Show me your pre chiller

[jbaysurfer]

Where I'm at the cheapest ice around is at Mcdonald's. They sell 10lb bags (technically around 8-9 lbs) for $1.

Wow! I never considered asking a fast food place if they'd sell it too me. I've used 2 10lb blocks before too. That actually works better then cubes if I were to guess, but I didn't actually time it that time.

 

[thisisbeer]

Man, how much is where your at. In houston we have bucees. Its like a truck stop almost but not for truckers...just a huge gas station. But up until about a year ago the sold 20lb bags for a dollar then went to a $1.50 after. I dont think they make money on there ice the price just gets plenty of people to stop there. The ones on the coast by the marinas seem to do the best.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Wow! I never considered asking a fast food place if they'd sell it too me. I've used 2 10lb blocks before too. That actually works better then cubes if I were to guess, but I didn't actually time it that time.

Yeah, some Mcdonalds sell it while others do not. Makes a lot of sense for any fast food joint to sell ice as it costs virtually nothing to produce and package while making use of an underutilized piece of equipment.

 

[jbaysurfer]

Man, how much is where your at. In houston we have bucees. Its like a truck stop almost but not for truckers...just a huge gas station. But up until about a year ago the sold 20lb bags for a dollar then went to a $1.50 after. I dont think they make money on there ice the price just gets plenty of people to stop there. The ones on the coast by the marinas seem to do the best.

Well, I remember when I realized that I had the most expensive gas in the US a couple years back, that Houston was the cheapest...so I bet everything is like that. We call it the "sunset" tax. Because living SB is beautiful, but it costs a LOT. I'm not complaining, but I do sometimes get shocked at the difference in cost of things like gas, propane, or ice.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Man, how much is where your at. In houston we have bucees. Its like a truck stop almost but not for truckers...just a huge gas station. But up until about a year ago the sold 20lb bags for a dollar then went to a $1.50 after. I dont think they make money on there ice the price just gets plenty of people to stop there. The ones on the coast by the marinas seem to do the best.

Even $1.50 for 20 lbs is unheard of here. You lucky dog!

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Well, I remember when I realized that I had the most expensive gas in the US a couple years back, that Houston was the cheapest...so I bet everything is like that. We call it the "sunset" tax. Because living SB is beautiful, but it costs a LOT. I'm not complaining, but I do sometimes get shocked at the difference in cost of things like gas, propane, or ice.

I hear SB is a beautiful place to live but man... you guys sure do pay for it! Maybe one day...

 

[Demus]

I mean why use a IM in conjunction with your pond pump? Do you think pumping iced water directly to your plate chiller is just as effective?

Ahh I see what you mean now. The pond pump hardware is more compatible with the smaller tubing on an immersion chiller, but you have a point. My guess is that pumping the ice water straight into the plate chiller would work just as well. You'd have to use a pump that fit garden hose sized tubing though for my (and many) plate chiller. Since I already had the immersion chiller it was an easier solution. Plus I still use the immersion chiller the way it's intended once in a while...

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I tried out my Harbor Freight 200 GPH pump today and thought I would post the results for anyone who may be interested in using one.

I went with the pump submerged in a small bucket which was filled to the top with 10lbs of ice and water.

The water was coming out of my faucet at 78 degrees and was used to cool the wort to 100 degrees within 10 minutes using a 50' 3/8 copper IC.

Once 100 degrees was reached, I switched to recirculating ice water. The temperature dropped from 100 degrees to 68 degrees in 15 mins.

Total chill time was 25 mins and I barely got by with 10 lbs of ice.

Thought I would share.

 

[BradleyBrew]

Picked up this gem at HF - 200 GPH for only $11! This will give me +-3.3 GPM. Sounds about right.

Dont forget your 25% off coupon and your free flash light next time:rockin:!!!

 

[jbaysurfer]

Avgguy:

Thanks for sharing. I figure it takes me about 30 minutes with the same setup. I actually am in the mode now where I'm slowing the chilling period on purpose so I can do hopstands/whirlpools at the temps I'm looking for.

One question: Do you agitate your wort? I use a pump to whirlpool the wort in the opposite direction of the flow through the IC. Makeshift counterflow.

 

[Flomaster]

I think i'd like to make a pre-chiller.. think of a HERMS system in a orange igloo cooler filled with ice water.

From hose bib, to Igloo ice water cooler to CFC.. seems like it would work bitchen

just get some quick disconnects for my house and make up some custom garden hoses or use clear vinyl tubing from Home Depot.

-=Jason=-

 

[jbaysurfer]

It'd work great. If you don't own the pre-chiller coil already though, the pond pump is cheaper, and it works better IME.

 

[E_Marquez]

It'd work great. If you don't own the pre-chiller coil already though, the pond pump is cheaper, and it works better IME.

If starting with nothing, I too would go with the IC coil and pond pump in a cooler full of ice water.
One more brew day to confirm,, and I'll likely be taking the pre-chiller out of service.

 

[Flomaster]

If starting with nothing, I too would go with the IC coil and pond pump in a cooler full of ice water.
One more brew day to confirm,, and I'll likely be taking the pre-chiller out of service.

you'll quickly use up your ice cold water if pumping from the ice cold cooler unless you recirculate back into the cooler, but then pumping 180 Degree water back into your ice bath is going to melt ice with a quickness

-=Jason=-

 

[E_Marquez]

you'll quickly use up your ice cold water if pumping from the ice cold cooler unless you recirculate back into the cooler, but then pumping 180 Degree water back into your ice bath is going to melt ice with a quickness

-=Jason=-

Ahh, ok.. well tell that to my system then... It seems to have missed the memo

Using faucet water to refill the ice cooler and not recirculating chiller water for the first few minutes till wort temps are 160 or so...then putting the chiller output in to the cooler and turning off the tap water works for me just fine.

I've only done this 5 times now.... so perhaps after doing it for years and becoming an expert,. my ice will melt too quickly and I'll have to do something else...

Shooosh.. don't tell my ice it's not supposed to last...

 

[jakenbacon]

Here is one of them:

Tap water doesn't get above 45 degrees, ever.

Mt Hood bro?

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Avgguy:

Thanks for sharing. I figure it takes me about 30 minutes with the same setup. I actually am in the mode now where I'm slowing the chilling period on purpose so I can do hopstands/whirlpools at the temps I'm looking for.

One question: Do you agitate your wort? I use a pump to whirlpool the wort in the opposite direction of the flow through the IC. Makeshift counterflow.

Just stir it with a starsaned paddle.

 

[Budzien]

Anyone ever tried a 2 gallon bucket, with a coil of tubing, filled with water and frozen with the ends out? I think I found my project for tomorrow...

 

[Budzien]

Would salt water be better to freeze? Give me a lower melting temp?

 

[E_Marquez]

Anyone ever tried a 2 gallon bucket, with a coil of tubing, filled with water and frozen with the ends out? I think I found my project for tomorrow...

Nope, you will end up with a warm thermo layer of water around the coil, insulating it from the ice.

 

[jbaysurfer]

Nope, you will end up with a warm thermo layer of water around the coil, insulating it from the ice.

Simply agitate the water. This isn't rocket science.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Anyone ever tried a 2 gallon bucket, with a coil of tubing, filled with water and frozen with the ends out? I think I found my project for tomorrow...

I vaguely remember seeing a guy who posted a Youtube video with this setup. From what I recall it worked but the results were not extremely impressive.

 

[E_Marquez]

Simply agitate the water. This isn't rocket science.

In a block of ice?

Perhaps read the post I replied to

Going to be a bit difficult to "simply agitate" when the warm water is INSIDE a block of ice..

 

[smccarter]

I guess I'm a cheapskate.

I live in Florida and my tap water runs at between 78 and 80 during the summer months. I use an immersion chiller to get the wort down to 80. Takes about 15 minutes or so. I then move the wort to my fermenter, put the airlock on and set it aside. On brew day, and when I have fermenting beer in the house, I set the thermostat to 68. I pitch my yeast the next morning when the wort has had enough time to get down to 68. This has worked very well for me, and it allows me to wait for the yeast starter to finish.

I've thought about buying a plate chiller, or another IC and doing a pre-chill, but I'm too lazy and cheap I suppose. Maybe some day, but for the time being, I'm going to keep things as simple as I can.

 

[Babybatch]

I make my own ice, both cubed and 1/2 gallon sized..
But when I cool a 5.25 gal batch in Texas summer heat I use 3-4 1/2 gal blocks and 15 pounds of cubed.

Here is another nice way that you could potentially reuse the output. If you have freezer space.

 

[jbaysurfer]

In a block of ice?

Perhaps read the post I replied to

Going to be a bit difficult to "simply agitate" when the warm water is INSIDE a block of ice..

Perhaps I misunderstood the post. Apologies.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I guess I'm a cheapskate.

I live in Florida and my tap water runs at between 78 and 80 during the summer months. I use an immersion chiller to get the wort down to 80. Takes about 15 minutes or so. I then move the wort to my fermenter, put the airlock on and set it aside. On brew day, and when I have fermenting beer in the house, I set the thermostat to 68. I pitch my yeast the next morning when the wort has had enough time to get down to 68. This has worked very well for me, and it allows me to wait for the yeast starter to finish.

I've thought about buying a plate chiller, or another IC and doing a pre-chill, but I'm too lazy and cheap I suppose. Maybe some day, but for the time being, I'm going to keep things as simple as I can.

Depending on how cool you typically keep your house in the summer, dropping the thermostat to 68 degrees would likely be more expensive than picking up a bag of ice, assuming you already own a pond pump.