Counterflow Wort Chiller Build (and use)

[jtratcliff]

I'll price it all out with this. DIY is much more fun. Will let this thread know what I decide and how much it all costs.

For the fittings, I'm seeing $41.22+tax, store pick up at HomeDepot and $46.25+tax shipped at Amazon.

The Amazon total includes a 10 pack of hose clamps while the HD is only 4 single hose clamps

Sears often puts their 50ft craftsman rubber hose on sale for $19.99, w/ free in store pick up

So if you only count half the hose, or buy enough fittings to make 2 chillers, you're looking at $82+tax each from amazon/sears or $77+tax each HomeDepot/Sears. Shipping from HD adds $5.99.

NY Brew supply has one very close at $86+$12 shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004D50LO8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Tiber_Brew]

When I built mine about 7 years ago, I bought enough material to build three, and the cost each came out to about $46. Although, ours were only 15' each, instead of the more common 25'.

 

[wheineman]

For the fittings, I'm seeing $41.22+tax, store pick up at HomeDepot and $46.25+tax shipped at Amazon.

The Amazon total includes a 10 pack of hose clamps while the HD is only 4 single hose clamps

Sears often puts their 50ft craftsman rubber hose on sale for $19.99, w/ free in store pick up

So if you only count half the hose, or buy enough fittings to make 2 chillers, you're looking at $82+tax each from amazon/sears or $77+tax each HomeDepot/Sears. Shipping from HD adds $5.99.

NY Brew supply has one very close at $86+$12 shipping:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004D50LO8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I was gonna build another, but at that price, I am just buying it!

 

[jtratcliff]

I just ended up building one, but I used Polypropylene fittings instead of brass...

Amazon:
10 pack of hose barbs $3.36
10 pack of hose clamps $3.85
25' copper tubing $23.61
2 pack of 1/2" tee $1.90

Sears
50' Craftsman hose $19.99 (gotta wait for the sale)

Local Hardware store
2 brass compression fiittings ~$7 (couldn't find poly versions online*)

The prices fluctuate, but those were mine. So, that's almost $60... BUT with the multipacks & the other half of the 50' hose, I could build a 2nd one for about $33 more if I could get the same prices (2 more tee's, 1 more copper coil, 2 more compression)

bringing the costs to about $47-ish each for 2...



EDIT to Add
* while making the links, I actually found one... better price

 

[SilverZero]

I built a counterflow heat exchanger this week that I'm going to use for chilling and as a HERMS coil. 25' of 3/8" ID copper inside 3/4" PEX tubing. I went with PEX because the water being circulated will be at 160ish for mashing, and may be used as sparge water so I don't want leaching from a garden hose. Total cost was $60 if that, but I had most of the copper fittings on hand so that saved a few bucks.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showpost.php?p=7039558

 

[GQT]

Just asking for a quick update:
I searched the thread to see how you guys go around keeping the inside of the pipe aseptic. Learned some of you use iodophor and this sounds nice enough to me to follow, except I don't normally use iodophor in my setup. No big deal to start doing it, but I'd rather prefer to stick to the minimal number of chemicals.
I use peracetic acid (it is much cheaper in my location than Star San) and nearly boiling hot NaOH-based dishwasher liquid solution. (I also have and use Star San on rare occasions). Most of my sterilization is done by hot steam though. Well, NaOH doesn't go on well with copper, so it is the acids that I'd be most happy to use.
How safe is it and how well it does the job?

And btw, do you store the chillers with open ends? Or filled with sanitizer and sealed up? I'm a bit afraid something may start growing in a cozy damp and warm pipe between brews.

Thank you!

 

[JLeuck64]

Here's what I do. During brew day I boil some water and drain it through my CFC to sterilize it. When I am finished brewing for the day I will boil water again to drain through the CFC. Sometimes it will take a couple rounds of boiling water to clean out the old wort, it just depends on whether I did a double batch that day or a single batch. I make sure to get all of the water used for cleaning out of the coils and store it on the shelf (both ends open). The next time I brew I will do the same process over again. I am of the opinion this method will sanitize well, it's easy and efficient.

 

[SilverZero]

With the exception of air sucking in as it cools in the coil, it seems that storing it open should be fine based on Louis Pasteur's open broth flask experiment. Obviously you have to start with a clean coil, but still.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

I cap both ends of my chillers during storage to keep insects and spiders out.

 

[eba3317]

Just built one of these, how do you get the inside of the pipe dry? Put soapy water in to help prevent kinks while rolling and hours later every time I move it more water comes out

 

[JLeuck64]

Here is what I do to get the water out after a brew day. I boil about 4gal of water in my clean brew kettle. Then I let it drain through the CFC. The first 2 gallons I dump and the second 2 gallons I use to mop the floor (I am a messy cook LOL). Once it has finished draining it is actually pretty easy to get the remaining water out by gently... oscillating the CFC to help the water drain out? If that makes sense? Basically I hold the CFC in my hands while tipping it in a circular fashion, which helps the remaining water in the coils roll down hill... and eventually spills out the open end. It takes several revolutions but in a few minutes it will all empty out.
HTH

 

[eba3317]

Here is what I do to get the water out after a brew day. I boil about 4gal of water in my clean brew kettle. Then I let it drain through the CFC. The first 2 gallons I dump and the second 2 gallons I use to mop the floor (I am a messy cook LOL). Once it has finished draining it is actually pretty easy to get the remaining water out by gently... oscillating the CFC to help the water drain out? If that makes sense? Basically I hold the CFC in my hands while tipping it in a circular fashion, which helps the remaining water in the coils roll down hill... and eventually spills out the open end. It takes several revolutions but in a few minutes it will all empty out.
HTH

I did try that but maybe I spun it too fast. I'll have to experiment some more tomorrow. Thanks

 

[eba3317]

Double post

 

[eba3317]

Triple post oops

 

[Siberian]

Love what you did man, but I have a question, why Copper instead of Stainless? Thinking Longevity and Sanitation might be drawbacks here. =/

Copper is naturally anti microbial.

 

[stever1000]

Just thought I would update my build:

Installed on my brewing cart with a fabricated mount. Thermometer angled up for better viewing.

Rear view showing water inlet (bottom left) and outlet (upper right). Extended them to reduce the risk of dripping on the pump mounted on the lower shelf.

Final copper configuration.

Where did you get that thermometer from and how much was it?
Thanks

 

[Esmitee]

Chiller looks awesome. And I'd I have to say that joinery on your stand is 1st class! Nice to see that.

 

[Trippel-A]

That's beautiful!

 

[zippyclown]

A while back I read this post and it inspired me. Instead of running out to buy new copper tubing I just uncoiled my immersion chiller, lubed it up and ran it through an old garden hose. That was the easy part. The hard part was all of those fittings. You have to know how to solder or you'll have leaks and whatnot. Took me some tries but now I have a counterflow chiller and I also know how to solder copper pipes. Win win! Chills from 180 to like 80 at a rate of 1 gallon every 2-3 minutes. The smaller diameter tubing I think is what's holding me back from chilling colder & faster, but I spent literally $10 on the thing so I don't care.

Thanks for this post OP!!

zc

 

[raouliii]

Where did you get that thermometer from and how much was it?
Thanks

It's been a while but I believe I got it from Bobby_M at BrewHardware.com. https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/thermot24.htm

 

[raouliii]

Chiller looks awesome. And I'd I have to say that joinery on your stand is 1st class! Nice to see that.

Thanks. Half-lap joints can make even 2x4 construction presentable.

 

[Trippel-A]

Is there any benefit to the counterflow hose chiller vs a chiller plate? I know the latter could be more expensive, but it would take so much less space, yes?

 

[Tiber_Brew]

Is there any benefit to the counterflow hose chiller vs a chiller plate? I know the latter could be more expensive, but it would take so much less space, yes?

A tubular CFC has a circular cross section that doesn't tend to trap debris and microbes. A plate chiller has more surface area, and is thus more efficient, however at the cost of having "nooks and crannies." It's the irregular geometry of a plate chiller that give it more surface area, but also may trap unwanted material and microbes while also increasing risk for clogging during use.

Many people use both types with success. You must decide what's best for you.

 

[wbarber69]

Plate chillers are just as good. it's up to what you want/can afford. a plate chiller is only about 10-20 bucks more than building your own counterflow. microbes and what not, really aren't that big a deal. It's about what kind of space you have. that and a conterflow runs a bit faster is you use large enough tubing. it's not really apples and oranges, it's more about preference. I went with plate chillers because of convenience, then because I won a contest and got one 75 percent off. but if I had more from and didn't win that prize I would have built a counter flow

 

[Tiber_Brew]

microbes and what not, really aren't that big a deal

I disagree. There are a couple key differences that must be kept in mind when making your decision, and during use. Neither is a wrong choice, but they are not the same.

For example, one of the reasons I continue to use a CFC at home is so that I can recirculate through the chiller during whirlpool to cool the wort for hop stands, spices, etc. I would never recirculate hops or spices like orange peel through a plate chiller. If that capability isn't important to you, maybe consider buying a plate chiller.

FYI, there are a plethora of threads discussing CFC vs. plate chillers if you'd like to read more

 

[wbarber69]

I disagree. There are a couple key differences that must be kept in mind when making your decision, and during use. Neither is a wrong choice, but they are not the same.

For example, one of the reasons I continue to use a CFC at home is so that I can recirculate through the chiller during whirlpool to cool the wort for hop stands, spices, etc. I would never recirculate hops or spices like orange peel through a plate chiller. If that capability isn't important to you, maybe consider buying a plate chiller.

FYI, there are a plethora of threads discussing CFC vs. plate chillers if you'd like to read more

I recirculate through my plate chillers just fine, all it takes is a whirlpool and side pickup. if I go too heavy on the pellet hops I just use my hop infuser as a pre filter with rice hulls.

 

[Tiber_Brew]

I recirculate through my plate chillers just fine, all it takes is a whirlpool and side pickup.

I've personally witnessed that exact process clogging plate chillers, both on homebrew and commercial scales. By all means, if it works for you, keep it up. I would not formally recommend anyone recirculating hops or spices through plate chillers.

if I go too heavy on the pellet hops I just use my hop infuser as a pre filter with rice hulls.

I'd rather not concern myself with that, but it may just be me. It just seems unnecessary when you can have a worry free setup for cheaper.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

Ive had a couple of years trying to find the right filter process so my plate chiller doesn't get clogged and yes its a problem for any hoppy beer, now after all those tests Im considering a counterflow just so I can whirlpool while chilling, it just makes more sense

 

[Trippel-A]

I'm also trying to weigh my theoretical preference for a DIY solution with the reality of not having time to do it right, practice the welds, etc.

 

[jtratcliff]

You can always do it weldless... You pay a little more in fittings but you don't have to sweat any copper.