Do I need a wort chiller for a 4 gallon batch size?

[OobleckMooBanana]

I'm moving up from extract to do 4 gallon all grain BIAB with my 7.5 gallon kettle. Before I did a snow/saltwater bath in my sink and it took quite a while to cool, and i only got it down to 80F or so.

Best deal I could find was $40 for the 25' and I don't really want to spend that considering I'm already buy a couple batches worth of grain/hops/yeast.

 

[shaneshepherd]

I'm moving up from extract to do 4 gallon all grain BIAB with my 7.5 gallon kettle. Before I did a snow/saltwater bath in my sink and it took quite a while to cool, and i only got it down to 80F or so.

Best deal I could find was $40 for the 25' and I don't really want to spend that considering I'm already buy a couple batches worth of grain/hops/yeast.

I think the ice water bath is the most inexpensive and simplest cooling method...however, it will also take the longest.

The immersion chiller is probably your second cheapest method. The faster you want to cool your wort, generally the more expensive it will be.

You should be able to get your wort below 80º if you have enough ice and you're willing to wait a little longer though.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[FirstAidBrewing]

Were you doing partial boils with extract? If so, and you are moving up to full boils, you'll be surprised how much longer it takes to cool. Given that, I suggest the wort chiller.

it is one of those pieces of equipment were, as soon as I got it, I said to myself "Why the heck didn't I get one of these sooner." Saves a LOT of time and I'm pretty sure it has also helped my beer clarity.

 

[photobru]

I made a 50' chiller for 5 gallon batches and it takes my wort down to pitching temp in 15 minutes or less vs close to an hour for an ice bath. Plus you will see the cold break form and drop out before your eyes.

The 50' was overkill btw, I'd probably get similar results with a 25' since after the first 5 min I get mostly cold water coming out anyway

 

[Transamguy77]

I'm with Firstaid on this one, I did an ice bath for my first couple of brews and then got an IC and I couldn't be happier, it was a "so glad I got this" moment. If you get one you won't regret it.

 

[madscientist451]

Save 1/2 gallon milk jugs and 1 liter soda bottles, fill with water and freeze. Get a metal washtub or large plastic tub of some kind, set it outside with cold tap water while you are brewing, I do late hop additons
so I stir and then let it sit in the kitchen for 20 minutes, then put it out and it goes in the washtub with frozen jugs. Have a bucket of cold water ready, after 1/2 hr dump the washtub and replace with water and more frozen jugs. You should put the lid on when the temp drops down to 170-160. I usually brew late in the day or in the evening and let it sit out and then siphon to bucket or carboy and pitch the yeast in the AM. Sometimes I'll pull a quart of wort and chill that in a small pot in the sink and use that for a small starter then pitch the whole starter in the morning. If its really cold be careful you don't freeze the whole pot and washtub, I almost did that this winter, good luck.

 

[Rev2010]

Get the IC. Really, is $40 or $50 bucks that much? When you calculate in the time you waste waiting for an ice bath to cool your wort you'll find $50 over not even more than one year more than makes up for the cost of your wasted time.


Rev.

 

[RM-MN]

The absolute cheapest way to chill the wort is to let it cool naturally in the air. Of course, this takes the longest and that extra time near boiling can affect the late addition hops and their contribution to the bitterness, flavoring, and aroma and that has to be accommodated but the chilling does come at no cost. What seems to be the fastest is a counterflow chiller that can have the wort at pitching temperature by the time the wort hits the fermenter but it does come at a cost.

One way that is pretty cheap and still fairly fast is the pot in cold water but instead of the sink, a big plastic tub is used. The amount of water you can put in a plastic tub compared to the sink lets it absorb more heat so the initial cooling is faster. Once you get the wort below about 180F the hop oil isomerization pretty much stops so you don't add more bitterness. When the cooling slows too much, dump out the hotter water from the tub and replace it with cooler water. You may want to do this twice with ice added to the final fill to help get the wort all the way to pitching temps.

 

[guitarguy6]

I suggest the wort chiller.

it is one of those pieces of equipment were, as soon as I got it, I said to myself "Why the heck didn't I get one of these sooner." Saves a LOT of time and I'm pretty sure it has also helped my beer clarity.

I agree %100. Just spend the $40 and be done with it. Ice baths and throwing in frozen jugs takes to long to cool down a 3+ Gallon batch.

 

[oogaboogachiefwalkingdeer]

Nope save the money and buy grain. If you are counting time you are in the wrong hobby. I cool two five gallon kettles at the same time in a large tub. It takes all of 20 minutes to do. What is the big deal about saving 10 minutes.

 

[ChiefIlliniwek]

Buy it. I use the hot water from the IC to clean bottles which usually gets me to 90 degrees, then I fill a cooler full of ice with the next batch of water. Disconnect the hose and hook it up to the fountain pump in the cooler. That takes it to pitching temp while I start cleaning bottles. Just have to watch it to make sure it doesn't get too cold.

The best thing is the brew kettle doesn't have to leave the stove top, which really beats moving around a kettle full of nearly boiling wort.

 

[Zzyzx3]

+1 vote for buying an immersion chiller.

 

[fimpster]

+2 on buying the IC. Or you might be able to save a *few* bucks and build your own.

 

[SPR-GRN]

I've done many different methods, the immersion chiller is the best I've done so far (for time anyways)

"set it and forget it" finish your boil and leave the pot on the stove covered overnight. (easiest, most time consuming)
Ice bath - put the pot in a sink of ice water (a little more difficult/dangerous saves some time)
Concentrate, cool with Ice - boil water ahead of time and freeze it to add to the concentrated wort to chill it - (requires forethought, less dangerous, quickest if you ignore the pre-boil and freeze time)
chiller - JUST BUY ONE (arguably safest method, requires no forethought, and is the second quickest method)

stainless vs copper - copper cools better but stainless lasts longer; I'm not sure which is cheaper at this point. (note I've had the same copper chiller for nearly 12 years and it shows no sign of needing to be replaced)