Creative Cooling Ideas for Small Batch Brewing?

[forestGeek]

I've been cooling my 1-2 Gallon batches with ice baths, but would like to brew 3 gallon batches and ice doesn't seem as practical with that size. Immersion chillers seem a bit overkill the that size. I am considering maybe a plate chiller, gravity fed, but not sure that would work. Anyone have any creative ideas or methods they use for small batches?

 

[JLeuck64]

Sounds like you are at the precipice... of moving towards 5gal batches ( ;

 

[Pkrd]

I use a home made immersion chiller for my 10L batches. Great speedup for brew night.

 

[AZCoolerBrewer]

I have been brewing 2 1 gallon fermentors in my igloo ice cube 60 qt. cooler. I started with my first single gallon batch in early October. My house was set at 78. We were still using the air conditioner because even in October it is unreasonably hot in Phoenix. Back then I would put a lunch sized plastic blue ice thing and it would keep my cooler at 62 degrees (twice a day). With my house set to 72 now that it is winter my cooler stays a balmy 68 degrees next to the window. It doesn't take much of an ice pack to bring it down to 63 when I am fermenting, just an envelope sized one now.

As far as going to three gallons. With my setup, I saw some brown "tap a draft" 1.5 gallon jugs that I have considered going to, but you would have to find some sort of base to put them in since they are designed to lay on their sides. Maybe a cross stitch hoop or something. Also, it would get pretty cramped in the cooler with a glass for blow off and I was very concerned that the air locks would be too much to close the lid, although I suppose you could just leave the blow off tubes on for the whole time.

 

[Calichusetts]

I ice bath my 3.5 gallon batches. Takes about 20-25 minutes but you need a decent amount of ice.

I also use an ice cube cooler when my basement temps are not in line with what I need. The lid will not close with a 5 gallon carboy. I have a large cardboard box that I slide over all of it to seal it up. Works well, only have to change out ice bottles twice a day.

 

[RevA]

Ice brick ice bath. I cool the water to just above freezing before putting kettle into,the water and then change the bricks often

 

[JonM]

I used an immersion chiller when I did 2.5 gallon batches, and it wasn't overkill at all. AND I was able to use the IC when I stepped up to 5 gallon batches.

Just get one of those little adapters that lets you thread a barb on to the kitchen faucet (I assume you brew on the stovetop) and it's a snap.

 

[cubalz]

subscribed.

 

[dlutter]

I'm going the opposite way as you. I went from 5 gal, to 3, and no am considering going down to 1-2 gal batches. For my 3 gal brews I go with the immersion chiller and put the kettle in an ice bath (while keeping the chiller running) once wort temp drop starts to slow significantly (somewhere around 100-120 F).

 

[joshesmusica]

If you ever see yourself upgrading to a 5 gal system, I would just go with the immersion chiller.

If you plan on sticking with three gallons and your pot fits in your sink, just stick with the ice bath. One way to make better use of the ice is to let your sink run on the coolest it can get for about 15 mins. Wait until you're about 10-15 degrees above your ground water temp, and then start adding the ice. Adding it to 200F water will just make it melt right away and you end up wasting a lot of ice this way.

 

[wilserbrewer]

The nightly low temperature in Seattle this time of year is about 40 degrees. Set your kettle w/ lid on the back porch and pitch yeast in the morning.

no chill in the kettle....done

 

[mongoose33]

The nightly low temperature in Seattle this time of year is about 40 degrees. Set your kettle w/ lid on the back porch and pitch yeast in the morning.

no chill in the kettle....done

Doesn't that mean no cold break?

 

[IslandLizard]

... If you plan on sticking with three gallons and your pot fits in your sink, just stick with the ice bath. One way to make better use of the ice is to let your sink run on the coolest it can get for about 15 mins. Wait until you're about 10-15 degrees above your ground water temp, and then start adding the ice. Adding it to 200F water will just make it melt right away and you end up wasting a lot of ice this way.

This ^. Don't waste so much ice!

It's easy to get down from 212F to around a 80-100F with regular tap water, depending on your ground water temp. I collect the hot/warm chilling effluent in 2 large buckets and use it to wash the equipment.

For 3 gallon full boil batches I'd build a copper immersion chiller optimized for the wort level in your kettle. Perhaps a double coil to increase the exchange surface. Agitating the coil in the wort helps to speed up the chilling process. A gravity fed plate chiller would work too, but that's more equipment to clean and sanitize. And you'd need a trub filter, use hop bags or a hop spider to prevent it getting clogged with hop pulp.

 

[jlinz]

+1 JonM. I make 2.5 gallon batches and use a regular immersion chiller hooked to my sink. No problem at all and it gets the job done fast.

 

[RevA]

Doesn't that mean no cold break?

Even without cold break you can make a great beer. Tastes a little different, but not bad.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

IC all the way!

 

[dstockwell]

I do 3.25G batches and chill in the kitchen sink. I fill the sink twice with just water, then on the third time I use some water and 20lbs of ice. Takes at least 50 minutes to chill.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Doesn't that mean no cold break?

Maybe the cold break is moved from kettle to keg, I get nice clear beer after a week or two in a cold keg.

No chill in the kettle works well for me. I do wait a bit and add a last hop addition around 170 degrees, then lid the kettle.

 

[forestGeek]

I've been finding I use a bag of ice per gallon for wort, and it takes 20-30 minutes to cool. I can really only fit 1-2 bags of ice in my freezer. This is definitely the way to go for the 1-2 gallon batches.

I ask this question because I recently bought an Anvil 5.5gal kettle, which will barely fit in my sink, with little room for ice, and the ball valve and thermometer will be submerged. I might need to go with an immersion chiller, but was tossing around the idea of a gravity fed plate chiller or counterflow setup to make things quicker. Anyone know if this would this work gravity fed, or would I need a pump? would the chiller be tough to clean without a pump? I also like this idea so I can whirlpool and not disturb the wort, so I get less trub in the fermenter.

I do have a dedicated temp controlled mini fridge for fermentation, and had thought about no chill, but still need to look into the pros and cons of that.

I'm definitely inching my way to 5 gallon batches, but as long as I live in this small apartment, I think 3 gallons is my max.

 

[juskojj]

i started and still do 1 gallon batches, i've also done a 3 gallon batch as well. i made my self and IC and have had no issues with it, gets things done pretty fast. I hook mine up to the sink and away i go. i'm now thinking of making another one and putting it in an ice bath as a pre-chiller to increase the temperature differential. oh i just sized my coil to the pot i was using....

 

[forestGeek]

i started and still do 1 gallon batches, i've also done a 3 gallon batch as well. i made my self and IC and have had no issues with it, gets things done pretty fast. I hook mine up to the sink and away i go. i'm now thinking of making another one and putting it in an ice bath as a pre-chiller to increase the temperature differential. oh i just sized my coil to the pot i was using....

I like the idea of making one to fit my needs. Where's a good place to find the materials and instructions to make my own?

 

[Psylocide]

Even without cold break you can make a great beer. Tastes a little different, but not bad.

Haha... whut?

No chill in the kettle OP, just don't forget the whirlfloc in the boil, will clear up crystal.

 

[mongoose33]

I've been finding I use a bag of ice per gallon for wort, and it takes 20-30 minutes to cool. I can really only fit 1-2 bags of ice in my freezer. This is definitely the way to go for the 1-2 gallon batches.

I ask this question because I recently bought an Anvil 5.5gal kettle, which will barely fit in my sink, with little room for ice, and the ball valve and thermometer will be submerged. I might need to go with an immersion chiller, but was tossing around the idea of a gravity fed plate chiller or counterflow setup to make things quicker. Anyone know if this would this work gravity fed, or would I need a pump? would the chiller be tough to clean without a pump? I also like this idea so I can whirlpool and not disturb the wort, so I get less trub in the fermenter.

I do have a dedicated temp controlled mini fridge for fermentation, and had thought about no chill, but still need to look into the pros and cons of that.

I'm definitely inching my way to 5 gallon batches, but as long as I live in this small apartment, I think 3 gallons is my max.

I faced the same thing--how am I going to chill a 5.5-gallon batch? Same problem as you--8-gallon megapot w/ ball valve and thermometer, don't want to submerge.

I also didn't want a system that would be more difficult to clean, like a plate or counterflow chiller, so I ended up with the immersion chiller. It is very easy to clean.

I may, at some point, use a pump to recirculate cold/ice water through the immersion chiller using another immersion chiller in series with the one in the pot, but that's down the line.

 

[Psylocide]

I faced the same thing--how am I going to chill a 5.5-gallon batch? Same problem as you--8-gallon megapot w/ ball valve and thermometer, don't want to submerge.

I also didn't want a system that would be more difficult to clean, like a plate or counterflow chiller, so I ended up with the immersion chiller. It is very easy to clean.

I may, at some point, use a pump to recirculate cold/ice water through the immersion chiller using another immersion chiller in series with the one in the pot, but that's down the line.

I no chill 11 gal batches in the kettle, in my garage. Winter/summer/spring... doesn't matter.

Actually, now that I've started fermenting in buckets, just put the hot wort right in the bucket and let it chill in there.

I've waited up to 48 hrs to get to pitching temps.

I don't know why people get so hung up on quick-chilling. It just isn't necessary.

 

[ArcLight]

1. Do NOT use ice right away
2. Place the pot in the sink with cold water.
3. It will cool faster if you can stir it, or just slosh it around a bit. It will rapidly drop to 120ish
4. Once it's dropped down to 120 or so, replace the water with fresh cool water.
5. Once it drops to 100, replace the water again, and add your ice

Or just put the pot in the sink, cool it for a while. Drain, add cold water, and add ice.

 

[wilserbrewer]

.



I don't know why people get so hung up on quick-chilling. It just isn't necessary.

Yes I agree, I own an IC, but opt not to use it. In the summer it won't get me to pitching temps anyway, so it sits on a shelf. I don't enjoy using it so I opt to "no chill". Yes, whirlfloc at 5 min to flame out coagulates the proteins pretty well, I get clear beer after a week or two in the keezer. View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1452720479.385229.jpg

I have extra freezer space in my keg fridge, so I keep a half dozen 2 liter bottles of water frozen, when my wort gets down to around 100, I sanitize a few ice bottles and toss them in the kettle to get me to pitching temps. Very crude yes, but it's easy and works well.

 

[Psylocide]

Yeah... I just let it get down to pitching temp on its own.

Wonder how much clearer I could get with a good cold break.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1452721434.757743.jpg

 

[mongoose33]

I no chill 11 gal batches in the kettle, in my garage. Winter/summer/spring... doesn't matter.

Actually, now that I've started fermenting in buckets, just put the hot wort right in the bucket and let it chill in there.

I've waited up to 48 hrs to get to pitching temps.

I don't know why people get so hung up on quick-chilling. It just isn't necessary.

Well, we're hung up on it because it's supposed to be good practice!

But maybe not. My first thought here was that this would be a great chance for an experiment, but then I thought, "Hey! I wonder if Marshall the Brulosopher has done this?"

And guess what? He has. It's labeled "part 1" as if there are further exbeeriments, but I could only find the one; here it is:

http://brulosophy.com/2015/11/09/cooling-the-wort-pt-1-no-chill-vs-quick-chill-exbeeriment-results/

The short version: there is a difference but both beers were deemed to be delicious. Now I'm wondering about the need, and I think I'll be doing one of these tests myself.

FWIW: for all the exbeeriments, different results may occur depending on the type of beer brewed. Would there be little difference in result with the kind of ales I prefer? I don't know, and it's a great idea to test.

FWIW, II: if cooling doesn't in fact affect the result meaningfully, then the only other reason I can think to cool fast is so as to drop the wort to a reasonable pitching temperature, so we can move on to other things.

 

[Psylocide]

Well, we're hung up on it because it's supposed to be good practice!

But maybe not. My first thought here was that this would be a great chance for an experiment, but then I thought, "Hey! I wonder if Marshall the Brulosopher has done this?"

And guess what? He has. It's labeled "part 1" as if there are further exbeeriments, but I could only find the one; here it is:

http://brulosophy.com/2015/11/09/cooling-the-wort-pt-1-no-chill-vs-quick-chill-exbeeriment-results/

The short version: there is a difference but both beers were deemed to be delicious. Now I'm wondering about the need, and I think I'll be doing one of these tests myself.

FWIW: for all the exbeeriments, different results may occur depending on the type of beer brewed. Would there be little difference in result with the kind of ales I prefer? I don't know, and it's a great idea to test.

FWIW, II: if cooling doesn't in fact affect the result meaningfully, then the only other reason I can think to cool fast is so as to drop the wort to a reasonable pitching temperature, so we can move on to other things.

I guess the difference for me is so negligible that I don't care... my process is what it is, I've tweaked it over many batches to the point that I know what to expect from my system.

Therefore, recipes can be tweaked if need be.

I've never experimented with side-by-side batches, and really don't feel the need to. I get great feedback from brewers and non-brewers alike, so for me, no chill is the way to go.

Even more so if I was making really small batches. The time invested to make a small batch wouldn't be 'worth it' for me now... and definitely not if I had to mess around with chilling, clean the chiller, what-have-you.

 

[juskojj]

I like the idea of making one to fit my needs. Where's a good place to find the materials and instructions to make my own?

you can get your copper tubing anywhere they sell plumbing supplies like mendards, lowes, home depot ect....

i'd highly recommend a small tubing bender (if your very careful you don't need one). i wouldn't go with anything less than 20ft of tubing. the only other thing you'll need is a cylinder of the diameter that will fit in your boil kettle/pot, i used a 1 gallon paint can, others have used a 5 gallon bucket.

for actually making it, look at a picture of one and try to duplicate it. basically leave enough straight section for the entry and exit to raise above your pot and then slowly bend the pipe around your cylinder to make the coils. that's the basics.... if you google immersion cooler DIY you'll find plenty of step by step instructions too.

here is an image of a really simple one that would be easy to duplicate and make.

 

[wilserbrewer]

25' 3/8 OD copper IC $50.00 shipped (w/ nice end fittings at hose connections)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Homebrew-Im...277298?hash=item1e9a737732:g:rsoAAOSwNSxU9JVG

I would just suggest shopping around a bit, sometimes buying prebuilt is economical compared to perhaps overpaying for the tubing and DIY. IME proper copper to hose connections are of value compared to tubing clamps. Ask anyone that has had a coolant line blow off and water down their beer...don't do that lol.

other options that caught my eye...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wort-Chille...699179?hash=item41983846ab:g:WvQAAOSwjVVVgt5x

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Immersion-W...871402?hash=item33afdda82a:g:yR0AAOSwNyFWgWAR

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Challenger-...194275?hash=item1ea88345e3:g:bqUAAOSwZ1lWbxo1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-S...437659?hash=item4399efc9db:g:oUYAAOSwHQ9WYfXL

 

[juskojj]

25' 3/8 OD copper IC $50.00 shipped (w/ nice end fittings at hose connections)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Homebrew-Im...277298?hash=item1e9a737732:g:rsoAAOSwNSxU9JVG

I would just suggest shopping around a bit, sometimes buying prebuilt is economical compared to perhaps overpaying for the tubing and DIY. IME proper copper to hose connections are of value compared to tubing clamps. Ask anyone that has had a coolant line blow off and water down their beer...don't do that lol.

other options that caught my eye...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wort-Chille...699179?hash=item41983846ab:g:WvQAAOSwjVVVgt5x

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Immersion-W...871402?hash=item33afdda82a:g:yR0AAOSwNyFWgWAR

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Challenger-...194275?hash=item1ea88345e3:g:bqUAAOSwZ1lWbxo1

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-S...437659?hash=item4399efc9db:g:oUYAAOSwHQ9WYfXL

true in some cases.... but i built mine(same specs as the one for $50, minus the fittings) for not much more than $20 for the copper tubing.... if i would add the fittings it would have put me up to $30 tops..... still saving $20. also those tubing clamps as long as they are tightened down are not going to blow off if your just hooking up to your faucet or even a low GPM pump... you need fairly high pressure.... yes threaded is stronger.... all depending on your application....

 

[radwizard]

I use an immersion chiller for small batches. It is super easy and It helps me if adding FO hops at different temps... Also after brewing I just wanna get it all finished and tucked away. I have a system down and just go with it because I am happy with the result.
I agree that you don't have to chill though. There are several places you can clean up your beer after brew day. I just don't see why it your procedure should differ due to batch size...

 

[Arbe0]

how about using a smaller fridge or freezer with a carboy heat wrap and a STC-1000 to control the temperatures. this is what I use and it works great.
The STC-1000 can be bought at Amazon also the heat wrap at amazon on any supply store for brewing. You will need to do a little wiring but it isn't bad.

 

[joshesmusica]

Where is all this ferment temp control stuff coming from? OP never asked about that. Only about chilling after the boil.

 

[Yesfan]

Just pitch the yeast at flame out. Fermentation will be done in two hours, and then you could bottle or keg it in another 3 hours. BOOM. Done.



Not to get too off topic, but instead of buying one of those cubes that was mentioned in the Brulosophy link (great link BTW), could one just use a spare keg for the no chill method?

 

[cjbalough]

Try a flowing water bath....when I was doing partial boils (3 gal for a 5 gal batch) I did it in my kitchen sink. My larger sink bowl would flow into the smaller one, I would just let the water run fairly slowly on cold. Also did the same in the driveway or bathtub using a Rubbermaid tote with a large hole strategy drilled to keep the water level where I wanted it.

Worked about as well an the immersion coil I now use In fell boil batches.

 

[Psylocide]

Just pitch the yeast at flame out. Fermentation will be done in two hours, and then you could bottle or keg it in another 3 hours. BOOM. Done.



Not to get too off topic, but instead of buying one of those cubes that was mentioned in the Brulosophy link (great link BTW), could one just use a spare keg for the no chill method?

I don't see why not, but I do it either right in the kettle (lid on after flameout, walk away) or right in the bucket. Hot wort goes in, lid goes on.

 

[wilserbrewer]

those tubing clamps as long as they are tightened down are not going to blow off if your just hooking up to your faucet or even a low GPM pump... you need fairly high pressure.... yes threaded is stronger.... all depending on your application....

I believe what happens when just using a hose clamp to connect the vinyl tubing to the copper tubing is that the clamp is secure when the vinyl tubing is cold, but as it heats up it softens considerably and can leak. I've had it happen, and havle also read many reports here of leaking chillers. Constantly checking the connection will certainly help to avoid a leak, just my opinion, a proper plumbing connection at the chiller is worth a few extra bucks.

 

[wilserbrewer]

those tubing clamps as long as they are tightened down are not going to blow off if your just hooking up to your faucet or even a low GPM pump... you need fairly high pressure.... yes threaded is stronger.... all depending on your application....

I believe what happens when just using a hose clamp to connect the vinyl tubing to the copper tubing is that the clamp is secure when the vinyl tubing is cold, but as it heats up it softens considerably and can leak. I've had it happen, and have also read many reports here of leaking chillers. Constantly checking the connection will certainly help to avoid a leak, just my opinion, a proper plumbing connection at the chiller is worth a few extra bucks if you wanna do it right the 1st time.