Wort Chilling Questions

Maybe this is and maybe this isn't the correct forum to ask, And maybe I'll post it in others just to get a good spectrum of response.

Been thinking about building a wort cooler and have all sorts of questions running thru the grey matter. Sounds like the immersion style helps to eliminate the break which helps with a clearer beer. BUT, it isn't as efficient as the counterflow coolers. So..... Gimme your best convincing on which route to take.

Throw another wrench in the fan.....What, if any, methods do the micros/craft breweries use to cool things down?

Well, and immersion chiller goes directly into the wort, while a counter flow chiller cools the beer as it is leaving your boiling pot. Used correctly the counter flow chiller will cool you beer in minutes. An immersion chiller will take a minimum of 15 minutes and up to an hour depending on your tap water temp. Both will give you the cold break you are looking for. Cost and ease of use persuaded me to go the immersion route. You can make your own relatively inexpensively and it is easy to use, sanitize, and clean afterwards. I bought 50 feet of tubing from this site...and a short visit to my local hardware store and I was in business.

http://www.coppertubingsales.com/storefront/index.php

I went with an immersion chiller for the same reasons already posted. Matter of fact, I'll put my new one to the test this afternoon. I think ease of use was probably the main reason I went with what I did. I don't have to sanitize the inside of the chiller, and the boiling wort will do the work on the outside while I'm sipping a cold one and throwing a flight of darts.

Hammy71 said:

. Both will give you the cold break you are looking for.

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This issue right here is really my deciding point. With the CFC, the cold break ends up in the fermenter. How can it be removed?

CFC..

I had never soldered before in my life,but i bought the parts, used flux heated my fittings and touched the solder to the hot copper and bingo bango it was sucked into the fitting to make a leak proof seal.

-=Jason=-

Guidry said:

This issue right here is really my deciding point. With the CFC, the cold break ends up in the fermenter. How can it be removed?

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After chilling, stir the wort to create a whirlpool (and aerate as well!). Let the wort sit for around 15 minutes. Most of the break material/hop residue will settle to the bottom of your pot. If you have a valve on your pot, simply drain. If you don't, rack the beer using your auto-siphon or raking cane. Most of the material will remain in the pot. A counter flow chiller will bring the trub with it, unless you have it screened.

Guidry said:

This issue right here is really my deciding point. With the CFC, the cold break ends up in the fermenter. How can it be removed?

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Why remove it? It acts as a yeast nutrient which helps the fermentation, and as far as I can tell, does not give any off flavors.
I have a CFC, and the only time I remove the cold break is when making lagers.
I use the CFC to cool the wort and transfer to a carboy, which I place in the fermentation freezer with the temp set at about 40F. 24 hours later, the cold break has settled, and I rack to the primary, aerate, adjust the fermentation freezer temp and pitch the yeast.
I have done this with every lager that I have brewed except the first, when I ignored the cold break. That first lager had an off flavor which took about 9 months to disappear, after which it tasted great.
I have never had an off flavor with a lager since that first one.
Now for the confession. I have only brewed two lagers. but the second one was ready to drink 9 months earlier than the first. I'm going to brew another one within the next few months.

-a.

Right- since I also use a CFC (which works great, by the way!), the cold break happens in the CFC and so it all goes into the fermenter. That's fine. I've never removed cold break from my lagers, since that would be quite a pain for me.