Sterilizing chiller lines.

[Horseshoot]

Hey guys. I'm making a Kentucky Common Ale, today. And it's going very well. During the process, a thought occurred to me. I wondered how others sterilize their chiller, and lines. It made me wonder if how I do it is correct.
So, I'll start by outlining how I do it, and see what others think of this.
I guess I should, first, describe my system. I use 3 repurposed kegs. A typical keggle BK, keggle HLT (with a HERMS coil) and an upside down keg converted to a MLT, with an insulating jacket. 2 chugger pumps complete the system. Chilling is done with a plate chiller.

During sparging, I light the fire under the BK. After I reach boil, I flip on the pump to direct the wort through the chiller, to sterilize it. I do this again (twice) at various points of the boil. My logic (flawed or not) is to get the wort in the lines, boiled.

Does this seem like a reasonable process?

BTW, this beer is going to be awesome. I nailed my gravities, and it looks and smells great!

Thanks!

Mike

 

[rossi46]

Recirculat through the chiller the last 10-15 minutes

 

[Horseshoot]

Why then, rather than earlier. The only reason I ask is this: It seems to me that one would want the wort in the lines, as small of a volume that it is, I receive some benefit of the boil. If that makes sense. Perhaps I've had too much homebrew. Haha!

 

[doug293cz]

Why then, rather than earlier. The only reason I ask is this: It seems to me that one would want the wort in the lines, as small of a volume that it is, I receive some benefit of the boil. If that makes sense. Perhaps I've had too much homebrew. Haha!

If you recirc thru the chiller to the BK for the last 10-15 minutes of the boil, then you don't have any "dead" wort in the chiller that is not getting the benefit of the boil. If you recirc early in the boil and then stop recirculating, then unless you drain the hoses & pump, you will have dead wort in the plumbing that does not get the benefit of the boil. Also, depending on how you drain the plumbing after an early recirc, you might be susceptible to recontamination after sanitizing.

Brew on

 

[Horseshoot]

That makes sense. But what I do is recirculate about 3 times during the boil; for about 39 seconds each time. If that makes sense.

 

[Horseshoot]

I'm hoping that still accomplishes my goal.

 

[Horseshoot]

One other interesting point, about this specific beer: I decided to drain final runnings and make a small beer from the leftover runnings. I had to quickly formulate a good bill, and come up with some yeast. I used some liberty hops I had on hand. Lightly hopped it and am going to use Windsor yeast. Should yield about 3 gallons of a 3.2% ale.

 

[Horseshoot]

I don't mean to be obstinate, but how does pumping through the last 10 minutes of the boil hp what is in the lines more that pumping two to three times during the boil? You are still helping the stuff that's in the dead space, right?

 

[doug293cz]

I don't mean to be obstinate, but how does pumping through the last 10 minutes of the boil hp what is in the lines more that pumping two to three times during the boil? You are still helping the stuff that's in the dead space, right?

If you recirc periodically during the boil, then there shouldn't be an issue. I missed where you said you do it several times during the boil, and thought you were doing it only once at the beginning of boil. Sorry for my misunderstanding.

If you only recirc for short periods of time, you should check to see that you are getting all of the plumbing up to ~180°F. A cheap IR thermometer is good for this.

Brew on

 

[Horseshoot]

No worries. Those were my real questions. Does the temp get high enough, and does the wort in the lines get boiled enough. I've not had any issues, but I was curious about how others did it.
One thing I've noticed: turning the pump on is an immediate boil killer.

 

[turkeygecko]

I pump star San through my cf during the boil before I chill, and again after I chill. Periodically (every couple weeks) pump boiling water through cf.

 

[Horseshoot]

I've thought of doing the Starsan. But, with my pumps, I don't really have a good way to get it in there. How do you do it?

I pump hot water and PBW through the pumps line and chiller (after a back flush through the chiller) after every brew session. With appropriate rinse, of course. Haha!

 

[turkeygecko]

I don't understand why you can't pump starsan through if you can pump PBW through. I pump it through like I pump every other liquid through... not trying to be a wise guy, just don't really understand your issue.

 

[Horseshoot]

When I pump PBW through, I am using my brew kettle to heat the PBW, and to pump from. It never occurred to me, but, I suppose I could use my HLT to mix the Starsan in, and pump from there. DOH!

 

[turkeygecko]

When I pump PBW through, I am using my brew kettle to heat the PBW, and to pump from. It never occurred to me, but, I suppose I could use my HLT to mix the Starsan in, and pump from there. DOH!

Yeah, that works. I just use a bucket though. Have a hose in the bucket, running down to pump inlet. Have another hose on outlet and suck on it until liquid is running down and you have a siphon. Then just pump the starsan through the chiller and have it go back into the bucket.

 

[Komocabo]

When I pump PBW through, I am using my brew kettle to heat the PBW, and to pump from. It never occurred to me, but, I suppose I could use my HLT to mix the Starsan in, and pump from there. DOH!

This is pretty much what I do. (PBW in HLT after done transferring. I let that cycle through while I clean my kettle (20mins?) Then put Strahan in BK and flush pumps. Everything is good.

Another thing: before I sparge, I run a gallon through the chiller (180°) then use a spray bottle to fill the chiller with sanitizer. It pretty much sits there until I'm ready to chill.

 

[govner1]

I use a CFC w/ a pump. I sanitize then hoses and the chiller w/ StarSan. The hoses soak in a bucket and I flush the CFC w/ SatrSan & let it sit until I'm ready to chill & recirc. I flush the CFC, drain & hook up the lines to my pump.
No problems after 2+ years.
Of course, I clean everything thoroughly after each brew w/ StarSan and/or SaniClean.

 

[Horseshoot]

Thanks for the tips guys!