cooling without a chiller

I'm getting ready to do a 5 gallon batch and realize I don't have an immersion chiller. I am boiling in a keggle and am trying to figure out a solution that will work without having to spend a lot of money.

I was thinking of filling my bathtub with ice water?

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

All the Way!

-Rob

I have brewed 10 "no-chill" batches; works great. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f13/exploring-no-chill-brewing-117111/

I don't think it'll work great with a keggle, but I just float by kettles in a big Tupperware filled with water and run a hose in the Tupperware the whole time to keep it cold and circulating.

When I stepped up to a full boil, I just stepped up my ice bath. I buy like 3 or 4mbags of ice before I start, then use a rubbermaid tub for an ice bath right by my burner. Not as fast as it used to be for 2.5 gallons in the sink, but still under 30 minutes or so. I have also (gasp) used ice in the wort a couple times and it turned out great. Using filtered ice I made at home for the first and some 7-11 ice for the next.
I am planning on a diy chiller soon, just because I like projects. Otherwise, big ice bath does the trick for me.

TwoGunz said:

I don't think it'll work great with a keggle, but I just float by kettles in a big Tupperware filled with water and run a hose in the Tupperware the whole time to keep it cold and circulating.

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+1. I use a big tupperware garden tub and cold tap water with multiple rounds of emptying and refilling with cold tap water to chill a 5 gallon batch in 30 minutes or so. Our tap water is 48° in winter and 55° in summer.

pdxal said:

+1. I use a big tupperware garden tub and cold tap water with multiple rounds of emptying and refilling with cold tap water to chill a 5 gallon batch in 30 minutes or so. Our tap water is 48° in winter and 55° in summer.

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+2 for Rubbermaid tub/ice bath. I do it outside with the garden hose. Works fine for full boils/takes maybe 40 min or so?

You can build an immersion chiller rather cheaply. 50 feet of copper tubing is in the neighborhood of $60, then you just need a faucet adapter, some dirt cheap tubing and some hose clamps. You can even get away with a 20 foot chiller, though it'll take a bit longer. But if you're going out and buying a bunch of ice for each batch, this will pay for itself pretty quickly.

I just did my first full boil 5 gallon batch last weekend and used bags of ice in the bath tub. Worked great! It actually worked so well that it has decreased my desire to get an immersion chiller.

I agree that I will eventually spend the money it would take to buy one, but there is also some value in not having to deal with using an immersion chiller, not wasting as much water, and less storage space needed. But don't get me wrong, if I see a chiller at a good price on CL, it's all mine

not to hijack but as far as the wasting water issue. there are a ton of things you can do with the hot water that leaves the chiller.

i have-
1. watered my lawn
2. washed cars
3. cleaned my patio
4. hosed off the deck
5. cleaned brewing equipment

wasting water is terrible, and of course if your brewing indoors-
1. bucket it down to the laundry and start a load.
2. do dishes, especially your brewing equip.
3. if all that has been in your chiller is water, make a pot of coffee

just my 2 cents

Slainte'

Totally agree with all of those. I do brew indoors, and if I ever get an immersion chiller, I will keep those in mine for sure.

Completely agree. Both poor and not wanting to waste water, I go the ol' No-Chill route usually. Used to do ice baths, but no chill is so much easier, and it saves a lot of time and effort.

And even tho my wort is plenty cloudy, my no-chill beers couldn't be clearer. (Even won a few medals to prove it.)

So you mean you don't use any cooling method at all? Do you do full or partial boils and how long does it typically take to get to pitching temperature?

I only do full boils. I just leave everything in the kettle with the top on and leave it on my front porch overnight. By morning, it's the same temp as it is outside. Never had an infected batch.

My current method.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/easy-cheap-wort-cooler-pics-inside-370793/