A little late to the party

[hiphopopotamus]

OK, I was going through some old threads here as I often do and I saw a mention of the WortWizard.

Curious, I looked it up. It sounds really cool. I don't have the money to put into a pump yet and this looked great since I already have a CFC and ferment in glass carboys.

However, their website is aweful and before I order I wanted to make sure I'd get what I paid for (and I didn't even know what I was paying for).

It doesn't say if it comes with any tubing or the aeration piece of it or just the venturi pump. I also saw some references to a DIY wort wizard here, but those threads are very old and most of the links are no good anymore.

Has anyone tried to get one of these recently, and what are your experiences. I'd love to get some of my heavy lifting removed from my brew day!

 

[Pappers_]

After looking at the website, I understand your hesitation. It doesn't give nearly enough info for me to be comfortable ordering one - I would call the number and talk to someone about the product.

Of course, I'm a little slow, so how the product works, especially how it works with the massive immersion chiller they also sell as a combo, may be obvious to others. I'm going to go read a very thin book with large letters now

 

[hiphopopotamus]

I used the form on the website to ask some questions and haven't heard back - of course if the website is that bad, the form may not work anyway. I should call.

I'm not opposed to making my own, It's just that I don't know if I can build one for less than what it costs to buy one assuming that it comes with the aeration piece. If it's just the pump/vacuum device then i can easily do it cheaper on my own. I'll give them a call later today. If I find out, I'll post again.

 

[BargainFittings]

After reading the howto it appears to be a pretty simple product.

Venturi with garden hose ports uses the chilling water from a water hose to pull a vacuum.

The vacuum is used with a two hole cap or stopper to suck the wort from your kettle through the chiller into the carboy.

 

[skippyf16]

I'm interested as well. Looks like a waterbed filler. Website too cheezy to take a chance or I'd order one.

 

[Mysticmead]

After looking at the website, I understand your hesitation. It doesn't give nearly enough info for me to be comfortable ordering one - I would call the number and talk to someone about the product.

Of course, I'm a little slow, so how the product works, especially how it works with the massive immersion chiller they also sell as a combo, may be obvious to others. I'm going to go read a very thin book with large letters now

that's not a massive immersion chiller.. it's a CFC, it's just all copper tubing instead of the normal copper inside of a garden hose. In theory it looks like a great idea. no pump needed. I've seen siphon setups before that use water to create a vacuum and siphon a liquid, but they all mixed that same liquid with the water. not sure how this would work. any videos of one in action?

 

[HomebrewMTB]

If you do a search, there is a thread on a DIY version with an aquarium product. You might also consider Flyguy's $3 DIY autosiphon.

 

[skippyf16]

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002DVTG4K/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Pappers_]

that's not a massive immersion chiller.. it's a CFC, it's just all copper tubing instead of the normal copper inside of a garden hose . . .

Of course, now I get it . . . as I said, I'm just a little dim . . .

 

[TheMan]

You can probably try contacting the guy in this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/racking-carboy-through-cfc-no-march-pump-259060/

He made his own for about $35. The thread was fairly recent. Not quite as cheap as the wort wizard, but for piece of mind it might be worth it to build yourself.

 

[skippyf16]

Cheaper:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HYOTW4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[skippyf16]

Same guy. Think it would work with plate chiller?

 

[TheMan]

If you can gravity feed through a plate chiller I expect that one of these would work as well.

 

[Mysticmead]

alright... after looking at a video in the https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/racking-carboy-through-cfc-no-march-pump-259060/ I get how it works... very kewl idea and something that I will probably be putting into action soon.

 

[hiphopopotamus]

So after speaking to Jim Brady, presumably the owner, I had much more confidence and he told me exactly what I needed to get the order in. The only problem at that point was that his site wouldn't allow me to pay him for it

Talked to him again today and we worked it out, I'll have it for my next brew. He's great to work with. The site is maintained by a friend of his, try not to hold it against him...

I'll post my results after using the product, but I have no reason to think it won't be everything it says it is and I expect it to be.

 

[hiphopopotamus]

Product arrived safely 3 days after placing the order. I'll be trying it out with boiling water next week. Fingers crossed!

 

[skippyf16]

Might as well heat up some PBW. Can never get the cfc coils too clean!

 

[skippyf16]

Got this today, gonna pull hot oxy thru the CFC this weekend.