MattHollingsworth
Well-Known Member
I know I'm new here. And I'm asking a lot of questions. But that's not because I'm new. I've done a helluva lot of brewing in the past. But it's been seven years. So basically, what I've been doing is reevaluating all of my old beliefs, rethinking my old techniques and just kind of going ovwe everything. I'm faced with an entirely new brewing environment in Zagreb than I had in Portland, so it's partially that. But it's also that I don't want to get stuck in my ways when some things could possibly work better.
Anyway, so onto it. I currently have an old counterflow chiller. But it's been sitting there for seven years. And I'm wondering how possible it is to even get it clean. Sure it must be possible. But it made me think and I've been reading a lot and listening to BrewStrong and just soaking up info.
Here are my thoughts currently on the various cooling methods (and not cooling methods). Please feel free to add your thoughts. That's what this thread is for.
1. Immersion Chiller.
I used one long ago and was just never happy with how long it took to cool the wort. So long ago, that I don't remember how long it took, but I switched to a counterflow chiller.
But my thinking now is that this might actually be the best way to go. If it takes 45 minutes to an hour to chill, so what? The benefit I see is mainly that I can really clean this and SEE that it's clean. I can scrub the hell out of it, I can entirely immerse it in boiling water or wort. It's simple. And it's possible to truly get it clean and know it's clean. Also during chilling, I can get a cold break in the kettle that I can partially rack off of when I rack off the hotbreak. Seems like this might be the best one for me now.
2. Counterflow chiller.
Like I said, I used one. A lot. Maybe 60 batches with one. And it was quicker than an immersion chiller. But that seems to be it's main draw. Cleaning it internally requires much more chemicals and many more rinses. And I now live in an area with immensely hard water. Vinegar rinse may do it, sure. But it seems like this option involves more work and worries, possibly.
3. Plate heat exchanger.
This one is appealing to me partially because it's a new gadget. And I like new gadgets. And it may require far less water to chill the beer, which is good. But, those little crevices can clog. Maybe they won't. But if you use hop pellets, which I want to do, then I'd really have to be anal and take extra care about removing those pellets. I live somewhere were it's hard to get hops, so gotta use mail order. So thinking pellets. They store better. Anyway, seems like cleaning this would be similar to a CFC, but with the benefit that you can throw it in a pot and boil it, you can bake it to kill everything etc. Seems the main concern is clogging.
4. No chill.
Seen a few posts about this but don't think I will be doing this. See if you can sway me if you're so inclined.
Anyway, as it goes, the one that with my current thinking involves perhaps the least amount of work and worry is the immersion chiller. So that's what I'm leaning towards. Please share your thoughts and add any methods I may not have considered. Ice baths aren't an option for me. I don't have a bath tub.
Anyway, so onto it. I currently have an old counterflow chiller. But it's been sitting there for seven years. And I'm wondering how possible it is to even get it clean. Sure it must be possible. But it made me think and I've been reading a lot and listening to BrewStrong and just soaking up info.
Here are my thoughts currently on the various cooling methods (and not cooling methods). Please feel free to add your thoughts. That's what this thread is for.
1. Immersion Chiller.
I used one long ago and was just never happy with how long it took to cool the wort. So long ago, that I don't remember how long it took, but I switched to a counterflow chiller.
But my thinking now is that this might actually be the best way to go. If it takes 45 minutes to an hour to chill, so what? The benefit I see is mainly that I can really clean this and SEE that it's clean. I can scrub the hell out of it, I can entirely immerse it in boiling water or wort. It's simple. And it's possible to truly get it clean and know it's clean. Also during chilling, I can get a cold break in the kettle that I can partially rack off of when I rack off the hotbreak. Seems like this might be the best one for me now.
2. Counterflow chiller.
Like I said, I used one. A lot. Maybe 60 batches with one. And it was quicker than an immersion chiller. But that seems to be it's main draw. Cleaning it internally requires much more chemicals and many more rinses. And I now live in an area with immensely hard water. Vinegar rinse may do it, sure. But it seems like this option involves more work and worries, possibly.
3. Plate heat exchanger.
This one is appealing to me partially because it's a new gadget. And I like new gadgets. And it may require far less water to chill the beer, which is good. But, those little crevices can clog. Maybe they won't. But if you use hop pellets, which I want to do, then I'd really have to be anal and take extra care about removing those pellets. I live somewhere were it's hard to get hops, so gotta use mail order. So thinking pellets. They store better. Anyway, seems like cleaning this would be similar to a CFC, but with the benefit that you can throw it in a pot and boil it, you can bake it to kill everything etc. Seems the main concern is clogging.
4. No chill.
Seen a few posts about this but don't think I will be doing this. See if you can sway me if you're so inclined.
Anyway, as it goes, the one that with my current thinking involves perhaps the least amount of work and worry is the immersion chiller. So that's what I'm leaning towards. Please share your thoughts and add any methods I may not have considered. Ice baths aren't an option for me. I don't have a bath tub.