mtg4772

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So to cool down the wort we submerge the boil keggle in the pool and put a copper wort chiller in the wort. It works really well. It goes from 200+ to 70 degrees Farenheit in about 45 minutes.

So after getting down to 70 degrees we tote it to a table and open the ball valve to let the liquid into the fermenting vessel. This time I saw a little clear water then the wort. So basically there was a little pool water in the opening of the ball valve. Well I didn't stop to correct this, I let it go. Now I'm worried about an infection.

It's an Imperial Stout and needs to ferment forever. 1 Month in the primary, another in the secondary then another 4-5 months in the keg to condition. I'm so afraid that this small amount of pool water is going to F it all up.

Please someone with experience help me out here. What can I do to mitigate and potential infection?

AZ_IPA

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Assuming your pool water is properly chlorinated and not some stagnant swamp, I wouldn't worry much about infection.

eljefe

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Did you happen to have a pool party for a group of 8 year old kids right before this? If not, I agree with mtg4772 - no worries

__________________
Primary 1: Wee Heavy
Primary 2:
Secondary 1:
Secondary 2:
Keg 1: Northern Brew #1
Keg 2: 11.11.11
Next Up: Bourbonator

mtg4772

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It is maintained every friday by a guy that i pay $85 dollars/month. So yeah, it' spotless.

Best news I've heard in 100 years and I'm only 40 years old. Thanks!

kh54s10

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If you have done this before I would expect the same thing happened and you didn't see it.

So if you did this before and had no problems I would expect none this time. As stated; if your pool is properly maintained I would guess any nasties would die before infecting your beer.

passedpawn

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Pool noodle, duct tape, and you're in business. Mine used to float to the middle of the pool and I'd have to use the pool brush to reign it in until I git the IC in there, then I'd just tug on the hose.

Never had a problem with this.

__________________
Now there's some take delight in the carriages a rolling
and others take delight in the hurling and the bowling
but I take delight in the juice of the barley
and courting pretty fair maids in the morning bright and early

TyTanium

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I've seen a lot of sweet stuff on this site, but that picture may take the cake. Well done!

To the OP - more alarming to me is your 45 min cooling time...that seems really long, esp with submersion & immersion. What's your flow rate on your immersion chiller? Are you moving it around in the wort? A typical cooling time is 10-20 mins.

mtg4772

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Yeah, very awesome pic? 10-20?! Now that's fast! Flow rate is pretty slow. Should I turn up the flow rate?

mtg4772

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Here is the website and wort chilller description.

http://www.breworganic.com/basiccopperwortchiller.aspx

Like you said it is supposed to chill down to 70 degrees in about 20 minutes. I've never had that kind of timing. I stir the chiller every once in a while, but yeah that is a bit alarming especially when it's taking a lot longer than it should. What can I do to get the timing down to 20?

I thought a slower flow was better, but maybe I should increase the rate at which the water flows through the chiller?

jritchie111

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Slow is more effiecient in water usage and temp drop/gallon water. Full tilt will cool the fastest, but you use a lot more water. I used to try to vary the flow depending on where my temp was to get a happy medium. The last two batches I just opened her up. I also would have thought submurging in a pool would have a more drastic effect then what you are saying. Then again if the pool water is 80 and the air temp is 80 then there is no difference but it looks cool.