Nature's Chiller

[Nic0]

Tom and I brewed a batch last night, and since it was 12 degrees outside and we had 5-6" of snow, I had the bright idea of using a snow mound to chill the wort. Normally I just use a few 15lb bags of ice from the gas station and put in the tub with cold water and I have great results. It didn't work so well, so I figured I would share my experience in case anybody else is as strange as me and tries to do something like this.

I think it worked poorly because I had no water to transfer the heat. As soon as the snow touched the kettle, it melted and ran down into the dirt, leaving a gap of air. I should have taken in to the tub and shoveled some snow into it.

One of these days I'll buy/make a proper chiller.

Enjoy laughing at my misfortune!

Nic

 

[ShadyBrewer]

More like nature's insulator I guess. Next time I would use it place of the ice you usually buy. It's so worth it to just spend the money and make a proper chiller

 

[KIAKillerXJ]

Tried this on the very first batch I ever did. Yea, it doesn't work, haha

 

[Nic0]

More like nature's insulator I guess. Next time I would use it place of the ice you usually buy. It's so worth it to just spend the money and make a proper chiller

Yeah, next time there probably won't be any snow.

I have an immersion chiller that someone gave me and used it once, and the beer was nicknamed Penny Beer because it had a detectable metallic taste to it. We assumed it was that copper tubing and maybe we didn't clean it very well, but other things could have caused metallic tastes. It just burned me out a little I guess. I'll probly make a typical copper-in-hose chiller, seems there are an abundance of designs out there, I should have no problems. Just need to get off my rear and go but the parts.

 

[Nic0]

Tried this on the very first batch I ever did. Yea, it doesn't work, haha

Good to know there are others out there who think like me!

 

[ShadyBrewer]

I would clean that immersion chiller you got and try it again. Tons of people use them (including myself) and don't detect any copper taste. Maybe try boiling it in plain water and taste the water after to see if it has a copper taste to it before you risk a whole batch of beer

 

[cluckk]

I've used three different immersion chillers over the years with innumerable batches of beer. I've never had a metallic taste.

 

[Nic0]

I'm sure it was caused by something else...I still think I'll make a tube-in-tube chiller. I'm due for some upgrades soon anyway. Hopefully the bonus for last year is good...if so then beer toys are in my future.