Newbie Questions: cooling, temperature, bottling

Hi everyone, first post here

I'm doing some research as i want to start homebrewing... I've decided to start with a simple malt extract beer as my first trial. I feel like this will be the easiest way for me to get nice results, instead of starting something complicated which may result in failure.
I do have a few questions.

1. I've decided to make my own water line cooler, and have seen several plans, one DIY book shows a design where 2 coils are connected by a piece of hose, one coil is immersed in icewater (this coil is closest to the water source) and then it connects to a second coil which goes into the boil pot...the idea is for faster cooling.

Should i be looking at making something like this? will faster cooling give better results? or is it just for convenience?

2. Our fruit cellar is a bout 50degrees farenheit would this be an appropriate temperature for fermenting?

3. Bottling: our family has made wine for a few years, and we have a bunch of leftover 1L wine bottles, I have a corking press and all the equipment, is any other equipment needed to bottle beer in this fashion?


Sorry for the rookie questions, but i look forward to everyones responses!

Aaron

1 - I wouldn't bother, as your ground water in your area is going to be cold enough to cool your wort with a standard immersion chiller design. I would put that idea on the backburner so that if you enjoy the hobby and you want to get into lagering you can put that idea into use to help drive the wort down to lagering temps.

2 - Depends if you are making a lager or an ale. Good for lagers bad for ales. However a stable temp like that makes temp control that much easier for when you want to do stuff like make an ale, all you have to worry about is keeping the fermentation warm instead of people like me who have to warm or cool depending on time of year.

3 - Wine bottles are not made to hold pressure so do not use them for beer or you will end up with the cork blowing out or the bottle exploding. Use a beer bottles and a capper.

Bensiff said:

3 - Wine bottles are not made to hold pressure so do not use them for beer or you will end up with the cork blowing out or the bottle exploding. Use a beer bottles and a capper.

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Thanks!
Would screw top lids be acceptable?

simko said:

Thanks!
Would screw top lids be acceptable?

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They work but aren't the best and are usually not recommended. They don't always hold a great seal.