Plate Chiller - Chillout Mark Iii Vs Beerbelly

[shandy]

Hi all,

Time to swap over from the immersion to a plate chiller and it's down to the only two I can find around the stores I normally look at. It's going to be a Mashmaster Chillout Mark III or a beerbelly 30 plate. They come in around the same price but the beerbelly has 30 plates as opposed to the Chillout with it's 20 plates. I also like the fittings on the beerbelly which would make it easier to customise all the fittings for I think.

Anyone have any experience with either of those products or even both to compare. The stats on the beerbelly site about dropping wort to 25c in a single pass are impressive but there's not similar data for the mashmaster.

I'm leaning towards the Beerbelly one but I could really use some input.

Cheers

Shandy

 

[chappo1970]

I have the MM chillout and have been uber happy with it. Top product and works exceptionally well will cool 44lt's of 90C plus wort to 27C (tap temp) in under 15mins in a single pass. Never clogged with hops as yet but there will be the day when it does.

Hard choice as both companies are great.

Chappo

 

[captaincleanoff]

i've got the MMIII and I too think its great. I get 65L down to 20c in 1 pass. Have had no problems with it at all

 

[Sammus]

another with the chillout, get 25L from near boiling to 18C in under 10 min, single pass.

Beerbelly unit I imagine is probably similar in performance.

 

[drsmurto]

I've got the Beerbelly 20 plate and i get down to 20C on a single pass, even cooler if i restrict wort flow at this time of the year. A 30 plate would be even more effective.

The wort goes from kettle to chiller via gravity, the chiller water is rainwater so gets pumped thru then recirced.

I've got mine setup with a thermo fitted and it now has both chiller water connectors as standard garden hose fittings that simply clip on... easy as :icon_cheers:

This pic was taken prior to getting the 2nd 'garden' connection

 

[mash head]

I also have beer belly plate chiller and am happy with it. I like the look of the thermometer set up on the Drs. chiller might have to order one with the next grain order.
Greg

 

[browndog]

Shandy, I would not take much stock in the figures being quoted as the temp of the chilling water plays as much part as the chiller and that temp varies greatly from place to place and time of year.

cheers

Browndog

 

[drsmurto]

Shandy is in melbourne so the water out of the tap will be bloody cold at this time of the year, much like it is here in the Adelaide Hills. Hence the temp reading on my chiller taking last winter....

 

[muckey]

Shandy is in melbourne so the water out of the tap will be bloody cold at this time of the year, much like it is here in the Adelaide Hills. Hence the temp reading on my chiller taking last winter....

and like Melbourne, you kep your beer in the fridge to stop it from freezing! h34r:

 

[shandy]

Thanks guys.

I figured performance would be roughly the same and yeah of course it comes down to the temp of the water. I currently have a prechiller for my immersion chiller so I'll be using that and be able to pump pre chilled water through the plates for nice coolness. Which in Melbourne might give me problems as the water freezes on it's way to the chiller. I'll also be recirculating back from the plate chiller to the kettle to whirlpool which should help bring down the overall temp of the wort. My only concern with that is the heat retained in the keggle perhaps keeping the overall temp up but if it's not working out I may be able to build a seperate whirlpool vessel.

One point of difference between the two devices is the fittings. The Beerbelly has 1/2" fittings which I can put quick disconnects on or other plumbing parts whereas the MM doesn't. How do you folks have your MM plumbed up?


Shandy

 

[Sammus]

I just have dedicated hoses hooked up to my chillout at all times.

re: the whirlpooling, this could hinder cooling performance somewhat. The rate at which the wort cools in the chiller is proportional to the temp difference of the wort compared to the chilling water. come the time when you have 20L of lukewarm wort, the temperature will be dropping at a much slower rate than it was when it was near boiling.

 

[drsmurto]

Thanks guys.

I figured performance would be roughly the same and yeah of course it comes down to the temp of the water. I currently have a prechiller for my immersion chiller so I'll be using that and be able to pump pre chilled water through the plates for nice coolness. Which in Melbourne might give me problems as the water freezes on it's way to the chiller. I'll also be recirculating back from the plate chiller to the kettle to whirlpool which should help bring down the overall temp of the wort. My only concern with that is the heat retained in the keggle perhaps keeping the overall temp up but if it's not working out I may be able to build a seperate whirlpool vessel.

One point of difference between the two devices is the fittings. The Beerbelly has 1/2" fittings which I can put quick disconnects on or other plumbing parts whereas the MM doesn't. How do you folks have your MM plumbed up?


Shandy

Unless you are connecting your hot water tap up to the chiller you wont need the pre-chiller.

Just open the kettle tap up and then it flow thru the chiller.

It really is as easy as that!

Had to run it full speed on Thursday to keep the temp at 20C! If i had slowed it down i could have got closer to lager pitch temps, my chilling water (rainwater tanks) were reading 12C.

 

[eamonnfoley]

Does anybody use a plate chiller without a closed system and without a pump? I find mine hard to clean via gravity, and I am pananoid I will get an infection if I can't pump cleaning fluid through it. For the moment I am no chilling, until I have a comfortable system/technique.

 

[Hogan]

I have the MM chillout Mk.111 which came with the four barbed posts - not such a good idea IMO as I had to go to extra expense to fit hose connects to the water lines. You can push the hose on the post but its a pain in the bum trying the get it off. I know that Frank said that this was done to cut down on contamination fears but the fact is that the water does not touch the wort and there can be no cross contamination. Having said that the unit works a treat.

Cheers, Hoges.

 

[TidalPete]

I have the MM chillout and have been uber happy with it. Top product and works exceptionally well will cool 44lt's of 90C plus wort to 27C (tap temp) in under 15mins in a single pass. Never clogged with hops as yet but there will be the day when it does.

Hard choice as both companies are great.

Chappo

How long do you take to clean your plate chiller & what's your method Chappo?
My immersion takes longer to cool the wort down but 30 seconds to clean up.

Might have a talk about it on Saturday?

TP

 

[drsmurto]

Does anybody use a plate chiller without a closed system and without a pump? I find mine hard to clean via gravity, and I am pananoid I will get an infection if I can't pump cleaning fluid through it. For the moment I am no chilling, until I have a comfortable system/technique.

Closed system?

I run my wort thru with my old mate, gravity and the water for chilling via a pump.

To clean i flush it in both directions with water from the tap. Fill with sanitiser, empty.

A couple times a year i do a good clean of the kettle, hoses and chiller using caustic soda, rinse thoroughly with water then sanitiser (orthophosphoric acid) and drain.

 

[Doogiechap]

I think ultimately the difference in plates is only part of the story. Ultimately the big variable (outside of the cooling liquid temp) is the 'surface area' that the two liquids are able to interact with each other. So if you can get some more specs from Beerbelly to compare to what Mashmaster Publishes online you will get a better perspective. I know in winter there is little to be concerned about but in summer you may appreciate the better cooling properties
Cheers
Doug

FWIW like many of the the others, I have a Chillout MKIII which has the pain in the butt barbs so I have dedicated hoses. Very happy with the performance though.

 

[chappo1970]

:icon_offtopic:
How long do you take to clean your plate chiller & what's your method Chappo?
My immersion takes longer to cool the wort down but 30 seconds to clean up.

Might have a talk about it on Saturday?

TP

Easy Peasy Pete, I'll show you on Saturday but simply reverse the flow and change hoses to flush the wort side out. I let it run for 5mins or so, disconnect all the hoses and pop it in the oven @ 180C for 45mins to 1 hour. Takes really no time at all. I love it because it's a compact unit for starage and saves the hassels of no chill which I have problems with ATM because of an abundance of wild yeasties at my place this time of year (so I found out :angry: ). I really need to pitch immediately to stem the wild yeasties taking over my beer ATM so this is absolutely a must have for me I have no choice.

 

[Justin]

....... I know that Frank said that this was done to cut down on contamination fears but the fact is that the water does not touch the wort and there can be no cross contamination. Having said that the unit works a treat.

Cheers, Hoges.

The contamination comments were in regard to the threads on the ports being hard to clean and holding nasties, not a worry about cross contamination with the water. My choice would still be threaded over barbed. The intial Chillout had threaded fittings if I recall and I was a little sad to see it go to barbs. Threads are much more versatile allowing garden hose fittings for your cooling water, CPC or camlock fittings or whatever for the wort side. That would be my choice anyway.

 

[T.D.]

Chappo I must say you are the first person I know of who has changed TO a plate chiller to stop infections occurring... :lol: