Sanitizing a Plate Chiller

[Beerbuoy]

I'm normally a no chill brewer but just upgraded to a plate chiller for my APA's and IPA's.

I'm wondering how people sanitize their plate chiller? I was thinking of pumping some starsan through the chiller first then putting the hose from the chiller into the top of the kettle and recirculating hot wort for 5min before turning on the cooling water and chucking the hose into the fermenter.

How do you sanitize your plate chiller??

 

[twizt1d]

i dont even worry about the starsan anymore.. i start circulating through it just before the 10 min addition goes in, wort will drop off the boil for a bit but i just crank the burner up and get it boiling hard for the last 10 mins
turn it off before whirlpooling and let it sit while the whirlpool settles
you will need to run the cooling water through for a few minutes until the chiller cools down before you run off to a fermenter though otherwise the first few litres will come through pretty hot

chiller always gets flushed both ways after use and every 2nd or 3rd brew i circulate pbw through it, i always give it a quick flush before using it too

 

[Screwtop]

I'm normally a no chill brewer but just upgraded to a plate chiller for my APA's and IPA's.

I'm wondering how people sanitize their plate chiller? I was thinking of pumping some starsan through the chiller first then putting the hose from the chiller into the top of the kettle and recirculating hot wort for 5min before turning on the cooling water and chucking the hose into the fermenter.

How do you sanitize your plate chiller??

The same way you do basically. Following use, pump PBW solution through it CIP style for 20 min. Before use, flush with water in both directions a few times, then pump boiling wort through it for the last 15 min of the boil, wort returns via the whirlpool fitting in the kettle. Turn on water to the chiller at flame out and recirc/whirlpool for 20 min, then divert from whirlpool to fermenter.

Screwy

 

[Wolfy]

I try to clean the MT while the wort is boiling in the kettle.
As part of that process the close-to-boiling cleaning stuff gets run through the plate chiller, and then the close-to-boiling rinse water is recirculated through it.

It gets a dose of starsan after it's been cleaned, but that's as much for its acidity as it is to sanitize.

 

[tallie]

There are some more options & discussion here: http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/62531-plate-chiller-storage/

Cheers,
tallie

 

[Jace89]

I usually run boiling water straight through it after use and right before I use it. But before wort touches it I ran around a litre or so of starsan through it.
The litre or so of starsan just runs straight into the fermenter ill be using anyways so no loss for me there, and I can kill 2 birds with one stone.
This is the best method I can come up with without a pump.

 

[Beerbuoy]

Sounds good. Just wanted to make sure before I put 40lts of glorious IPA through it.

Can't wait to try my first chilled beer. Planning on heaps of late hops :icon_drool2:

Thanks

 

[Goose]

I recirculate boiling wort for 10 mins, though I am led to blieve that boiling cannot kill all spores.

If you really want to be sure you can bake that puppy in an oven at max temperature for 2 hours, it will give you peace of mind.

 

[eamonnfoley]

Its tricky recirculating boiling wort as it usually won't flow out of the brewpot to the pump. I normally have to turn off the boil for a little bit, get it recirculating (sometimes takes a while, on/off/on/off/etc), and restart boil.

Cleaning the chiller is important. I recirc hot/concentrated sodium percarb and it goes super dark brown after every brew. Used to bake the thing, but if its not clean you get too much ash stuck on the inside.

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

Do it the right way, caustic before use, rise a few times in a backward flow, then santise with acid santiser, no rinse preferable.
After brew, flush in backward flow to remove gunk,then caustic flow, I then seal up the tube and leave caustic in till next use.
No need to run hot wort thru dirty plate chillers, it must be cleaned first (caustic).
Nev

 

[beerdrinkingbob]

Do it the right way, caustic before use, rise a few times in a backward flow, then santise with acid santiser, no rinse preferable.
After brew, flush in backward flow to remove gunk,then caustic flow, I then seal up the tube and leave caustic in till next use.
No need to run hot wort thru dirty plate chillers, it must be cleaned first (caustic).
Nev

What strength Nev?

 

[stux]

Reading this thread makes me want to get an immersion chiller.

Are plate chillers that much better?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

What strength Nev?

I use beer line cleaner (caustic liquid) mixed to the normal dose, which from memory is 10m per litre. Also good for your beer lines !
Should find this cleaner at a lot of chem suppliers.
Peroxycetic(sp?) acid sanitise @ 2-3ml per litre.Good chem supplier.
Nev

 

[dr K]

The better brewers do as Nev suggests.
As to plate vs immersion, I personally use an immersion chiller and constant whirlpool via two pumps in parallel during the very fast cooling process. Of course one pump is enough but I have two so use two.
The critical thing is fast chilling.

K

 

[Goose]

"caustic" flow means PBW ?

 

[goomboogo]

"caustic" flow means PBW ?

I think Nev is referring to sodium hydroxide.

 

[Goose]

I think Nev is referring to sodium hydroxide.

are you sure, thats very nasty stuff in pure form

 

[goomboogo]

are you sure, thats very nasty stuff in pure form

I'm not sure as to what Nev's referring to but I agree about the potential nastiness of sodium hydroxide.

 

[Dan Pratt]

The better brewers do as Nev suggests.
As to plate vs immersion, I personally use an immersion chiller and constant whirlpool via two pumps in parallel during the very fast cooling process. Of course one pump is enough but I have two so use two.
The critical thing is fast chilling.

K

Slightly off topic....what's your time frame to chill after flame out Dr?

 

[Online Brewing Supplies]

The product I use is "Beer line cleaner" by Chemform Green it has Akaline salts 10-30% W/V.
I am not a chemist but I strongly advise being careful when using. I did use the pearl form Caustic granules,I think at 2% W/V but it is a pain to use compared to the liquid Alkaline salts.
The Peroxycetic Acid is a very aggressive oxidiser and you need extreme caution not to get it on your skin or in your eyes, once diluted its fairly safe to use.
Nev