Eco-Friendly Homemade Wort Chiller

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JustMrWill

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Location
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I just started AG and realize that the ICE Bath method is not going to cut it for chilling my 5 gallons of 200+ F of wort.

The first 5 gallon AG took over 1.25 hour to cool to pitch temp.

I got to thinking. This is the thing that worries SWMBO the most. My thinking usually ends up in 18' high hops vine posts and half the trees in my yard being cut down. :D (or something simular

So, as I was draining the water bath for the 4th time (into buckets so I can water my hops)...I started really thinking about buying some copper tubing before my next brew...

As I was carrying my 5 gallons of warm water across the yard to my garden, I was thinking of what a pain the @$$ this is...

I, of course start to "over-engineer" a solution...something with giant 55 gallon drums and timers and hoses going to the garden etc...the look on SWMBO face would have been classic....

Not gonna happen.

Lets simplify it. We have (1) 12' round by 4' high pool that is currently sitting at a nice 60 F. I have a pool pump. I figure, with about $10 in fittings (plus and IC) I could cool my wort and warm the pool at this same time!

For today's brew...that won't help...so I went with the KISS solution. I figure the 3300 gallons of water would be SLIGHTY more efficient than the 3-5 gallons per fill of the sink...and I didn't have to use any extra water either!

I might actually wrap the noodle around it next time and set it a drift.

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It went form 150 F to 80 F in about 15 minutes. I figure, next time, I will use the pool to get it down below 100 quickly..then use the sink ice bath to get it to pitching temp.

Maybe I will hold off on the IC.

-JMW
 
brilliant, now in the colder months you have an excuse to brew just to keep your pool warm.
 
LOL

1 month from now:

"Help! My beer tastes like chlorine!"

But seriously, that's brilliant. That's like NASA brilliant.
 
Why am I envisioning a wort kettle sinking to the bottom of the pool with wort going through your pool pump? At least it'll be sanitized.........:D
 
Why am I envisioning a wort kettle sinking to the bottom of the pool with wort going through your pool pump? At least it'll be sanitized.........:D

Actually...that is why I am thinking of modifying the noodle to wrap around it and maybe clip to the kettle's handles...

Trust me...the farthest away from the kettle was when I took the pictures. I hovered around it like a newborn's father. I didn't actually release it until I was SURE that it was floating evenly upright.

I may still use the pool's pump and an IC...

Kinda funny...my daughter thinks that I will heat the pool too much :)

-JMW
 
I am thinking a lwn chair or something is in order here. Chair in pool, kettle on chair. And if you set both near a jet, and gently stir the hot wort, you could prolly nix the IC altoghether.
 
Since your problem is basically solved, time to try and solve it some more! You should make a noodle raft for the kettle to drop straight into. So all you have to do set the raft adrift, plop the kettle into it, then forget it!
 
Since your problem is basically solved, time to try and solve it some more! You should make a noodle raft for the kettle to drop straight into. So all you have to do set the raft adrift, plop the kettle into it, then forget it!

LOL! Already thinking of that! I was in my basement looking at 2" webbing I had laying around. Make a circle with the noodle then make a webbing "basket" that attaches to it. Would have to make it slightly shallower than the depth of the pot so that there would be downward force on it to keep everything from moving around.

Hmmm...now, how can I market it... "MrWill's Wort Chiller - pool not included"

-JMW
 
UPDATE:

Brewed today. I made a basket/cradle out of a noodle and some rope. Went from boil to 80 F in 30 minutes. Not bad. My camera is not working at the moment...so no pictures...sorry.

-JMW
 
While I like the ingenuity, I can't help but feel there is a Jeff Foxworthy joke to be had from this thread!

I use a stainless IC myself, but I do run it's output into my pool. I figure, why waste the water and the heat?
 
pretty sure that my plate chiller is a lot more eco-friendly than a gigantic pool filled with chemicals.. but good idea nonetheless.
 
pretty sure that my plate chiller is a lot more eco-friendly than a gigantic pool filled with chemicals.. but good idea nonetheless.

True....but since I already had the gigantic pool filled with chemicals...and I dont have the money for a plate chiller...I am being eco-friendly by not wasting water. :rockin:

-JMW
 
...I am being eco-friendly by not wasting water. :rockin:

Absolutely, and you're not wasting heat either. Still, a pot of wort, cradled by foam noodles, floating in the pool is kind of a funny image!

I'll confess, I've thought about cooling the outside of my pot by placing it on the steps of my pool, while the IC chills from the inside. It's got to speed things up, I figure. Maybe I'll give it a shot, once the 115° days of summer arrive.
 
All I can say is: Brilliant! I'm too accident prone to try this with my pool though. I would end up with 10,000 gallons of very light beer.
 
This is truly awesone!

I cool my wort with an IC two feet from the pool and run the water off into the pool. Never once thought about floating the pot with the IC working at the same time.
 
The she starts an "is my pool ruined?" thread on homepooltalk.com

;)
!

Revvy, one new keyboard please. also if you could replace the Altbier that shout through my nose that'd be great thanks.

Side note: "ctrl, Altbier, delete" is a working title for next brew...
 
As long as you are at it why not throw some detergent into the pool and do the laundry? Wife would really love you for that.

Nice idea - too bad I was not brewing when I had a money sucking pool in the backyard.
 
Now... if we could get a heavier current and some cooler water......

HONEY! I need a boat so that I can drag my beer behind it to chill!

Wait... I think Exxon tried this one already...


EDIT: Didn't think this one posted... posted again.
 
Now if we could only get a faster current and cooler water...

HONEY! The guys on HBT gave me a great idea. We need to buy a boat to chill the wort!

Wait, I think Exxon already tried that...
 
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