ron,ar
Well-Known Member
I brewed 6 gallons monday night, got thru very late and was doing an AG for the first time. I do my brewing outside on the concrete patio. I have all the necessary equipment EXCEPT a wort chiller. Had planned on doing an ice bath in a large ice chest. I knew this was not the best procedure but seemed my only option.
Then I had an idea.....I have a second 15 gallon keg with the top cut out and a drain valve w/hose barb. I intend to use it later on for a boil pot for larger volume brews, but right now I use my 8 gallon alunimum pot with handles on it.
I set the brew pot full of wort down in that keg, the handles sat on the top of the keg rim.. I hooked the water hose to the hose barbed valve on the bottom and let the water circulate upward and out the keg cutout holes. It worked really well, in under 15 minutes I was at 78F and only stirred about 3 times. I never bothered to put any ice in it. I think the fact that the pot was alunimum helped a lot too.
This time of year the underground water pipes are pretty cold, this won't work in summer tho. Gonna have to purchase a wort cooler before then.
Then I had an idea.....I have a second 15 gallon keg with the top cut out and a drain valve w/hose barb. I intend to use it later on for a boil pot for larger volume brews, but right now I use my 8 gallon alunimum pot with handles on it.
I set the brew pot full of wort down in that keg, the handles sat on the top of the keg rim.. I hooked the water hose to the hose barbed valve on the bottom and let the water circulate upward and out the keg cutout holes. It worked really well, in under 15 minutes I was at 78F and only stirred about 3 times. I never bothered to put any ice in it. I think the fact that the pot was alunimum helped a lot too.
This time of year the underground water pipes are pretty cold, this won't work in summer tho. Gonna have to purchase a wort cooler before then.
