counterflow chiller - Stainless or Copper.

[BrewKnob]

I've decided I'm abandoning the immersion chiller for an in line chiller. Already got an idea to drop it in my 10 gallon cylindrical cooler for a super-pre-chiller. The prospects of cleaning a plate chiller immediately after using rule it out (I just won't do it, at least not like it should) so I've settled on a counterflow.

I've been searching the archives and I can't quite pin down the pros and cons of each. Copper seems faster.

It seems there were a lot more folks looking to dump their stainless on here vs the copper ones. But that's anecdotal.

Anybody own both? recommendations?

 

[stz]

I made my own in copper and eventually ditched it in favour of a plate chiller. If I was buying one I'd go stainless all the way. The only thing that would put me off a stainless one would be if I had to make it myself! If it is sized correctly and the cooling water is cool enough then I cannot imagine the difference in speed to cool a typical brew should be the deciding factor. They are easier to keep clean than a plate chiller.

On the plate chiller thing I make up some hot caustic or cold chlorinated caustic on brew day in a bucket and recirculate it via my filter, pump and plate chiller. I leave this running while I'm getting everything setup and mashed in. Later before hooking it up to the kettle I let it pump out clean water. The caustic I reserve for later and usually use a bit to clean various things. I used to add some sanitiser to the final bit of water and connect it up full of sanitiser, opening the valve to the kettle and discarding the first bit run off, but now I just run off the water after opening the valve and when I see wort connect it up as a whirlpool and allow it to pump boiling wort for the last 5 minutes of the boil. Once I am done collecting I just let the system recirculate the caustic again while I finish cleaning up and packing stuff away. Finally let it pump some clean water again before putting it away.

It sounds like more work than it is, it is very routine now. It works, but I'm sure if I was to cut the chiller in half I'd find a horrible mess. Every 'clean' paraflow I've ever seen stripped down was horrendous inside. You really have to have good filtering in the kettle and inline. You can't send them bits. Ideally a hop back where you can monitor flow and provide a head for the pump.

 

[beermanpete]

Go with the stainless steel if you have any thoughts about moving toward LODO brewing practices. The difference in thermal efficiency is not a big deal and can be offset by a slower wort flow rate or a larger heat exchanger.

 

[milldoggy]

I have both, copper chillzilla and stainless version. Copper definitely faster but I recirc to around 140 so the diff for me was not signafigant.

If you go copper, I can sell you my old one, just sitting in my shelf.