Counterflow Wort Chiller

BlightyBrewer · Dec 29, 2005

Just finished making my counterflow wort chiller, as per the project featured in the Jan / Feb 06 issue of BYO. Found it pretty easy to make, and total cost was around £28. Haven't tested it yet, but no leaks on the water side. Used compression fittings throughout, and 8mm microbore copper tube (25ft).

PT Ray · Dec 29, 2005

Good looking chiller. Once you get the chance to use it you will wonder how you ever managed without it.

ian · Dec 29, 2005

Wow! That's nice. Looks like I might be able to figure it out, but since I'm no engineer and always overestimate my abilities do you have plans or a link to plans?

BlightyBrewer · Dec 30, 2005

Thanks guys. I'm gonna make a slight mod to it by plumbing in a tap on the water outlet so that I can regulate the flow and hence the beer outlet temp.

Ian, I don't have any plans, but if you get hold of a copy of the Jan / Feb 06 Brew Your Own (BYO) magazine, there is an article on how to make one. The only difference with mine is that I used compression fittings (the tee pieces) instead of normal copper tee pieces and JB Weld as suggested in BYO. The compression fittings also seemed to work quite well with the garden hose producing a good seal with no leaks.

AHammer16 · Jan 3, 2006

I was thinking about building one tomorrow. How do you get the wort into the copper? Siphon tube from the kettle connected to the inlet of the chiller?

Any problems with making it that i should be aware of?

Also i think you have the water inlet on the wrong side. Shouldn't the water go from the bottom to the top and the wort from the top to the bottom? Or maybe i am just looking at it upside down.

BlightyBrewer · Jan 4, 2006

AHammer16 said:
I was thinking about building one tomorrow. How do you get the wort into the copper? Siphon tube from the kettle connected to the inlet of the chiller?

I'll be using copper pipe and compression fittings from a tap in the boiler.

AHammer16 said:
Any problems with making it that i should be aware of?

Not really. Straighten out the microbore before threading inside the garden hose (use a little detergent to lubricate).

AHammer16 said:
Also i think you have the water inlet on the wrong side. Shouldn't the water go from the bottom to the top and the wort from the top to the bottom? Or maybe i am just looking at it upside down.

Yep, it's upside down. Those pipes are only temporary as my inlet will be quite long to reach the outside tap. I'm going to use a tap on the water outlet to control the flow of hot water out.

big-o-2 · Jan 5, 2006

I built one when I got the issue. Freinds thought I was a nut for trying it. I will never go back, I just bought a 50 ft garden hose and some fittings. I carefully straightened out my wort cooler I had and it worked fine. Got 4 batches under my belt with it. It works well but it is a little slow, but hey by the time it goes throught the chiller it is 74 F in my carboy. Shake it and pitch yeast.

Love it...

AHammer16 · Jan 5, 2006

Just built mine yesterday. Went together w/ no problems.

That JB weld stuff is f'ing great. I have used epoxys before but that stuff is great.

Orfy · Jan 5, 2006

Looks good, well done.
Is this for extract brewing or are you collecting your AG bits?

BlightyBrewer · Jan 5, 2006

orfy said:
Looks good, well done.
Is this for extract brewing or are you collecting your AG bits?

I'm starting down the road to AG. My wife bought me a 29L Brupaks Mash Tun / Boiler for Christmas, which I plan to use as a boiler / HLT. I shall probably make a cooler type tun, and use an old plastic fermenter to collect the runnings before transfering to the boiler.

Pumbaa · Jan 5, 2006

very cool

I have been thinking of building one myself as I get ready for the leap to AG but my only question about it is how do ya clean it? I mean with a submerged cooler ya just rinse it off when you are done with it and then throw it in the boil to sanatize it b4 ya use it, but with a counter flow chiller how do ya make sure there are no nasties in it when ya use it?

BlightyBrewer · Jan 5, 2006

Pumbaa said:
very cool

I have been thinking of building one myself as I get ready for the leap to AG but my only question about it is how do ya clean it?

A good question, and one that I was going to pose myself. I was going to slowly drain sanitizer through it, and maybe boiling water. I use bleach sanitizer so not sure if this should be used with copper?

Orfy · Jan 5, 2006

Cool.

It sounds like you have most of the bits.
Are you thinking of something like this for the mash tun?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IGLOO-WHEELIE-COOL-38qt-COMBO-COOLBOX-COOLER-ICE-BOX_W0QQitemZ8745311908QQcategoryZ16036QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

When are you aiming for the first session?

I'd be interested in your experience with boiling with a exposed electrical heating element. (Cleaning and scorching)

I'm thinking of installing a element into a keg for a HLT and possible (Second/backup) brew kettle.

BlightyBrewer · Jan 5, 2006

orfy said:
Cool.

It sounds like you have most of the bits.
Are you thinking of something like this for the mash tun?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IGLOO-WHEELIE-COOL-38qt-COMBO-COOLBOX-COOLER-ICE-BOX_W0QQitemZ8745311908QQcategoryZ16036QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Yeh, something like that.

orfy said:
When are you aiming for the first session?

Dunno. I think I'm going to do a test full volume extract boil first to use up some LME I have, and test the wort chiller.

orfy said:
I'd be interested in your experience with boiling with a exposed electrical heating element. (Cleaning and scorching)

I'm thinking of installing a element into a keg for a HLT and possible (Second/backup) brew kettle.

The element in the Brupaks is a plate type element in the bottom of the boiler. I'll let you know how it goes.

BB

Pumbaa · Jan 5, 2006

I use bleach on all my plastic and glass myself but NOT on my SS . . . .I'm thinking bleach and copper would = bad juju

BlightyBrewer · Jan 5, 2006

According to Palmer:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]The best sanitizer for counterflow wort chillers is Star San. It is acidic and can be used to clean copper as well as sanitize. Star San can be left in the chiller overnight to soak-clean the inside.[/FONT]

..but unfortunately I don't think we can get Star San in the UK!

..and Palmer also says:

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]Cleaning and sanitizing copper with bleach solutions is not recommended. The chlorine and hypochlorites in bleach cause oxidation and blackening of copper and brass. If the oxides come in contact with the mildly acidic wort, the oxides will quickly dissolve, possibly exposing yeast to unhealthy levels of copper during fermentation.[/FONT]

So that scuppers my idea of using bleach, D'Oh!

BlightyBrewer · Jan 5, 2006

Just found this info on cleaning and sanitizing counterflow chillers:

Probably the most effective way to ensure proper sanitation of a counterflow chiller is to use Powdered Brewers Wash, details of which can be found on our sanitation page. This product is designed specifically for clean-in-place applications in the brewing industry, where you cannot see the surfaces you are cleaning. It is extremely effective at removing the organic compounds left behind by beer and beer wort. Another good cleaner to use here is OxyClean. Both of them need to be extremely well rinsed, and afterwards the chiller needs to be sanitized with a sanitizing solution. If you have a pump, an effective way to sanitize a counterflow chiller is to circulate 170F+ water through it from the hot liquor tank for 5 or 10 minutes.

http://www.bodensatz.com/staticpages/index.php?page=2002041307572139

BB

Orfy · Jan 6, 2006

BB,

For the initial clean, how about saving the hot water from the first part of the chilling and mix abit of oxiclean then run that through it. I'd then run sanitisier through it then the hot water.

I reuse the water and sanitiser to do my boil kettle. I also do my carboy with the sanitiser first.

BlightyBrewer · Jan 6, 2006

orfy said:
... I'd then run sanitisier through it then the hot water.

What type of sanitiser though? I can't use bleach (VWP) as it is not recommended for copper and brass, and I have not come across Star San in the UK?

Pumbaa · Jan 6, 2006

I fanally got a chance to read that article in BYO . . .

The guy said he cleaned it with an acid solution and then for sanatizing he would run a pint or 2 of the boiling wort through it, with NO cooling water, then throw that wort out. Guess that sorta makes sense, if you are gonna sanatize a submerged shiller with the wort why not a counterflow chiller.

DeRoux's Broux · Jan 6, 2006

seems like wasted wort to me? but, i use an immersion chiller....

uglygoat · Jan 6, 2006

how much water does it take to cool with the counterflow?

i use about 15 gallons with the standard chiller, fill up a couple of sanitizing buckets, the washing machine... i hate pooring water down the drain.

big-o-2 · Jan 6, 2006

If you use a 5% bleach solution it is OK. You are not going to be in contact long enough to do harm. Just make sure you flush with water after running your bleach. I do a 2 gallon bleach wash, then follow with 5 gallons of hot water like 150F+. I have had no problems so far.

Try it...

BlightyBrewer · Feb 13, 2006

Finally got around to testing out my counterflow wort chiller and new Brupak's electric boiler (with water unfortunately

). Man, that chiller is fantastic, in fact it is probablt toooo efficient! I only need a trickle of water to cool the hot water (wort) down to pitching temp. A flow that is any faster gets the wort temp down to 16C. I'm so impressed, and would encourage anyone out there to make one!

Oh, and the boiler was pretty cool aswell.

Not long till AG....

Counterflow Wort Chiller

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