immersion chiller of the size required for you kettle. Rolls of annealed copper can be bought in a heap of places: hardware or plumbing stores.

You have the correct terminology "No Chill", "immersion chiller", you just need to read more about what they mean. I don't BIAB myself but still think it is a great idea.

 

[komodo]

Honestly I think that copper would work out cheaper than silicon hose!

What size pot are you using?

I'd suggest getting some copper pipe

 

[Tanga]

Does silicon hose conduct enough heat?
http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixC.html
This is interesting reading. I was thinking about trying to make one, but, in reality it's kind of pointless, as a) copper tubing is expensive, and b.) I am not much of a fan of late hops.

Edit: way too slow.

PS. I wouldn't be pumping warmed water back into my drinking supply.

PPS. Seems copper tubing isn't as pricey as I thought.

 

[sim]

The reason people usually use chillers made of copper is due to its great conductivity (ability to exchange heat). i cant vouch for the conductivty of silicon but i cant imagine it would be very good. Also, you'd be forking out a mint for it, and as its not ridgid it'd be like spaghetti to work with.


sim

 

[String]

I've seen the copper versions like this: http://beerbelly.com.au/chilling.html
I've just bought one of the 40 litre crab cooker pots ($69), so I can make large grain beers(IPA's) without as much stuffing around.
But i don't think the pot will fit in my sink, so I can't cool it like I have with the smaller batches.

Was just wondering about a low key version to try before spending that much coin.

 

[Wolfy]

Was just wondering about a low key version to try before spending that much coin.

With the price of copper now days, you're not really going to be able to make a 'cheap' version, since it's likely you can't even buy the raw materials for less than you can buy a pre-made chiller.
If you try to use anything other than copper (or other metals) you'd not get enough heat exchange for the device to work and it would be a waste of time trying to make one.

As others have said, for the moment your choice is to 'no chill' or cough up about $100 for an immersion or plate chiller.

 

[Tanga]

Bollox! You can make one for half that.

http://www.polyaire.com.au/copperprices.htm
$36 - 15m 3/8" copper pipe (get it from a fridge/air-con trade shop, not bunnings)
$2 - 2 x 3/8" female to female solder coupling
$5 - a 1/2" garden hose with tap attachment (should fit pretty snugly over the coupling, but check, I haven't actually made it). Cut in half and attach second half to the water out coupling.
$7 - the proper plumbers copper solder (food grade as it goes on water pipes for houses), but since it won't be going in the hot wort I'd be tempted to just bodgy the copper pipe together with plumbers (usually PVC pipe) glue. Holds like a mofo, food grade again, can use it to stick the hose on too.
Not that food grade really matters since none of it's touching your wort, but best be safe.

You may need to borrow a pipe cutter, but 15m sounds about right for a 40L pot. All for $50.

EDIT: Actually, to be safe use a high temp, and food safe sealant and silicon tubing. Just in case it all goes in. I've done enough research for tonight though. You're on your own. Shouldn't be too hard to find though. Kieran has some on his HLT from memory.

 

[kelbygreen]

ok pvc glue wont work. PVC glue works by kinda melting the pvc so when 2 pieces go together they fuse together as the glue melts the pvc!!. you would be better off using compression fittings prob $4 each so would be cheaper then the fittings and glue that wont work.

 

[Tanga]

ok pvc glue wont work. PVC glue works by kinda melting the pvc so when 2 pieces go together they fuse together as the glue melts the pvc!!. you would be better off using compression fittings prob $4 each so would be cheaper then the fittings and glue that wont work.

Doh, yes, you're right. I wasn't sure how it'd handle being accidentally dunked in wort either, so already changed it to food grade silicon sealant. I thought about fittings, but couldn't work out how I'd attach them to the copper pipe. If you can though that's a far more elegant solution.

Or pick tubing that fits snugly straight onto the pipe? If the copper pipe is bent over the outside of the pot no dribbles in the wort and another $10 saved. A wort chiller for around $40. A bit of silicon sealant if required.

EDIT: I like your elegant clamp idea better though.

 

[kelbygreen]

you can get compression fittings with male threads off all different sizes so should be able to get one a copper tape fitting will screw on that you can plug a hose straight into it. so 1/2" or 3/4" depending on the pipe used compression with nylon olive (they can handle like 180c or more) if you that worried use copper olive. then screw the hose fitting on one like that screws onto a tap brass would be best where the hot comes out. plastic be ok for the cold in

 

[Tanga]

Done and done. We've nailed the brief at any rate. Cheap immersion chiller. Most parts should be available at your local tradie store, with info on the fittings too.

 

[spog]

dont see why not'sterilise the hose ,get the water running through it and stir,to keep the heat flowing passed the "hose",it will take a while to chill because of the small amount of immesion chiller you suggested,but you are on the right track,just gotta be careful of the amount of time of exposure of the wort to the elements. .......cheers...spog..... p.s. we all start some where.

I've just gotten into BIAB and wondering about the 'chill vs no chill' options.
I really enjoy the late hopped beers I've had like the Vale IPA and the BrewBoys Galactic Ale, and wasn't sure if brewing stuff like this, and allowing the pot to cool on it's own to pitching temp would effect the aroma/flavour of late hops.

Could you use a length of silicon(or similar) hose as an immersion chiller?
I could hook it up to my rainwater tank, sterilise the outside of the hose, say 1 metre length, and pump rainwater through it and back to the tank.

Crazy? Been done and failed?

 

[Malted]

dont see why not'sterilise the hose ,get the water running through it and stir,to keep the heat flowing passed the "hose",it will take a while to chill because of the small amount of immesion chiller you suggested,but you are on the right track,just gotta be careful of the amount of time of exposure of the wort to the elements. .......cheers...spog..... p.s. we all start some where.

Oh yeah, I am not saying it won't work, i am just saying I don't think it will work well, or as well as copper. Per metre I am sure that copper will be cheaper too. In the long run I don't think it would be worth the grief of using silicone.

Edit: Doing a quick google on something I know nothing about, I have found the thermal conductivity of slicone is 0.22 w/mk and copper is 401 w/mk. i don't know what it means but from my ignorant POV it looks like conductivity of copper is about 1818 times better than silicone. Would be interested to hear the truth from someone who actually has an educated view.

 

[Acasta]

All i use is a length of copper tube wound into a coil. I scored it off a fellow member and it was pre-wound. You can use butterfly hose clamps and just put your hoses directly on and save on anything fancy.
I paid $20, but im assuming the copper is worth a bit more.

 

[Maheel]

if you buy 15M 3/8 copper coil from a fridge place like poly air for about $40
and then get a brass water hose joiner like this from the green shed $4

if you cut the joiner in half in the middle it fits over the 3/8th perfect (solder it on) and you can use click fittings on the garden hose to join

 

[Tanga]

Welding brass isn't an easy job. I wouldn't use solder (lead based) near my beer, you need the copper based plumbers welding rod. Then you need to be careful not to get the brass too hot. I like the butterfly clips idea myself. If I was building this I might go with that as the simplest solution.

 

[Maheel]

just get lead free solder (aqua safe?) from consolidated alloys it's what i use all the time and does not need the heat like brazing does.

soldering brass is as easy as soldering copper, clean it, flux it, heat it, apply solder.... take the o-rings off 1st but

the ends of the copper with the hose things are best bent over the side of the kettle and never touch the liquid anyway if you were worried about lead

 

[punkin]

Sorry to state the obvious, but if you choose 1/2" copper from a plumbing store like Reece or somewhere then 1/2" garden hose slips straight over the end and closes with a hose clamp. Use good reinforced hose, especially on the hot side.

I have no problems brazing and have a shed full of fittings, but if you want quick disconnect just use a short piece of garden hose and then snap on fittings.