Wort cooling

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mattyb85

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Hey guys,

Ive been brewing for just about a year now and for cooling the wort ive been putting my brew kettle in my kitchen sink filled with ice to cool it down. I wanted to get an immersion chiller but the faucet on my sink doesnt fit. Does anyone else have a similar situation and what are everyones solutions/recommendations? Thanks! :tank:
 
You should be able to buy an adapter at your local hardware store. More than likely, you will be able to get them at the same place you buy your chiller.
 
If you google 'Kitchen Sink Faucet Adapter' you should be able to find several sources that have an adapter to a garden hose. OR- some people actually get a piece of hose that they can slide over their faucet. Since it doesnt create a whole lot of pressure, it shouldnt spray all over the place.
Do you have a basin tub? Most of those have faucets that have garden hose sized threads on there, if not, you can get one for under $20
 
The sink adapter doesnt work, here is the best picture i could find since im not home at the moment. I have a nice size fridge that I was using as a kegerator but im starting a keezer project so im not using it. Would putting the pot in the fridge, in a tub of ice help?

71FLZeZMp5L__AA1500_.jpg
 
Yeah those fancy faucets don't work. You'd be better off putting a chiller on with another faucet, like from the bathroom or your garden spigot outside.

depending on your boil size, an ice water bath can work. Not for a full 5 gallon boil, but a deep sink and lots of ice can probably manage up to 3 gallons being chilled quickly enough to make it worth the effort.
 
I've been thinking about adding a T in the supply line under the sink with a garden hose fitting on it. When I want to use my chiller, just thread the hose on and turn the valve. No messing with the faucet.

But I mainly brew outside, so it's more work than I want to do for the payout.
 
Yeah those fancy faucets don't work.

Don't give up yet. I've got one of those. If you look at the middle of the spray end, there is a sliver disk that is a plain old faucet aerator. It has two slightly-flat sides on it that you can get a crescent wrench on and screw it out.

You should be able to fit a standard faucet-to-garden hose adapter into those threads.
 
Don't give up yet. I've got one of those. If you look at the middle of the spray end, there is a sliver disk that is a plain old faucet aerator. It has two slightly-flat sides on it that you can get a crescent wrench on and screw it out.

You should be able to fit a standard faucet-to-garden hose adapter into those threads.

Thanks! Ill definitely check that out when i get home!
 
Another idea is to buy a small submersible pond pump and a couple of buckets or a cooler. Fill one bucket with regular tap water, and the other with ice water. Start your chiller by recirculating the regular water through until the wort temp drops below 100F, then switch over to the ice bucket. This will chill your wort pretty quickly if you also gently stir while chilling.
 
Another idea is to buy a small submersible pond pump and a couple of buckets or a cooler. Fill one bucket with regular tap water, and the other with ice water. Start your chiller by recirculating the regular water through until the wort temp drops below 100F, then switch over to the ice bucket. This will chill your wort pretty quickly if you also gently stir while chilling.

Hm, thats not a bad idea... Where would i pick one up and about how much do they cost?
 
I use a part I have no idea what it is bug cost me like $2 at lowes . I'll get pictures tomorrow
 
great thanks for the responses everyone! im looking into the pump option right now but im definitely interested in what you bought ekjohns. the cheaper the better!
 
matty here is my way of hooking it up. Not sure if this will work with your faucet but you might be able to rig something up. What I did was unscrew the very end of the faucet which holds a rubber washer and a screen to break the water as it flows out. As you can see in the pictures I use a piece I found at lowes in the plumbing aisle. It should be with all of the SS mesh tubes that everyone uses for mash tuns. The piece is about 16" in length and can be cut to your desired length. This can then be screwed into the faucet in the order shown in the picture. If it is not a tight fit the pressure of the water flowing out should make a seal against the washer. The piece has the same O.D. as 3/8 copper tube. Pretty easy and cheap fix.



 
In addition to what brushvalleybrewer mentioned about the aerator portion of that faucet, you may be able to unscrew the sprayer portion of the faucet and connect your chiller to the hose portion.

When I brewed in my kitchen I was able to use some 5/8" ID tubing connected to my chiller and slide it over the connector on the faucet hose that the sprayer screwed in to. The fit was very snug and did not leak at all, even when the faucet was at max pressure.
 
+1 on Mike's post.

I use an IC with a similar faucet as yours in my kitchen set-up. I unscrew the pull-out hose portion to the faucet head. It's a threaded fitting with an o-ring on it. I can slip tubing right over it without a clamp and it seals fine. In addition, I bought 20 feet of copper refrigeration tubing that I use as a pre-chiller in the sink filled with some ice and water and then the out goes to the chiller. I drain the chiller in an empty keg or carboys. It takes me about 15-20 gallons of water and about 25 minutes to cool 6.5 gallons with a 50 ft. SS chiller. I use the saved water to clean brew equipment and water plants later.
 
Great recommendations! I'm going to look into the make of my faucet and if I can take off the aerator or the hose pull out itself. If not im going to buy a pond pump. Thanks everyone!
 
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