r5705
New Member
About the only piece of gear I need now is a wort chiller. I see 25' copper tubing wort chillers for $50-70 but I've also seen 50' copper tubing wort chillers for $70-80. Why isn't the larger wort chiller the better deal? Thanks.
About the only piece of gear I need now is a wort chiller. I see 25' copper tubing wort chillers for $50-70 but I've also seen 50' copper tubing wort chillers for $70-80. Why isn't the larger wort chiller the better deal? Thanks.
It might be the better deal from the perspective of "hey, double the tubing for less than double the price". However there are a couple of other things to look at.
1. Do you really need more than 25' of tubing? A longer tube has more surface area to absorb more heat, but that only makes a difference as long as the temperature of the water is lower than the temperature of the wort. If the outflow temperature for 25' and 50' isn't significantly different, you've gained nothing with the extra length.
2. How well constructed is the 50' chiller compared to the 25'?
3. What about the hoses connecting to the chiller - are they the ones you need for your setup?
I bought this one. Well made and works like a champ.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FDVD5S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
I bought the stainless steel 25er from midwest. Works like a charm in just a few minutes.
50s are good if you have a really large (10 gallon plus) wort and brew kettle. Otherwise, the extra tubing just sticks up in the air and does....nothing.
Pez.
Wait a tick, given the exact same outflow temp, a 50' will cool much faster than a 25', even though they will both get you there, because the 50 foot is absorbing twice as much heat per second, no?
mine isn't but it's because i didn't use a paint can to mold it around I used something much narrower. But if i go up to doing larger batches I'll be all set with this. my 50footer cools in about 10 minutes flat. fortunately my tap water is about 45-50 degrees here in nyc in the winter.My 50 is completely submerged when I boil 6 gallons in my turkey fryer. It's probably closer to 45 though.
The coils have nothing to do with it. You just need to stir your wort about once every minute. That way the temp goes down evenly and quickly (if your cooling water is cold enough).
I'd just build your own. Even in today's high copper prices, I was able to buy a 20' loop of copper and all necessary ingredients for an immersion wort chiller for less than $50.
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