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Weezknight

Weezknight

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Okay, so I sold off some of my worldly possessions and now have some money to pick up a wort chiller. I've read through countless threads, and still am unsure what to do.

I'm going to be doing full-boils, so I know that I need to have a chiller ASAP, but which one to choose?

I know IC's are probably the most common, but I do have the extra money to pick up a CFC or Plate Chiller. The question is, without a pump, are these worth getting right now?

My water tends to run pretty cold out of the tap, but is it cold enough to chill the wort with a gravity fed CFC/Plate Chiller in one pass? Any input will be great.
 
Weezknight said:
Okay, so I sold off some of my worldly possessions and now have some money to pick up a wort chiller. I've read through countless threads, and still am unsure what to do.

I'm going to be doing full-boils, so I know that I need to have a chiller ASAP, but which one to choose?

I know IC's are probably the most common, but I do have the extra money to pick up a CFC or Plate Chiller. The question is, without a pump, are these worth getting right now?

My water tends to run pretty cold out of the tap, but is it cold enough to chill the wort with a gravity fed CFC/Plate Chiller in one pass? Any input will be great.
Click to expand...

IMHO, a pump is a MUST when using a plate chiller. As far as a CFC, I think it's a pain in the butt to use without a pump.

When I first started doing all-grain, I used to chill my beer in a bucket of ice or a snowbank if it was winter. Yes, it took 30 minutes to cool, but I never had a problem. An immersion chiller will get the job done at a good price. If you REALLY have to have that extra 5 minutes shaved off, then I suppose buying a CFC is a good idea....to me, it's overkill. Plus, immersion chillers are easier to clean and sanitize.
 
I made a ribcage chiller from 3/8 copper tube, and use a pond pump dropped into a cooler full of ice water, I drain the heated water for the firse few minutes, then I top up the cooler and recirc the water into the cooler for the balance of the chill
 
All chillers work better with a pump and the chilling time in a properly implement setup with any are similar enough that that probably won't influence the decision.

Without a pump I think the IC is the best bet if you are willing to stir some.
Without a pump I think the CFC is the best bet if you don't want to stir and a decent amount of vertical space between the kettle and fermenter to work with.
 

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