Water efficient wort chilling

[airbrett]

Living in northern California, things are pretty critical water-wise and about to get a whole lot worse.

I currently use an ice bath in a large SteraLite container. I've calculated that between the ice and changing out the water, I'm using about 15 gallons total to cool a 4 gallon kettle from boiling to 70. It takes 30 minutes or so and I am able to re-use about 7 gallons of that water the outdoor plants (I don't have that many plants living in a condo in the city).

I would like to get faster cooling but I'm curious how much water a wort chiller would be using. The water out of the tap is pretty consistently between 65 and 70 degrees year round. Am I correct that the more expensive 50' copper ones would use less water than the 25' lengths given the same wort volume?

I've seen other threads about feeding ice water into a wort chiller but I really want to keep things simple and straight forward. Maybe a combo of sitting the kettle in ice and using a chiller would use the same amount of total water and cool quicker?

 

[Psylocide]

I use the no chill method. It uses no water and I see no reason to cool the wort any faster than it does on it's own.

If you use a bucket for fermenting, you can transfer to it hot and put it in your fridge/keezer to cool or just let it cool to room temp on it's own.

It's not quicker, but it uses no water.

 

[ThreeSheetz]

I totally understand the water issue being in Monterey. So what works well for me is to use a continuous ice water recirculation setup. You'll need small inexpensive pond pump in a 5 Gallon bucket, starting with 1 Gal of water and 35 pounds of ice chips in the bucket. We buy 5 of the 7 pound bags of ice at Grocery Outlet but you can find them lots of places. The output of the pump is connected to the inlet of a copper coil wort chiller which is placed into the wort about 5 minutes before the boil is finished. The output of the coil is directed back into the bucket and by running the pump, I'm able to bring boiling wort down to pitching temps in 30 minutes or less. Stirring the wort during cooling speeds things up by keeping the hot to warm wort in better contact with the cooling copper coil.
Be SURE to use high temp tubing for both the inlet and outlet because in the beginning the wort temps are high enough to leach bad flavor from the standard vinal tubing (don't ask me how I know).
After the chill, I have approximatly 5 gallons of water for my plants.

This works REALLY well. Please feel free to ask if you have any questions.

 

[kev211]

We have the same water issues (probably even worse haha) down here in SoCal so heres what I do to try and save water...

I use water straight out of the tap to cool my wort from high temps temps (after hop stand/whirlpool its usually dropped 20-30 degrees) down to reasonable temps (90's). This water I collect in a bucket or my mash tun and use it to clean and rinse everything that I used during the brew (mash tun, mash paddle, thermometers etc). I keep that water until Im completely done cooling and use it to rinse everything else (wort chiller, boil kettle) and then I use it to water my plants. Then I do the pond pump method with an ice bucket to recirculate to bring the wort down to pitching temps. The only reason I dont use ice water for the whole thing is because the first water is so hot it melts right through the ice and I dont really feel like buying that much ice haha. This way I only have to buy one bag of ice, and Im not just flushing water down the drain.


I also had a neighbor growing up who brewed and would recirculate water from his pool. Warmed the pool, and he didnt have to use any extra water.

 

[kev211]

Be SURE to use high temp tubing for both the inlet and outlet because in the beginning the wort temps are high enough to leach bad flavor from the standard vinal tubing (don't ask me how I know).

How does it leach flavor if the vinyl tubing or water is never coming in contact with your wort? Are you running your tubing in the wort as well?

 

[ThreeSheetz]

Good catch -- my Bad. The lashup I described would not induce flavors into the wort. My first attempts at cooling wort I DID move the wort through the copper coil and that's when I got the vinal flavors. Moved to ice water recirculation after that.

 

[kev211]

Good catch -- my Bad. The lashup I described would not induce flavors into the wort. My first attempts at cooling wort I DID move the wort through the copper coil and that's when I got the vinal flavors. Moved to ice water recirculation after that.

Ohhh that would make sense haha. I was reading that and going through the process of cooling to wort in my head thinking, am I missing something here?

 

[airbrett]

Thanks for the advice. Simplicity is key for me right now.

I am curious if anyone has a good idea of how much water a traditional wort chiller uses and if it uses significantly less when it is the longer coil length.

 

[agrazela]

Also in southern California. I also do a semi-no-chill.

I run about 8-10 gal cold water into the utility sink in the garage, then immerse the brew kettle in that just until the wort gets to 140F if going into a plastic fermenter or 120F if going into a glass fermenter (usually takes about 30-45min, depending how often I lightly stir), then the fermenter goes into the converted wine fridge / fermentation chamber with sanitized foil over the opening to chill to pitch temp (usually another 8-12 hours, I typically pitch late that night or first thing next morning...though I have gone as long as three days)

The warm water left in the sink gets used to bathe the dogs, scrub guts off the boat deck, mop floors, deep-water trees that haven't quite yet died from 10 years of drought, etc.

 

[notyal]

I don't have any data tables (and I am still a beginner), but here in Central Texas we have the same combo of severe drought and warm ground water. If you are going to use a wort chiller, I'd think a pre chiller would be worth its weight in precious water. I'll probably go this way as my brewing evolves to full boils and all grain.

I've only done extract partial boils and added frozen blocks of clean ice to the wort. It's not exactly "pro", but there is zero wasted water. I've read threads on here of others doing this method, but I'd be curious to hear why it's not more popular. I bought a wort chiller because I got a really good deal and have yet to use it.

 

[blizz81]

Thanks for the advice. Simplicity is key for me right now.

I am curious if anyone has a good idea of how much water a traditional wort chiller uses and if it uses significantly less when it is the longer coil length.

If you're going to use an immersion chiller, and you're at all concerned about water usage, the "recirculate ice-chilled water" method would be the only way it would make sense. I won't say I know how much water they use, and it may vary some on size, but no matter what (especially in a warm weather area like California where at times ground water alone won't even get you down to pitching temp) it's going to be a lot more than the ~3-4 gallons + ice you'd use in the recirculate ice water.

 

[ThreeSheetz]

I don't have any data tables (and I am still a beginner), but here in Central Texas we have the same combo of severe drought and warm ground water. If you are going to use a wort chiller, I'd think a pre chiller would be worth its weight in precious water. I'll probably go this way as my brewing evolves to full boils and all grain.

I've only done extract partial boils and added frozen blocks of clean ice to the wort. It's not exactly "pro", but there is zero wasted water. I've read threads on here of others doing this method, but I'd be curious to hear why it's not more popular. I bought a wort chiller because I got a really good deal and have yet to use it.

The reason melting ice into the wort is not recommended is it't a well known vector for infection. Ice is not bacteria free, especially ice you haven't made. The calim is even ice from your own freezer gets bacteria on it over time. BUT in the beginning of my beer brewing, I did use that method without getting infections. My trick was to use a tabletop ice maker (a stand alone appliance) and to sanitize it with starsan before each ice making session. I never did get any infections that way so even though it's not recommended by the pros, it will work.

 

[blizz81]

I don't have any data tables (and I am still a beginner), but here in Central Texas we have the same combo of severe drought and warm ground water. If you are going to use a wort chiller, I'd think a pre chiller would be worth its weight in precious water. I'll probably go this way as my brewing evolves to full boils and all grain.

I've only done extract partial boils and added frozen blocks of clean ice to the wort. It's not exactly "pro", but there is zero wasted water. I've read threads on here of others doing this method, but I'd be curious to hear why it's not more popular. I bought a wort chiller because I got a really good deal and have yet to use it.

And I would say what I said above to the OP applies here as well. If you find that your current method isn't sufficient going forward and you switch to a chiller, there have been plenty of people that have tried pre-chillers and still been dissatisfied, where the recirculating ice water with a pump will definitely still get you down to lagering pitch temps on the warmest day in the summer in Texas if you want it to. (It may take a lot of ice is the main minus, though in the end I'm still never left with more than an old standard primary fermenter bucket full of water, which you could potentially re-use).


Or no-chill, or plate chill, etc.

 

[airbrett]

I might try the method of adding a block of ice into the wort next time. I currently always need to add a gallon to 1.5 gals of top off water given my kettle boiling volume limitations.

It sounds like the safe way to go would be boiling water to sanitize it, let it cool, and find a way to freeze it in a way that I can keep it sealed from the freezer air and easy to "open" and get the ice out. Maybe freezing a gallon of Arrowhead spring water while still in the plastic container, and just cutting the plastic off.

Once I'm doing full volume boils this won't be ideal of course. The 30-40 minute cooling time is actually not a huge deal, just was curious about other options.

 

[ol-hazza]

I don't live somewhere where saving water is really an issue so not sure what extremes you guys want to go to, but I do have two simple methods I use with my immersion chiller.

Firstly, monitor the rate your water is being sent through. If the water at the inlet and outlet is the same or very similar temp then you can slow it down.

Secondly I have the kettle sitting in a swamp cooler that the outlet water goes into, effectively using the water twice to cool. I usually wait 10-15 minutes to start this one because the outlet water is so hot to start with

 

[Brew_G]

Can't get any more water-efficient than no-chill. There's a reason why so many Aussies stick with that method - it seems to work.

I do the "water bath with pre-frozen quarts/gallons of ice" method, and I haven't tried no-chill yet, but I am intrigued.

 

[Beer_Me_86]

Thanks for the advice. Simplicity is key for me right now.

I am curious if anyone has a good idea of how much water a traditional wort chiller uses and if it uses significantly less when it is the longer coil length.

I made my wort chiller the other day, 5.25 gallons full boil to 70deg in 6 mins.

Turn on your hose and watch it run for 6 mins, that how much water you use.

The 50' coil in theory uses less water because it's exposed to the hot wort longer before being dumped, therefore picking up more heat and being more efficient.

Mine is 50' for the record.

 

[moreb33rplz]

i drink while brewing so by the time chilling comes around i'm numb to the horrible waste

 

[CUrchin]

I do use a chiller but most often I do this-- Also note I do small batches, so this may or may not work for you- I usually brew at night. When the boil is done, I put the lid on the pot and clamp it on. Then put my pot in my laundry room sink with ice in it. Then I go to bed. I transfer to primer in the morning, aerate, and then pitch. Basically slow chill. Very easy, and makes the brew day a little more manageable time wise.

 

[notyal]

I might try the method of adding a block of ice into the wort next time. I currently always need to add a gallon to 1.5 gals of top off water given my kettle boiling volume limitations.

It sounds like the safe way to go would be boiling water to sanitize it, let it cool, and find a way to freeze it in a way that I can keep it sealed from the freezer air and easy to "open" and get the ice out. Maybe freezing a gallon of Arrowhead spring water while still in the plastic container, and just cutting the plastic off.

Once I'm doing full volume boils this won't be ideal of course. The 30-40 minute cooling time is actually not a huge deal, just was curious about other options.

I boil water a few days before and put in StarSanned tubberware. I then reapply starsan to the outside of the tubberware before using just in case it gets a little dip in the wort. Boil more than you think you'll need or have a backup plan. I ran out of ice the first time I tried and ended up pitching a little hotter than I had wanted.

 

[MattyIce]

This winter, my 50' x 1/2" immersion chiller would take about 20 gallons to reach pitching temp. It will be even worse this summer. I may just run it briefly this summer and then just no-chill overnight.

 

[Kent88]

I'm contemplating making a sort of inverted heatsink and fan, like what goes on a computer's CPU. The fan would sit on the bottom, the kettle at the top (with some weight on the lid), and fasten the heatsink with the flat side adjacent to the bottom of the kettle.

If people didn't like their kettles with the thermometer and spout sticking out at the bottom I'd go a step further and just make a holder that cradles a kettle like a coozy or cup holder (surround the bottom and about 3/4 of the sides, leaving the top free) with the heatsink fins sticking out in all directions.

It wouldn't use any water.

 

[MindenMan]

Does anybody have access to a "real" swamp cooler? The water in the bottom is usually less than 60*F, and with it cooling the house or garage, etc., you wouldn't be losing any water except what was in the loop between the cooler and the IC, and that would be a quart if even that much. Just a thought.

 

[Theheadsn]

Living in Southern California, I feel your pain. I actually built my wort chiller with water saving in mind. Now mind you this wont work for everyone for obvious reasons, but if you have the option, its an awesome one.

I have an in-ground pool, that even in the summer time stays a decent temperature. Figured "hey I have a ton of water here already" So I was able to get an old pond pump, submerge it in the pool, then run the water from there through the wort chiller. I have the warm water go back into the pool from there. So no water wasted. Did it for the first time the other night. Took 3 gallons of wort from boiling down to around 72 degrees in about 20 minutes, all the while saving the water used. Was completely happy on how well it worked

 

[airbrett]

I made my wort chiller the other day, 5.25 gallons full boil to 70deg in 6 mins.

Turn on your hose and watch it run for 6 mins, that how much water you use.

The 50' coil in theory uses less water because it's exposed to the hot wort longer before being dumped, therefore picking up more heat and being more efficient.

Mine is 50' for the record.

Wow, that sounds pretty fast. Is yours just a regular copper coil like the ones you can by from a LHBS? Also, how cold is your ground water?

I don't live somewhere where saving water is really an issue so not sure what extremes you guys want to go to, but I do have two simple methods I use with my immersion chiller.

Firstly, monitor the rate your water is being sent through. If the water at the inlet and outlet is the same or very similar temp then you can slow it down.

Secondly I have the kettle sitting in a swamp cooler that the outlet water goes into, effectively using the water twice to cool. I usually wait 10-15 minutes to start this one because the outlet water is so hot to start with

That is actually a good idea. I could combine this with my current immersion method, but not fill the container until cooler water is coming out.

Thanks everyone for all the ideas. I will try some of these, once I get a coil together and brew again, and update this thread with the results for the benefit of those of us in the drought areas.

 

[raysmithtx]

Maybe freezing a gallon of Arrowhead spring water while still in the plastic container, and just cutting the plastic off.

I used to freeze the one gallon jugs to use as cooling ice. I decided it was a hassle so now use 1 gallon plastic freezer bags. Fill them with water and stick them in a plastic tub (I learned that they can leak) to contain any leaks and stick the tub in the freezer. At almost 8 lbs per plastic bag it doesn't take very many.