Wort Chiller

Thinking bout getting a wort chiller. I understand the general concept, but is there any websites that offer a detailed explanation on how to use it?

What type of wort chiller do you want to get? Immersion chillers are the easiest to use and only a little less efficient than a counterflow or plate chiller, so that is what I would recommend. Just make sure it's clean and drop it in about 15 minutes before the end of the boil to sanitize. After the boil, connect your chilling water supply and let it do its thing. Stir every now and then to help the water circulate and chill faster.

What's your cooling water source? If it's a garden hose, get the kind with hose connections. Better yet, make your own.

The most important tip for folks who are starting into this (other than the 15 min boil) is to stir the wort with a plastic spoon while chilling. If you take the spoon out, dunk it in StarSan as needed before putting it back into the wort.

Why a plastic spoon? Does it work better than a stainless spoon?

Yup, pretty easy to use. Make sure you drain it out well before the next batch, if there is too much water left when you place it in the kettle to sanitize during the next boil, the water inside boils and spurts out into your wort...ask me how i know. Also, when connecting the hose, I like to tip it so that the fittings lean over the edge of the kettle so that any drops fall outside the pot. Highly recommended is an on/off valve just before the chiller...if you have a bad seal or gasket and turn the water on it may spray hose water into your wort, the valve helps you react quicker rather than running however far to the spigot...ask me how I know

Going to use an immersion chiller for the first time a swell, thanks for those tips.

VladOfTrub said:

Why a plastic spoon? Does it work better than a stainless spoon?

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A stainless spoon is harder metal than your soft copper tubing and can damage it while you're stirring around the inside of the chiller.