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capulinflicker · 04-21-2012, 11:08 PM

So I had a little DIY project here to make an immersion wort chiller from copper tubing. It turned out pretty good, but unfortunately the pipe bending tool I bought ended up putting some scratches in the copper. How concerned should I be about this leading to infection if I use it to cool my wort? I usually have a 3 gallon bucket of Star-san ready to go in order to give everything a good soak. If I let the chiller have a good soak before putting it in the wort will that be sufficient to use the chiller despite the scratches in the tubing?

I just hope I didn't throw $30 down the drain

Varmintman · 04-21-2012, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capulinflicker

So I had a little DIY project here to make an immersion wort chiller from copper tubing. It turned out pretty good, but unfortunately the pipe bending tool I bought ended up putting some scratches in the copper. How concerned should I be about this leading to infection if I use it to cool my wort? I usually have a 3 gallon bucket of Star-san ready to go in order to give everything a good soak. If I let the chiller have a good soak before putting it in the wort will that be sufficient to use the chiller despite the scratches in the tubing?

I just hope I didn't throw $30 down the drain

Nope no worries. Heck I only clean the big chunks off mine and that is only if they fall off easy. See you put it in the boiling wort for the last ten minutes of the boil so it gets sanitized by the boil.

audger · 04-23-2012, 06:29 PM

yea the boil sanitizes everything. just put it in about 10 minutes before you kill the heat, as suggested. no need even for starsan.

chiteface · 04-24-2012, 11:31 AM

Has any one ever experienced a metallic taste from doing this?

maida7 · 04-24-2012, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiteface

Has any one ever experienced a metallic taste from doing this?

no

maida7 · 04-24-2012, 12:56 PM

copper is used in cooking all the time. As long as the copper is clean and not covered in a green coating, you are safe. If it's green it will poison you. You can clean the green stuff off and then it's safe to use again

audger · 04-26-2012, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Has any one ever experienced a metallic taste from doing this?

copper is used and removed by yeast during fermentation. that is why its OK to use copper while brewing, but not post-fermentation, as it would not be removed and you would end up drinking it.

chiteface · 04-29-2012, 01:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by audger

copper is used and removed by yeast during fermentation. that is why its OK to use copper while brewing, but not post-fermentation, as it would not be removed and you would end up drinking it.

That's what I normally do, I heard it actually is like yeast nutrient, but have been getting a metallic taste.Must be the aluminum pot.

bja · 04-29-2012, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiteface

That's what I normally do, I heard it actually is like yeast nutrient, but have been getting a metallic taste.Must be the aluminum pot.

Look elsewhere, it's not from your aluminum pot.

**Bobby_M** · 04-29-2012, 04:42 PM

Why did you use a pipe bending tool to coil the copper? Since you said it was $30, I assume you coiled something like 25 feet of 3/8" OD? You can bend that around a cylindrical form by hand with no tools. I know, it's off topic but I'm just curious. No worries about scratches.. Heat sanitized every time...