Immersion Chillers And Water Restrictions

[Benno-5]

Does anyone know if water restrictions affect making or beer? Immersion chillers use a lot of water which after passing through the unit end up as waste water, mine runs out of the shed onto the grass (well its dirt now as the grass died). Just a thought.

Is there any other way of chilling wort that does not use water?

 

[tangent]

why not only use 50L of water to drop temp into 30s and re-use it for something else?

 

[Aaron]

I don't think there are any specific restriction on using chillers. However, you don't need to waste all the water. I use a counterflow and all the water goes on the garden, what's left of it, or is collected for future use. No need waste it.

 

[Wortgames]

Better still, run the first few litres of that nice hot clean water into a large tub and use it to clean up. Run the rest into the washing machine.

No need to waste any of it IMO, the water or the heat energy that's gone into it.

 

[lucas]

*pipes in with plug for the "no chiller" method*

 

[oldbugman]

*pipes in with plug for the "hop aroma" method*

:beer: :beer: :beer:

I've done a few no chills lately and it's worked out well with me doing double shifts on the weekends and still being able to keep the fermenters going full ball. BUT. I have only done one hoppy brew in this method and it was definitely down on aroma.
Possibly using a little more hops at the end or using a hop back may improve this.


When using my immersion chiller I fill up my washing machine, my neighbours washing machine (units) was out everything, water the lawn.. whereas a few months back I was just putting it down the drain. So now I sleep quite comfortably.

 

[devo]

If you are insistent on chilling and you have a water tank with a pump then you could simply reticulate the water from the tank, through the chiller and back into the tank again....or use the no chill method.

 

[domonsura]

I Recirculate water from a small tank (130l) that I recirculate with an Onga pool pump. I chill the 110l tank with with frozen coke bottles for a brew. 4 x 1.5 litre bottles thrown into before a brew chills it enough to drop 30 litres into the low 30's, I put the whole fermenter in the fermenter fridge and delay the yeast pitch till 20 degrees (overnight) then pitch.

 

[chris.taylor.98]

If you are not already doing so, you should try running the wort chiller at a lower water pressure. I went from using 120L down to about 70L just by doing that.

Basically the smaller the difference in temperature between the wort and the cooling water, the lower the pressure should be, to allow for more heat to be exchanged between the wort and the cooling water.

I have also started to use an ice path in series with the wort chiller to reduce the amount of water needed, with some success. Also lets me get down that last 10 degrees without having to put it in the fridge.

 

[Trent]

Why not do what I think the breweries do, and use all the water that comes out to fill up the HLT for your next brew? Probably only works if you plan on doing 2 brews in a day, or better yet - brewing every day! Failing that, use it for cleaning up, and put the rest in the washing machine/water the garden/wash the car/etc....
All the best
Trent

 

[hairydave]

those are all great ideas, there're wouldn't be any problem with you using the water on plants etc as it would be essentially grey/recycled water, just hang out a sign when your running the water on the lawn "grey water in use". but if you are putting it through the washing machine then collecting the grey water afterwards (using it 3 times, good work!) to water gardens just check with your local water authority/council as to the regulations regarding length of time it can be stored etc some places you are only aloud to keep "grey" water one day before it has to be used and of course don't overload your garden with phosphates if your using it from the washing machine.

and remember, if you drink beer and it makes you piss lots, go out on the lemon tree and save a little more water


brew on

 

[Airgead]

If you are insistent on chilling and you have a water tank with a pump then you could simply reticulate the water from the tank, through the chiller and back into the tank again....or use the no chill method.

Yep... That's what I do. I re-circulate the water through the chiller then back in the top of the water tank. A 5000l tank gives plenty of thermal mass so the hot water doesn't heat the chiller water. I patch a pre-chiller into the loop (bucket of water with ice and a copper coil) when the temp gets down to 25 or so to get it down the last few degrees.

Zero wastage chilling.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Benno-5]

I don't have a lemon tree but have been using the back fence since water restrictions came into place. Small recirculating tank might be the go I think. Maby 200 lt or so. I might also plant a lemon tree

 

[SJW]

If the pool does not need a warm top up I think it is just as easy to go the NO CHILLER. It gives me time to get the wort down nice and cool before pitching a nice big starter.

Steve

 

[willanth]

I'm currently constructing a closed-loop system using a high-flow pump and two ChillOut Mk3's. If necessary I will include a heat-exchanger in my keg fridge to keep the coolant temp down during large batches..

I think that closed loop, especially if you have a rain tank or other large body of water, would be the way to go. Either that, or plumb it in to pre-heat the water in your water heater.. keep the bills down, you know?

Cheers,
Will

 

[Kingy]

i just brought 3 x 3 litre bottles(thicker plastic) ofwater to freeze overnight and "submerge" in my wort (after sanitizing) to experiment with cooling the wort tomorrow after i brew.
has anyone tried this?

do u think i shoulve brought 6 bottles and roted them or will 3 do the job?
is this safe in my brew?
will the plastic crack ?

cheers kingy

 

[hockadays]

It's safe if it's sterile and the wort is not that hot to melt plastic. I would rather use water and direct it to the washing machine i think as less risks of infecting the brew..

 

[matti]

I suppose if you hold out the end disperses the water on the wrong day you better look out for dibber dobber neighbours

It is pouring at the moment though

 

[Kingy]

what are the chances of the plastic melting :unsure: maybe i should boil some water tonight and drop one it and test it

 

[frogman]

what are the chances of the plastic melting :unsure: maybe i should boil some water tonight and drop one it and test it

I'd be more worried about plastic flavours leeching into the boiling hot wort.

FROGMAN