Immersion Chiller or a Chillzilla?

[RLinNH]

I did a search and I didn't find anything anserwing my question, so here it goes. Today, as I was chilling my 12 gallons of Brown Porter with my immersion chiller, I noticed a crack in the copper. I know that it's from age and improper handling, but anywho, out came the Teflon tape and theDuct tape. It was an immediate fix for the problem, but I don't want to fix it permanately. I'll be giving away my immersion chiller to someone in my LHBC, but now to the question.

I like the chillzilla, but what elso would I need to make it work? I already have a March pump that I use to pump my wort from my Boiler into the Carboys (getting older and picking up 12 gallons of wort onto my brewstand is getting a tad risky these days for a gravity feed). I know what to expect from a new immersion chiller as I have been using one now for going on 7 years. But, the counter flow Chillzilla is grabbing my attention. Only thing that worries me is clogging. I don't think I'll have an issue as I do use a hop bag in my Boiler. But, what else would I need in order for a Chillzilla to work? I have never used or even seen a counter flow chiller in action, but the quick chilling does intrigue me. Especially as I have moved in the last 12 months and I have gone from an artesian well over to a City supply for water. In the dog days of summer here in MA, I can only get my Wort down to 78-76 degrees, and what I have heard and read from the counter flow folks is that chilling a beer with a counter flow is almost instant. What do you think? Another immersion chiller for me, or go with a Chillzilla?

 

[HometownHoosier]

I have been asking myself the same questions. I am about to make the leap ten gallon batches and I think I see a CFC in my future. Since you already have the pump, you have the option of an IC c/ whirlpool or the CFC. A lot of people are happy with both these setups.

The main thing that is pushing me towards the CFC is that it focuses the cooling on the wort. The IC has to cool the wort and the kettle. Also, the CFC is more conservative when it comes to water usage. But the CFC could make it difficult to accurately hit your desired temp, and there is the hop utilization debate. After I laid it out, I decided to go the CFC route.

I don't think either is perfect, but both do the job. Let us know what you choose.

 

[Captain_Bigelow]

I like my Jamil-o-chiller. I can cool my 5 gallon batches in less than 15 minutes and my ground water is warm where I live.
http://www.wortomatic.com/php/articles.php?ID=11

I had www.nybrewsupply.com custom make me one and it was about $100.

 

[Tom]

shirron plate chiller

 

[ScubaSteve]

I have a chillzilla and it's pretty awesome. Never had a problem with it; the only time it clogged was when I used about 5 oz whole hops in the boil.....and then I just used hose pressure to blow it out. It's a good piece of gear.....I like it because it's somewhere in between an IC and plate chiller.....the best of both worlds.....and they're actually more expensive than the therminator now, can you believe it?

 

[Reelale]

I did a search and I didn't find anything anserwing my question, so here it goes. Today, as I was chilling my 12 gallons of Brown Porter with my immersion chiller, I noticed a crack in the copper. I know that it's from age and improper handling, but anywho, out came the Teflon tape and theDuct tape. It was an immediate fix for the problem, but I don't want to fix it permanately. I'll be giving away my immersion chiller to someone in my LHBC, but now to the question.

I like the chillzilla, but what elso would I need to make it work? I already have a March pump that I use to pump my wort from my Boiler into the Carboys (getting older and picking up 12 gallons of wort onto my brewstand is getting a tad risky these days for a gravity feed). I know what to expect from a new immersion chiller as I have been using one now for going on 7 years. But, the counter flow Chillzilla is grabbing my attention. Only thing that worries me is clogging. I don't think I'll have an issue as I do use a hop bag in my Boiler. But, what else would I need in order for a Chillzilla to work? I have never used or even seen a counter flow chiller in action, but the quick chilling does intrigue me. Especially as I have moved in the last 12 months and I have gone from an artesian well over to a City supply for water. In the dog days of summer here in MA, I can only get my Wort down to 78-76 degrees, and what I have heard and read from the counter flow folks is that chilling a beer with a counter flow is almost instant. What do you think? Another immersion chiller for me, or go with a Chillzilla?

Regardless of the chiller used, it is physically impossible to get the wort temperature any lower than the temperature of the cooling water. People that claim one-pass chilling have cold water. I use a plate chiller, and I have to use my old immersion chiller as a pre-chiller in a bucket of ice water. I think that I may start using a pond pump to circulate ice water into the plate chiller directly, as it is much more efficient. I've used both, and I do prefer the plate chiller. It knocks off the 1st 100 degrees quite fast.

 

[RLinNH]

shirron plate chiller

Do you have one? I gotta ask. Why is it better then the Therminator?

 

[RLinNH]

I've made my mind up. I'm sticking with old faithful and going with another Immersion Chiller. I know what to expect from an Immersion Chiller, don't need to learn how to use something new in the brewery, and really don't want to have to deal with sanitizing the Chillzilla prior to use.

 

[Tom]

Do you have one? I gotta ask. Why is it better then the Therminator?

You can buy 2 Shirrons for the pr$ce of one Therminator. I have a Therminator and another plate chiller. In the Winter, one plate chiller is enough. In the Summer I need to double up and recirculate ice water in a 2nd chiller.

 

[Bluesssman]

I love my Shirron and it works great in all temperature situations. I do have 55 degree water available no matter what the temperature outside might be and that helps.

 

[paulthenurse]

I used an immersion chiller forever and was always happy with it. Then I made a counterflow chiller and fell in love. From boiling wort to 75*F coming out. I did have one problem with a clog on a recent brew but that was just another in an endless list of things that went wrong that day. (The problem wasn't with the CFC, I wasn't paying attention to my brew on the Masstoberfest Brew Day and ended up with around 15 gallons of preboil volume. I ended up splitting it in two and boiled half in my regular brew kettle and half in another kettle that didn't have a screen. Of course I didn't use a hop sock and sucked a hop cone into the CFC right off the bat.)

I made the CFC for around $50. The 3/8 inch copper tubing came in 50 foot rolls so I made two and sold one.

PTN

 

[RLinNH]

Foound a sweet deal on a new 50 foot, 1/2 inch immersion chiller. Going to break her in tonight. Even better, I get to use my old chiller as a Pre Chiller seeing as I want to get the wort down to about 45 degrees. Wish me luck.

 

[fishnuttoo]

what was the sweet deal on a 50 ft chiller?