trub cone and immersion chillers

[1974Alby]

HI all,
I have always been a no-chiller, but recently came into possession of an immersion chiller and am interested in giving it a go to see if I can notice any improvement/change in my beer.

From what Ive read, these work best if stirring the wort or moving the chiller whilst chilling – I have read that this stirs up trub that has settled out during whirlpooling. So is there any benefit in whirlpooling prior to chilling or should I do a whirlpool once I have finished chilling, prior to transfer to fermentor?

I have a basic keggle BIAB setp and whirlpool manually. No pumps or electricity required or desired in my brewery, so am primarliy interested in responses that dont involve pumping of liquid in any manner!

cheers

Al

 

[Wrayza]

I find chilling time is reduced noticeably if I gently swing my immersion chiller back and forth.

Whirlpool while chilling and for a minute after coils removed, then a sanitised lid over the keggle.

I've been experimenting with rest times, last brew I left it resting after chilling for about 20mins while I cleaned things up. Siphoned nice clear wort off the top and hit trub around 50mm from the bottom. Going to try a longer rest next time and hopefully get that trub down to a couple of cm.

 

[Wrayza]

I find chilling time is reduced noticeably if I gently swing my immersion chiller back and forth.

Whirlpool while chilling and for a minute after coils removed, then a sanitised lid over the keggle.

I've been experimenting with rest times, last brew I left it resting after chilling for about 20mins while I cleaned things up. Siphoned nice clear wort off the top and hit trub around 50mm from the bottom. Going to try a longer rest next time and hopefully get that trub down to a couple of cm.

 

[squirt in the turns]

Does the shape of the chiller permit you to whirlpool while it's immersed? I've never used an immersion chiller, but as per Wrayza's post, moving the wort around the chiller will chill it more rapidly, although I'm not sure why the suggestion is to agitate the chiller itself, then switch to whirlpooling. I'd just stand there whirlpooling/stirring the wort for the entire duration, if you can be bothered.

As an aside: usually no-chill, and I recirculate using a pump to whirlpool and get a nice trub cone. When I chill (which is rare) I add a plate chiller to the recirculation circuit, which works well. But, I find that the cold break doesn't settle at all, at least not in the 20 mins I leave it after switching off the pump, so the wort looks a lot worse than when I no-chill. I think others here have reported this kind of problem (although it's not really a problem), while some don't experience it. I have no idea what the factors are that cause so much cold break to remain in suspension (some combination of type of malt, water quality, BrewBrite dosage...?), but just a heads up that chilling in the kettle may not give you clear the wort you're used to, although cold break will of course drop out in primary.