Immersion Chiller vs. Counterflow Chiller

I'm looking at adding one or the other to my arsenal but I can't decide which one. I've read that CF chillers are more efficient, but isn't the point of fast chilling to get a cold break in the wort and leaving the precipitates out of the boil kettle? Would the benefit be lost in a CF chiller since all the wort is transferred to your boil kettle, precipitates and all?

 

I think many breweries use something like a CF chiller - at least they chill while transferring from one vessel to another. They probably filter too.

I went from a CF chiller to an immersion chiller because I didn't like not seeing if the tubing was clean. I also found the CF chiller hard to drain completely, which compounded said worries. By switching to the immersion chiller I don't need to worry about the answer to your question

 

All the breweries I've seen use large industrial sized plate chillers. I use an immersion chiller because I like the idea of dropping the entire boil volume below 140F as fast as possible to limit DMS concerns. Seems like CF/plate would leave larger volume above 140 for as long as it takes you to transfer...but lots of people use them, including breweries, so my guess is it's not an issue either way?

 

Just my 2 pence... I have been using a counterflow type chiller for quite a while and wanted to build a nice counterflow chiller so took my old Frankenstein one apart and had to cut the copper tubing in a f spots and let me tell ya it was sparkling clean inside after like 250 brews going through it and I never did anything special for cleaning other than flushing and sanitizing. As far as draining mine drains completely with gravity 40" coil too. But when I get a pump I plan on flushing it with my o2 setup.

Ya every brewery I've been to or seen or whatnot has used a large counterflow plate style chiller. But as far as chilling the whole volume quickly if you have a pump than what most people do is to re circulate through the counterflow chiller back into the kettle until the whole volume is chilled and then transfer to the fermenters. I d not do this yet as I do not have a pump yet but one brewer I know gets his 10g batches down to pitching temps in around 3-6 min depending on the time of year!

 

Do not bother with plates. They are total overkill for all but half and full barrel setups. Immersion coolers are cheap and easy to make if you are going to make it or easy to buy if you are going to buy it.

I have never had a problem with mine in a 5G setup after years. Copper is never bad for beer either.

 

A stainless steel IC is hard to beat at $50.00. Used mine on many beers in the past two years and loved it.

I would go this route first. You will wonder how you lived without it. One bit tip - remember to stir your wort occasionally so it it swirls around the coils.

If the choice is to get the IC now or to save up for the CF, then get the immersion chiller today!
Pez

EDIT - That being said, I'm thinking of a counterflow chiller with a built in oxygen system for the future....

 

Immersion chillers rock I have no problems cooling wort down to pitching temps and wouldn't even think of buying a plate chiller.

 

Immersion all the way. You can easily upgrade to this later too. http://www.mrmalty.com/chiller.php

moving the chiller around is almost as effective as Jamil's method and you don't need to clean hoses or a pump.