Cool That Wort!! Cool That Wort!! What Works For You?

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

...turn on the hose and occasionally swirl the IC around every few minutes.

Although it seems my IC leaks a bit were the hose meets the copper (stupid washer machine style screw clamps) I'm gonna gets some 3/8 flex and a couple compression fittings to extend out the lengths a bit

+1 on this. When I cooled my last batch I noticed the water at the output from the IC started off very hot, then cooled to tap temps within seconds. I swirled the pot gently and the output water ran hot for a few seconds then cool again.

The moral of the story is if you're not moving either the IC or the wort, you're not cooling efficiently with an IC. If you think it takes forever to cool your wort, try gently rocking the pot the whole time you're cooling.

-Joe

I want to build one of these one day. It is easy like a regular IC, but it also moves the wort around in a nice whirlpool so the trub settles well in the centre.

 

[FireBrewer]

I want to build one of these one day. It is easy like a regular IC, but it also moves the wort around in a nice whirlpool so the trub settles well in the centre.

Heard a lot of happy homebrewers using that technique. Cools pretty quickly, helps get trub and hops to the center, helps preserve hop flavor, helps reduce DMS production, etc. Not recommended though, if you use a hop stopper or your pick-up is in the center of the kettle.

I use a pump and a plate chiller. Works great.

 

[Jidas]

I bought a Blichmann Therminator (plate chiller) last month. It wasn't the most economical choice but I was tired of dealing with the cleanup and clutter of the IC I was using. The water is really cold where I live so I can cool a 10 gal batch from boiling to 70F in about 5 to 10 min (just depends on how fast i can drain my wort through it. You can cool it to less than that if you turn up the water pressure. And with a name like the Therminator how can you resist. Definitely worth checking out.

Anyone else use one?

Therminator Home

 

[PseudoChef]

I use a Shirron and swear by it, even with gravity. I don't care about the cold break getting in the fermentor, either. And I use the hanging hop-bag as a filter.

I may set up a recirc when I get the money for a pump (because I want to recirc mashes anyway) but for now it's stupid easy to use. 5 gallons in < 10 minutes. I backflush immediately afterward and then bake at 500 for about an hour. I bake again the night before brewday.

 

[Slappy White]

The therminator is on my wishlist...heard great things but no personal experience.

 

[Chupacabras]

I use a CFC I made using phil's phittings. Gravity fed, it works like a charm. I've got a ball valve on the side of the kettle that I rig up with a copper or SS scrubbie. After I whirlpool, it keeps most of the break and all of the hops out of the fermenter. Plus it drops the wort down to 65 in 15 minutes.

 

[MN_Jay]

My IC can get me to 75 degrees in 8 minutes. At least my well water is good for something, certainly not for brewing - its about 50-55 degrees out of the faucet so it cools in a hurry. The key is to stir the wort as it's cooling. I stir continuously for those 8 minutes.

 

[nchomebrew]

Interesting. What kind of times do you get?

not sure. i've never timed it. i guess i was just happy i didn't have to do the ice thing. i'll time it next time. maybe even take a pic.