Newest Threads

dgez · 03-19-2009, 03:12 PM

OK, I am slowly aquiring parts to move to all grain. I just bought an immersion chiller with garden hose fittings. I got the garden hose fittings because my wife has banned me from making beer in the house. She can't stand the smell. Anyway, I have this immersion chiller, my question is during the hot summer months when the water in the outside spigots is around 80 degrees or so...how the hell do I cool 5 gallons down to 70? Would I need to ice bath it as well? I do not see an issue with this during winter months as the outside water will be ice cold.

My buddy has a spare plate chiller that he used to use for draft beer. I am wondering if I use the plate chiller submerged in ice water if that would be a better cooling contraption during the summer.

Please help, I dont know what I'm doing!

Evan! · 03-19-2009, 03:14 PM

you can use a sump pump to pump ice water through the chiller, or you can use the plate chiller to prechill the water.

**wilserbrewer** · 03-19-2009, 03:47 PM

Or you can take the crude and simple approach, once you cool the wort w/ your chiller to say 90 - 100 degrees, place the kettle in a large tub filled w/ ice and water. This method favors a strong back or an extra set of hands!

MikeG · 03-19-2009, 04:51 PM

I'm in the same boat but I don't think my water gets that warm in the summer (at least I hope not). I've got an IC on the way and if doesn't work so great in the summer I'd like to get a pump and pull ice water from a cooler mixed with water from the house into the IC.

bendavanza · 03-19-2009, 05:38 PM

I made a shorter pre chiller that goes in a bucket of icewater. Don't add the ice until you come within 10-12 degrees of your tap water temp. You can use that plate chiller the same way.

ewbish · 03-19-2009, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgez

OK, I am slowly aquiring parts to move to all grain. I just bought an immersion chiller with garden hose fittings. I got the garden hose fittings because my wife has banned me from making beer in the house. She can't stand the smell. Anyway, I have this immersion chiller, my question is during the hot summer months when the water in the outside spigots is around 80 degrees or so...how the hell do I cool 5 gallons down to 70? Would I need to ice bath it as well? I do not see an issue with this during winter months as the outside water will be ice cold.

My buddy has a spare plate chiller that he used to use for draft beer. I am wondering if I use the plate chiller submerged in ice water if that would be a better cooling contraption during the summer.

Please help, I dont know what I'm doing!

Take an ice chest, coil as much of your garden hose in it as you can, fill it with water and 4 or 5 bags of ice, put the lid on it.

It'll chill your wort down to 60 degrees in about 20 minutes easy.

bendavanza · 03-20-2009, 01:46 AM

1 bag would do the job using the plate chiller as a pre chiller. I use what's in my ice maker, that's not any more than 1 bag.

**HoppyDaze** · 03-20-2009, 09:53 PM

double up!

you may have to buy two chillers one that sits in ice water and one that sits in your wort. The one that sits in the water doesnt have to be fancy at all. In fact I would recommend just making it yourself...

garden hose to ice water to wort ...I know a couple people who do that. all you need extra is a short piece of garden hose with fittings on both ends...

good luck

**Hammy71** · 03-20-2009, 10:28 PM

My ghetto set up......5 Gal. bucket, couple weeks worth of ice from my beer freezer/refridge (I bought some ice cube trays from walmart and I fill/empty 8 of them everyday), old aquarium submersible pump, old washing machine hoses..... Does the job with my 50' IC. Doesn't waste a ton of tap water and chills fast enough.

Flic · 03-21-2009, 01:40 AM

I use a cooler that is half filled with water and then I add 3 bags of ice. I bought a cheap battery powered sump pump at Lowes and hook it to my IC. It still takes a while compared to others (35 minutes to 68 degrees). Might be the cheap sump pump not pumping fast enough.....