I realize I’m riding the coattails of the OP, so first I’ll do my part to help answer THEIR question and then ask my own. I think a copper immersion chiller is the way to go, as long as you’re stirring. Stirring helps the coils get covered in the hot liquid, to more rapidly cool the wort. Cleaning an immersion is much easier than cleaning a counter-flow or a plate chiller. Why copper? Copper is a beneficial nutrient for yeast growth, so I find that makes it slightly better than steel. I have read that most people just give their copper chiller a rinse after use, and put it in the wort for the last 10-15 minutes of boil to sanitize it. Personally, after using I place mine in a bucket of StarSan. The StarSan will have been used for other things in my brew day, and probably passed its hour of usefulness, but it still gives the copper a good soak. Then I rinse in the sink later that day (or the next, shhhhhh) with hot water. The next brew, I just put it in for the last 15 minutes of boil.
Now, my own problems.... for anyone who feels like giving advice haha. I’ve been having trouble with my last few batches: AG, 5 gallons. Cooling to below 80 has been taking 45 mins to an hour. John Palmer would b-slap me!
Equipment:
Brewer’s Edge Mash and Boil
Blichmann Riptide Pump, circulating while cooling
25’ (3/8”) copper immersion chiller, stirring
12.5’ (3/8”) copper pre-chiller, in cooler with ice water
Of course my Mash and Boil’s heat is turned off after boiling, but I get that since the heating element is still right there under the beer, it’ll add some time to cooling. I have a water hose hooked up to the pre-chiller. The output vinyl tubing of the pre-chiller has a male quick disconnect (304 steel) attached via 1/2” barb, and it’s connected to the vinyl tubing of my immersion chiller with a female QD. I have a long “tail” of tubing connected to the immersion chiller output, also with QD’s, and the tail goes to my yard outside the garage. I can water my wife’s somewhat-pretty flowers with the runoff.
Now, the problem: Ft Worth summer.
Brewing in the garage, my water temp is NOT helping cool down my wort. The 25’ chiller gets my wort from boiling to 100 in less than 10 mins, but even with the iced pre-chiller it gets stuck at 85-90 degrees for over half an hour! I’m sitting there stirring and praying and cursing, just waiting for John Palmer’s big ol’ meaty hand to slap my teeth outta my mouth and into the dang wort. How’s that for contamination?
I once thought about getting a 50’ immersion chiller with 1/2” diameter, but the measurements tell me that the top coils will stick out of my wort. Therefore, (1) they wouldn’t get sanitized at the end of the boil and (2) they would be wasted while I’m chilling. I’m thinking I should upgrade to a 50’ (3/8”) wort chiller, and put my 25’ in the ice water... OR, should I hail Hydra? That Hydra looks wicked, and I’m sure it does an excellent job!
Cheers,
Jackson