ThreeRatBastards
Well-Known Member
I brew outside all grain with a keggle and usually use a counter-flow wort chiller connected to my outside faucets for a water source. Well the bitter cold of winter is here for some of us and it is necessary to shut off the water source to those outside faucets to prevent pipes from bursting. Last year I brewed when it was ~10 deg F outside and figured the fact that it was so cold and that because I was brewing in a stainless steel vessel, the wort would cool down from boiling to pitchable temps fairly quickly. Well, hours later the temperature was still extremely high. Eventually I transferred it to an Ale Pail and subjected it to an ice bath inside.
This year I want to avoid that several hours of just sitting. Since I cannot connect a water source up to the CFC, what are my best options for cooling my wort outside (keeping in mind a similar problem exists for an IC, and taking my keggle inside for an ice bath is not an option).
I was thinking of making something like this:
and recirculating the wort as well as changing the water out when needed (obviously no hose connections like in the picture). Is there a better idea?
This year I want to avoid that several hours of just sitting. Since I cannot connect a water source up to the CFC, what are my best options for cooling my wort outside (keeping in mind a similar problem exists for an IC, and taking my keggle inside for an ice bath is not an option).
I was thinking of making something like this:
and recirculating the wort as well as changing the water out when needed (obviously no hose connections like in the picture). Is there a better idea?
I got the idea from another member of this forum, so I can't take full credit. You could do the same thing using a lot of snow, water, salt & a large plastic tote or trash can.
