Help with immersion chiller decision

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Jpartschjr

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I have seen a lot of opinions and data here and they all tend to lean the same way... Go big now to avoid additional purchases in the future.

I currently do 5 gallon partial mash batches and extracts with a pre-tea. I am moving to all grain and would like to have a 10 gallon option in the future.

The decision is 50'SS immersion at 3/8 or 50' copper at 1/2. Is the copper 1/2 overkill or worth the 20? I do not think i would ever move to HERMS either but you never know.

I know a 5 gallon batch may not cover the entire chiller so sanitizer ion will be needed beyond a rinse and boil and that SS stays shiny (which i like but is not relevant to good beer)

Also, i tend to throw my hop pellets right in the brew. Would a hop spider help reduce the solids left over?


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I use a 50' coil for my immersion chiller rather I'm doing 5 or 10 gallon batches. I don't bother sanitizing the part that is out of the boil. Never felt there was a reason too. If the boiling wort isn't touching it than the cooling wort won't. Besides, I don't sanitize the copper tubing that comes out of the coil for the water connections. I wouldn't over think it. Many use hop spiders or other varieties of bags for their pellet hops. I built a spider years ago, but only used it maybe twice. Many swear that hop utilization is not effected, but my opinion it is. So, I just toss them in. No worries there either. :mug:
 
I have this chiller from More Beer.

http://morebeer.com/products/wort-chiller-immersion-recircutlation-arm-50-12.html


I love this chiller. I've only used the return arm once (the version without the return arm is only a $10 difference), but this thing has been a real time saver compared to the smaller chiller I have when I got started in the hobby.

Another route, if you think the cost of that chiller is too high, is to make your own.
 
Is rather spend the extra now than to buy again down the line. Great item but out of stock. I have no chiller ATM so maybe I'll just do the copper 1/2" call it a day and add a recirc arm down the line.


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Is rather spend the extra now than to buy again down the line. Great item but out of stock. I have no chiller ATM so maybe I'll just do the copper 1/2" call it a day and add a recirc arm down the line.

I think it's a little more future proof to add a separate recirc arm, as well as cheaper and more flexible. Then if you ever switch to a CFC you have a separate arm for whirlpooling or recirculating (useful if you have higher ground temps with a CFC).
 
I have this chiller from More Beer.

http://morebeer.com/products/wort-chiller-immersion-recircutlation-arm-50-12.html


I love this chiller. I've only used the return arm once (the version without the return arm is only a $10 difference), but this thing has been a real time saver compared to the smaller chiller I have when I got started in the hobby.

Another route, if you think the cost of that chiller is too high, is to make your own.
that is very pricey.... one could build the same thing for about $60 very easily... $100+ will buy you a CFC or plate chiller which works much more efficiently and money better spent.... I'm not saying a $60 IC is a better choice than a $100-150 plate or CFC but in my opinion the latter is a better choice than a <$100 simple IC
 
that is very pricey.... one could build the same thing for about $60 very easily... $100+ will buy you a CFC or plate chiller which works much more efficiently and money better spent.... I'm not saying a $60 IC is a better choice than a $100-150 plate or CFC but in my opinion the latter is a better choice than a <$100 simple IC

I probably could have built one for a lot less, but it wouldn't look like that one or some of the other ones I've seen built here. Besides, at the time I bought mine, I didn't even think one could be made.


I don't regret buying it.
 
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