Wort Chiller

[big d]

just seeking opinions on wort chiller immersion times.

is there any hassles with having the chiller in the boil all the time or should it be immersed in the last 10 odd minutes of the boil.

im just wondering wether to make the chiller a permenant fixture in my boil pot or only add it at the last moment of the boil to sterilize it and cool the wort.

put in a big day cutting and welding for the ag set up today but have come across a few things like the above to slow me down somewhat.
didnt realise a tier gravity system would end up so damn high.
already working out a system with a pump to lower the height.

cheers
big d

 

[jayse]

you can easily just mount it in their bigd. have the fittings for the hoses on the side of the keg.

anyway i think not putting it like that could be better.
for ease of cleaning the kettle afterwards and adapting it to use a C.F.C system later.

i think the only issues' ares these common sense type issues' nothing wrong with doing it as far a the brew goes.
i have seen kettles with the imersion chillers built in.


sounds like your just about ready for your first batch.

 

[big d]

in the new year jayse it should be all systems go.

off topic slightly but since i started it i get the call.
whats the best way of cleaning the system after a brew.?
hard scrub or fill it up and put one-shot or psr or some other cleaner through?

opinions?

 

[jayse]

the system actaully does'nt need to be that sanitary. exept if your using a c.f.c than that needs sanitizing.
for the tun and kettle i just clean and scrub a bit with hot water.
anything that gets into the boil from any lines or the tun will get killed in the boil.


so your hose from the kettle too fermetor will really only be the thing that needs to be sanitized.

i just clean the system not really sanitize.
i use the scrubbers that are the normal dish type with a nylon mesh wrapped around them.
they seem to get everything of without scratching the S/S.
i use these for the fermentors too.
i just get them from the cheap as buggery stores.

also i quite often leave the system after brewing as is then just clean up the next day.
even hardend stuff will just scrub off with water.
iam brewing tommorow so i just gave everything a quick scrub like this.
Every now and then i rinse out the HLT aswell because moths and stuff can end up in there because my HLT sits near a light.
today i saw it was full of stuff. lucky i check or i might be making cockroach ale tommorow.

 

[Justin]

Big d, you say your not happy with the height of the three tier? What pump are you going to use. I have a mate who bought a March pump like all the Yanks are using from Process Pumps in Melbourne (if my memory serves me correctly??) and he paid about $250 delivered I think. I hope I'm not too far off the mark with this one but I'm sure that is what he said. If you were ever inclined to set up a HERMS or RIMS from that then this pump would see you through. Not as dear as I first envisaged, I first heard of them in the $1000's range.

If not, I think a washing machine pump might see you through?? Talk to Batz, I know he used one for a bit but I think he's changed to something else now.

If you were after some information on pumps (which you didn't exactly say that ) I hope this was of some help.

JD

 

[JasonY]

erk, Jayse I have to dump the spent grain pretty well that day .... after leaving one to sit for a day the smell was one that I only want to enjoy once :huh:

 

[Doc]

I just give the equip a scrub down with a cheap scourer.
When I've cleaned up after the brewday I do leave the taps open though so that any residue isn't left behind to then grow into other stuff.

Night before brew day I just make sure everything is clean and the taps etc aren't harbouring anything and she is all go.

I've never sterlised the gear and I put the immersion chiller in with about 20 mins of the boil to go.

Beers,
Doc

PS: If you ever want to get the system super spotless then do a full wort boil for a batch of lemonade and put on your sunglasses

 

[jayse]

jasony
yeah it sours very quickly.
it still isn't that bad. i leave it alot of the time till the next day.
i have even left it longer.
once the whole mash was bubbling away the next day.
i even drank abit. The thing is though you can't really get a good taste because your brain is giving you this big mental picture of a very sour mash.

for a pump guys.
check out the pond pumps which a few people are ussing. including some of the most hard core mashers in Australia.


anyway. i got my earliest mash in ever this morning 8.30am.
i haven't brewed in so long i couldn't even sleep. just hanging for morning to brew.
its a english pale ale 1.053 40-45 ibu.


edit: spelling

 

[Batz]

big d
I wondered about this two , I put a coil into my HLT so why to fix one into my boiler , decieded against it for cleaning , gotta get hops stuck all over it.
For a pump I am still the owner of a washing machine type , interested in this 'March' pump , will have to do a search on that one

 

[Justin]

www.processpumps.com.au

Will try to get the model number of the one my mate bought, doesn't actually look like the example on their website under the March pump tag.

Give me a little while and I'll post details.

JD

 

[Batz]

Cheers Justin

 

[Batz]

If you go to the March pump site from that link they have heaps of other models
Interested in you mates , does he have an email ?

 

[Justin]

Yeah it's definitely one of the other models, trying to get in contact with him at the moment. From memory it looked like a Series 2, MDX, 3 or Series 4, one of those types. Will try to get in contact tonight, if so and I get back to the net will post, if not tomorrow morning.

Sorry.

Justin

 

[Batz]

Thanks again Justin

 

[jayse]

just one more quick tip.
you should clean and sanitize the lines after you brew other wize you get a green growth growing it there which will be hard to remove. all the equipment is neither here or there.

i use the food grade hoses that look like air compressor hoses.

 

[big d]

thanks for the tips fellas.
its going to be a gravity system at this stage.will try and post a pic on my claytons day if i remember.

im pushing my luck with the handbrake at the moment so a pump will be on my wish list sometime next year.just want to get a good feel for things first before trying pumps etc.
a good site that has magdrive pumps is iwaki.not sure of the web address but has good pics of mag pumps.no prices .

the height thing only worries me in the fact i have 40+ litres of boling water above my head.good thing my weldings up to scratch.

 

[big d]

pump site is www.iwaki-pumps.com.au

 

[jayse]

yeap you gotta go good old gravity first.
can't wait for some pics bigd.

anyway i have a good magdrive on my wishlist also($250).
my hot water recycling pump (centrifugal)will do untill then which by the way is worth even more but iam sure not as good as the mag drive.

i think before you get a pump bigd you'll want to automate your H.L.T with a thermostat. this is proberly my favourite feature of my system.

beers and bongs jayse

 

[big d]

hope to catch up with you in sth oz in 04 jayse.you can run me through all the bells and whistles of your system so i know what im up to.ive a few sparky mates up here who will help me with wiring etc.
gotta get that one right as i hate electricity.silent death.
main reason im not a sparky.got a big zap once and that was once too often thank you very much.

 

[jayse]

looking forward to it bigd.

iam no sparky but being a sound/lighting guy i have done my far share of playing with the evil electricity and have been shocked many times to prove it.
i know a actually tradey who left the game after being hooked onto live wires and couldn't get off. it left him with permant injuries.

anyway have many adventures ready for you to get here.
i think i could take up all your time the family will wonder what happened to you.