Funkenjaeger
Well-Known Member
I am currently doing 5 gallon batches still, but recently got my keggle cut and usable, so I am hoping to move to 10-gallon batches in the not-too-distant future. Thinking ahead, I imagine I'll want to upgrade my chilling method.
I'm using a 25' 3/8" immersion chiller. I currently bring the kettle indoors and hook the chiller up to the sink, since I live in an apartment building and there are no hose spigots available outside. I just bought a submersible pump and I plan to do the ice water recirculation method, as EdWort does, so that I can do my chilling outdoors, especially in the winter when I've got free ice (AKA snow) easily available.
I do not yet have a valve installed on my keggle, but I intend to take care of that soon. I also plan to set up a simple electric stirrer to whirlpool (gently) during chilling.
Here's the options I'm currently considering:
1) Use just the 25' chiller, and rely on using ice recirc the whole time to speed things up - this may be less practical after winter ends, but that'd be a problem to deal with when the time came. Although I know it's not ideal, I would like to hear some feedback about whether this would be practical or if I really need more than a 25' chiller even with ice water.
2) Buy some copper tubing and build a 50' chiller for 10g batches - an expensive option, plus it would practically render my existing 25' chiller useless, especially if the 50' chiller was sized to work with 5g batches as well.
3) Build a second 25' chiller and use the two in parallel - cheaper, and I could drop back to just the 25' for 5g batches if I wanted, or depending on how I sized the new chiller, both 25' might fit even for 5g batches. I think my submersible pump has enough capacity to run both in parallel and get a lot higher flow rate than in series.
4) Drop the IC altogether and go to a CFC or plate chiller. In addition to being expensive, this would be a tougher option for me since I don't yet have a valve (or high-temp siphon), and without a hose outside I don't have a consistent-temperature water supply so hitting a particular outlet temp might not be so easy. That, and cleaning/sanitizing sucks without a march pump or similar - I already built a CFC once, and sold it once I realized how impractical it was for me without a pump.
Anyway, I'd love to hear any opinions on any of these options, or of course any other options I haven't thought of. I am leaning toward #3 so far, though #2 might work also - looks like copper on ebay is most economical in 50' lengths, and I've got a friend who might want an IC for 5g batches. I could either split a 50' roll of 3/8" with him and build us each a 25' chiller, or buy myself a 50' roll of 1/2" and make myself a big chiller and sell him my current one to recoup some of the cost.
I'm using a 25' 3/8" immersion chiller. I currently bring the kettle indoors and hook the chiller up to the sink, since I live in an apartment building and there are no hose spigots available outside. I just bought a submersible pump and I plan to do the ice water recirculation method, as EdWort does, so that I can do my chilling outdoors, especially in the winter when I've got free ice (AKA snow) easily available.
I do not yet have a valve installed on my keggle, but I intend to take care of that soon. I also plan to set up a simple electric stirrer to whirlpool (gently) during chilling.
Here's the options I'm currently considering:
1) Use just the 25' chiller, and rely on using ice recirc the whole time to speed things up - this may be less practical after winter ends, but that'd be a problem to deal with when the time came. Although I know it's not ideal, I would like to hear some feedback about whether this would be practical or if I really need more than a 25' chiller even with ice water.
2) Buy some copper tubing and build a 50' chiller for 10g batches - an expensive option, plus it would practically render my existing 25' chiller useless, especially if the 50' chiller was sized to work with 5g batches as well.
3) Build a second 25' chiller and use the two in parallel - cheaper, and I could drop back to just the 25' for 5g batches if I wanted, or depending on how I sized the new chiller, both 25' might fit even for 5g batches. I think my submersible pump has enough capacity to run both in parallel and get a lot higher flow rate than in series.
4) Drop the IC altogether and go to a CFC or plate chiller. In addition to being expensive, this would be a tougher option for me since I don't yet have a valve (or high-temp siphon), and without a hose outside I don't have a consistent-temperature water supply so hitting a particular outlet temp might not be so easy. That, and cleaning/sanitizing sucks without a march pump or similar - I already built a CFC once, and sold it once I realized how impractical it was for me without a pump.
Anyway, I'd love to hear any opinions on any of these options, or of course any other options I haven't thought of. I am leaning toward #3 so far, though #2 might work also - looks like copper on ebay is most economical in 50' lengths, and I've got a friend who might want an IC for 5g batches. I could either split a 50' roll of 3/8" with him and build us each a 25' chiller, or buy myself a 50' roll of 1/2" and make myself a big chiller and sell him my current one to recoup some of the cost.