Wort Chiller

[Hoops]

Jayse

I was thinking of running it through the magic box so it is in effect a counterflow wort chiller (should chill the beer close to 0degC), but I think you're idea is good.
I will try it as soon as my bag of grain gets here and I can start mashing.

Hoops

 

[jayse]

you'll need to keep the ice or gylcol or whatever mixing up the whole time to do your idea.
other wise the layer surrounding the coil will actually end up insulating the coil.

my first cooler was actually someting like this. ie. a coil in a bucket of ice.

 

[crackers]

how did that go jayse.
i was thinking of the same,
pumping the wort thru 2 coppers coil in a bucket of ice.
interested on how it went. as i was goig to make it this weekend.
thought of water conservation.

cheers
crackers

 

[jayse]

this way didn't work well.
if it did i guess you would see alot of people doing it this way. As it is i have never seen a system that uses' such a cooler.

The water or ice just heats up to quickly and needs to be replaced.
although mine got me through may first few batches. it didn't cool at all well. it got the wort down to 35-40c though.

anyway a imersion chiller would be better.

 

[crackers]

thanks jayse.
immersion chiller it is then.

now i just read your latest ipa and thats in the grain bill thats just turned up at work for me.
might use the london ale wyeast, just need to purchase it first.
also might try your apa's with the american 2 wyeast.

cheers
crackers

 

[jayse]

mmmm i.p.a that beer rocks.
lets us know how well the london ale works in it.
i used notingham because i wanted to get the very best attenuation i could.


jayse

 

[GMK]

Crackers

Immersion Chillers

Why dont you do this - make 2 immersion chillers.
One goes in the ice bucket the other in the kettle.
Conect the 2 together.
Now the tap water goes thru the ice chiller first - gets reaally cold.
Then the chilled wayter is now used to cool the hot work.

This should work 3 to 4 times as fast with heaps less water..

Let me what you think....

 

[crackers]

thanks GMK
will try this aswell.
no water restriction here, but they do charge for the use like a wounded bull.


cheers
crackers

 

[Justin]

Have done the above with a pre-chiller with a few other lads (ie. we had a couple of chillers between us). Chews through a fair bit of ice. My recommendations would be to run the chiller for a while first to take most of the heat out of the wort (ie. tap water temp is adequate to do this) then when you need top drop it that little bit further, then add you ice to your pre-chiller. This way you don't burn up all your ice in the first 20 mins and are still left with tap water at 25oC at the end because your pre-chiller ice is all burnt up. Allows you to super chill that sucker B) .

JD

 

[Batz]

My set up will use the above idea , have it all made one coil fits in an old esky , I really don't have much choice up here , during summer our tap water gets way too warm to chill anything

 

[Justin]

Yeah, I've seen your pre-chiller Batz. Laying it over in the eskys a nice idea. Looks cool too.

 

[crackers]

ive just gone and brought 18m of 1/2" soft copper tube.
i grab the hose fitting tomorrow, and ill just make a single coil immersion chill to start with this weekend.
mmm. two xmas dinners this weekend (sat & sun nite)
its going to be busy.

crackers

 

[Justin]

Yeah, Christmas is so close. I would have liked to squeeze another brew in before then but seems unlikely now. Thinking of doing Jayse's recipe on the other thread. Just need to get some cascades.

I have sooo much beer at the moment. Lucky it's the festive season so I can drink it all. Trying to clear up some stocks to make way for the new all-grain brews. Tuff work

 

[crackers]

just a question guys.
now ive got all the gear to make my wort chiller,
what is the easiest way to bend it around into a spiral.
im using a cornelius keg to wrap around, but it still feels a bit stiff.
is there a trick to this or do i just take it slow.
i was thinking of buying a cheap pipe bender for the 90deg angles.
thanks for your help thus far.

cheers
crackers

 

[Batz]

Crackers,
Aneal it again , just heat it up on the flame of your barbie or gas ring , make sure it all gets good and hot , then let it cool or hose it down.
Will bend easy now

 

[Batz]

Oh a bit of useless info , I think they look neat it you first bend a piece up the centre of the keg , then bend around the outside.
See piccy of mine

 

[crackers]

thanks for the advice batz.
flash looking unit, very tidy.

hope mine turns out that well.

cheers
crackers

 

[Batz]

Just take your time with it , if it gets a little hard to bend , just aneal it again and away you go , do be frightened to aneal it several times if required

 

[Batz]

do NOT be frightened to aneal several times I mean
:angry:

 

[crackers]

woooo.....
you started to scare me there for a second.
thanks for the edit.

crackers