Recommended wort chiller

[molson1993]

Just shopping for a wort chiller and wanted to know what a good quality wort chiller is, thanks in advance for the suggestions!

 

[mauer_62]

If your just starting out i would say any copper immersion chiller would work great. As your experience and equipment grow i would say a copper counter flow chiller is the way to go. easy to use and mostly easy to clean.

 

[eadavis80]

This is fine for me: http://www.homebrewing.org/25-38-Economy-Copper-Wort-Chiller_p_2734.html

 

[Nagorg]

I use immersion chillers; a SS 50ft 1/2" one since I'm doing 10-15G batches. I had a 25ft 3"8" that I used with smaller batches and it worked great too. I opted for stainless for my bigger chiller because I didn't like most of the compression type fittings that I saw commonly on the copper ones. I dont like them because I tried a couple and they both leaked a bit. Other folks claim no issues with compression fittings but my experience was different.

I got my SS chiller here: http://www.stainlessbrewing.com/Chillers_c_13.html It's been great! You'll likely see the debate over how copper transfers heat better than stainless and while that may be true It hasn't impacted me in any way. I like the durability of stainless over copper for sure.

 

[brewkinger]

I picked up mine on Amazon from HomeBrew Stuff in Ohio

 

[BlueHouseBrewhaus]

If you want to go crazy, get a Hydra. Boiling to 68F in 3 min. Otherwise, all of the ones you will find on brew supply websites will work great. I made mine from 30 ft of 3/8" copper and it gets me to pitching temp in 15-20 min, which is plenty fast enough.

 

[thunderwagn]

I purchased a Jaded Mantis off a fellow member here and love it. brulosophy review:
http://brulosophy.com/2014/06/09/the-mantis-first-impressions-of-a-new-ic-from-jaded-brewing/

 

[PADave]

Make your own. Pretty simple and doesn't cost much. I think I made mine for about $30-40.

 

[Natdavis777]

An IC is by far the easiest way to go. You can even find some tutorials on youtube on how to make them for cheap, if you want to save a little $$. Counterflows are also a great option.

Once you get more involved, you may look into plate chillers. Great for what they are (I use one), just take a little more time cleaning and whatnot.

 

[Yesfan]

I love my immersion chiller. I got mine from morebeer.com I like it as all I do is hose them off when done. I don't have to worry about hops in a plate or counter flow chiller.

 

[MaryB]

I use a copper immersion chiller. About 15 minutes to take wort from boiling to pitching temps. Easy to clean, I run a scrub pad over mine to make sure nothing is stuck to the tubing.

 

[The_Bishop]

I run a ZChiller. It's amazing how fast it chills and is easy to clean.

 

[drhusker18]

I am new brewer and do 5-gal batches with turkey frier. Picked up the economy version 3/8 copper wort chiller for 39.99. Still shows same price. It has worked good and cools quick all the way down to 68-69 with my water. My only complaint is the length of the flexible tubing inlet and outlet. Too short- nothing a little alterations at home can't fix. I might also redo the fitting attachments with solder.

Unless your chiller has "real" fittings- be careful with pressure from Turing on full blast. You could blow something loose and water your wort.

I am happy.

 

[mxstar21]

I run a ZChiller. It's amazing how fast it chills and is easy to clean.

Me too. Very happy with it. I switched to it after having my plate chiller get clogged and haven't looked back.

 

[govner1]

I have a homemade counterflow chiller that was made by my LHBS. I paid about $100 a few years ago. Second best investment after my Blichmann burner w/ legs.

 

[Gusmedic]

I made my own IC with 25' copper tubing from Home Depot and wrapped it around a paint can. About $10 additional spent on connections and plastic tubing to hook it up to my garden hose. Works great, gets wort down to 70 in 10 min if you stir as you go.
But for $39, as mentioned above, it might be worth the few extra bucks to not have to mess around with it yourself.

 

[kristiismean]

Hydra, after using 18 gallons of water. Seems like a waste.

my 30' of 1/2 copper with 1 gallon of water, + bag of ice takes 8 minutes to cool 4 gallons to 70, (extract).

Recirculate in an ice batch, so worth it. I figure we go through 6 gallons total for cooling on a brew day (we do 2 5 gallon batches at a time).

 

[LostHopper]

One of the JaDed models but I don't remember which one. Hornet?
It may be discontinued now.
Pricey but easily the best brewing equipment investment I've made.

 

[Wooden]

I made my own immersion chiller, mainly because it was a fun, not too hard project. It saved a little bit of money, mainly because I was able to get a much bigger chiller for the money. It was a pretty fun project. Lots of tutorials online.

I used 50' of 1/2" copper tubing (more flow) with weldless fittings. Be sure to buy the teflon tape (cheap!) and use that to wind around the threads and your weldless fittings, tighten properly and your chiller will NOT leak.

Also, it's important whether buying or making one that the fittings where the water enters and exits are curved/pointed downward. That way, IF you should experience a leak, you will have the water dripping DOWN, AWAY from your wort, rather than running down the chiller and into your wort.

I used the weldless fittings and garden hose adapters for mine. No goofing around with stupid hose clamps that could come loose and cause an issue. Also, I suspect this probably helps me use high water pressure with more confidence. That way, I can get WAY more water through the chiller, allowing for a faster cool.

I like my IC, it is more than adequate for my full volume 5-6 gal batches, and it's easy to clean (just pop in last 10 min of boil)

My recommendations are:

-Bigger=Better (diameter, and length)
>especially important if you live in a hot climate or don't have super cold water)
-enter/exit fittings pointed down away from wort.
-garden hose adapters (no hose clamps)

 

[TorMag]

Hydra, after using 18 gallons of water. Seems like a waste.

Not sure if you are talking about the water or the Hydra. But I collect the water coming out in buckets and use it for clean up.

 

[fatherdan]

Hydra for the win.

 

[beernutz]

I really like this morebeer immersion chiller with the recirculation arm. It chills very fast, sometimes so fast that when I'm trying to whirlpool hops within a specific temp range and I'm not paying close enough attention the temp drops quickly below the bottom of the range. So far the whirlpool feature has been great and has provided previously unknown hop flavors. Its pricey at $140 but YOLO.

 

[PADave]

Hydra, after using 18 gallons of water. Seems like a waste.

my 30' of 1/2 copper with 1 gallon of water, + bag of ice takes 8 minutes to cool 4 gallons to 70, (extract).

Recirculate in an ice batch, so worth it. I figure we go through 6 gallons total for cooling on a brew day (we do 2 5 gallon batches at a time).

Similar to what I do. Got myself a small fountain pump and I recirculate ice water out of a cooler, saving the initial hot water for cleanup. Having access to free ice helps too.

 

[mongoose33]

The only suggestion I'd make is that you get an IC that has the ends drop down and hang over the edge of the pot--like this:

http://www.northernbrewer.com/brewi...penttm-stainless-steel-immersion-wort-chiller

Any drips won't make it into your wort, possibly contaminating it.

I have the Silver Serpent, works fine. Yesterday, 9 minutes from boiling to 68* F, while swishing the IC around in the kettle.

SS is not as heat-conductive as copper, but it's fast enough, and I like the SS from a cleaning point of view. Once I pulled it from the kettle I put it in the sink, used the sprayer and hot water to rinse it off, and back into the box awaiting its next use.

 

[kristiismean]

Not sure if you are talking about the water or the Hydra. But I collect the water coming out in buckets and use it for clean up.

Yep. Their site says 18 gallons. That's a lot of water. But I do like the design. And with a recirculating ice batch you could probably cut that down much more..

 

[kcoect]

I have a counterflow chiller I got from my local HBStore and I LOVE it... Although it cost a little more and I bought a pump with it as well, I love going from 190 - 200 degrees in the BK to 70 in the fermenter in seconds (the time it takes to get pumped through the thing)...

 

[jonny24]

I made mine, bought a 50' roll from Home Depot and split it. Half goes in the kettle, half goes in a ice bath to pre-chill. I even got lucky and had fresh snow my last two brew days to use for the pre-chill.

I need to add a disconnect between the two coils though, currently the other half just hangs out of the kettle for the last 10 minutes and I have to make sure the hoses are away from the burner.

 

[Dixon9717]

I just go this and it works good

http://www.brewinternational.com/50-copper-immersion-chiller-with-leak-proof-fittings/

 

[badmajon]

If you want to go crazy, get a Hydra. Boiling to 68F in 3 min.

I use a counterflow chiller and I hate it. Sure, it is very fast but a total pain in the butt to set up. The thing has so many connections I am constantly tightening and tweaking and getting sprayed with hot wort. Get an immersion chiller and don't make the same mistake I did.

 

[mxstar21]

I use a counterflow chiller and I hate it. Sure, it is very fast but a total pain in the butt to set up. The thing has so many connections I am constantly tightening and tweaking and getting sprayed with hot wort. Get an immersion chiller and don't make the same mistake I did.

You aren't doing it right then. My counterflow is simple to setup, clean and has no leaks. If that immersion chiller chills as gast as everyone says though it would be easy to use.

 

[kcoect]

I use a counterflow chiller and I hate it. Sure, it is very fast but a total pain in the butt to set up. The thing has so many connections I am constantly tightening and tweaking and getting sprayed with hot wort. Get an immersion chiller and don't make the same mistake I did.

Now I find that a little surprising... I've never been sprayed, all my connections are Camlocks, so once I've primed the thing, the only time I've ever touching anything "hot" is when I'm cleaning up after everything is in the fermenter... Sorry to hear about your bad experiences with a CF...

 

[kombat]

I'll throw in a quick vote for a plate chiller, since it doesn't seem to be getting any love in this thread.

I have a DudaDiesel B23-A 30 plate chiller shown here, and I love it. A plate chiller is a pricier option, however, as I also purchased stainless steel quick disconnects for all my connections, plus a Chugger pump to push the beer through the chiller. I've also installed a ball valve and thermometer on the output port, so I can throttle the beer throughput as necessary to get the desired wort temperature coming out. Also, it's more of a headache to clean than a simple immersion chiller.

That said, the performance is dramatic. When the groundwater is cold (as it currently is), I can push 10 gallons of wort through the chiller with all valves wide open (basically moving the beer as fast as the Chugger pump is capable), and the wort comes out of the chiller right around 60° F, pretty much perfect pitching temperature for an ale. This takes about 4 minutes for 10 gallons, 2 minutes for 5. If I'm brewing a lager, I throttle the output a little to slow the wort down (while still running the chilling water through at full speed), and the wort comes out of the chiller at 50° F. For 5 gallons of lager, this might take 3-4 minutes. It's so much faster than an immersion chiller, and avoids wasting nearly as much chilling water (nor do I have to stand there and stir my wort for 5-10 minutes).

For cleanup, I recirculate hot PBW backwards through the chiller while I clean my kettle, then blast it clean with the cold water line from the tap to rinse.

Just another option to consider.