Immersion Chiller Issue!

ATTN CHEMISTS:

I recently purchased a 50 ft Immersion Chiller from the internet and used it to brew a 5 gallon batch of beer. I had thought that I had cleaned it very well and that it was devoid of all manufacturing oils, but I am afraid it was not.

After brewing I noticed some thick, congealed globs of oil that were stuck to the coil when I had finished. There was also about a 1/8 inch darker layer of what I think may be oil on top of my five gallon fermenter. I wanted to die, but I kept going on with the process. The primary fermentation went great. During racking I left most, if not all, of this top layer behind. It has been fermenting for about 2 weeks now, the yeast are doing their thing, and its bubbling away. I also tasted it and it is quite delicious...

Does anyone know anything about commonly used manufacturing oils? Are they mostly immiscible so that as long as I leave don't syphon the top layer all is well? Or will trace amounts of these manufacturing oil be in the beer? Am I OK in risking drinking my beer, or should I be safe and scrap it?

I would be so happy if anyone could shed some light on this. I want this beer to be done by Christmas and I might have to reorder everything and rebrew.

It's probably some petroleum lube or something. I wouldn't worry about it.. but that's just me.

If you eat anything out of a can or drink canned soda you've already consumed enough lubricant to change the oil in your car. One 5 gallon batch of beer won't hurt.

Clean the coil with brake cleaner, trichloroethane!

Does freon coagulate?

Flando said:

After brewing I noticed some thick, congealed globs of oil that were stuck to the coil when I had finished. There was also about a 1/8 inch darker layer of what I think may be oil on top of my five gallon fermenter.

Click to expand...

Got to wonder if this could just be break material. Pictures would be helpful.

I'm betting it's just proteins (hot break). when my chiller was brand new it had an ever so slight slick feel to it, that was the MFG oil. If you even gave it a light clean you got 99% of it.

How did you clean it? I just pre boiled mine and wiped down. I used the same procedure now. Any thing stuck to it after boil gets a light hit with a tooth brush. Has a nice brownish patina now, and you don't want to remove that. Even if chiller was FILTHY, I boil it in the wort for the last 15 min anyway!

Thanks for all your responses!

Don't the proteins from hot/cold break precipitate and sink to the bottom? Especially after a week? I did clearly see a congealed substance on the coils and my metal stirring spoon when I had finished brewing. I have never encountered anything like that when brewing and it would make sense if it was oil, because it doesn't dissolve in water.

I used a general degreaser (can't give you the name because I can't find it), soaked the coil for 10 mins in warm water, wiped between each coil with a dishrag, then rinsed.

Anyway, I called the manufacturer. He said that while he did not know what kind of oils were used, only a very small amount would be present and it would probably not be dangerous to consume my beer. Ummmmm.... but I think I am going to go for it and drink the beer. The yeast are still alive, so I should be too after I drink it. Right?

Darker layer on top is just the yeast starting to drop and looks darker because it is clearer. As for the hot break in the pot, it gels together and rolls around with the boil that's why it would stick to chiller, spoon, sides of the pot etc.

I'm sure there was no oil left by the time your chiller hit the wort with the way you cleaned it. However if your truly worried about your beer, ship it to me and i'll properly dispose of it! Right in my new kegerator!