barhoc11
Well-Known Member
I am going back and forth with my decision to get a plate chiller or not. I currently have a copper immersion chiller that works pretty quickly for my 5 gallon batches. With using hose water and then ice water, I can get my wort down to pitching temps in about 15 minutes.
I am trying to streamline my brew day and avoid needing ice each time I chill my wort so I am looking at plate chillers but everything I read about them make me think me think this is going to only complicate and add time to my brewing process.
The main issue, and the one that I think causes all my woes, I see with getting a plate chiller is the fact that I will need to use a hop spider for every brew now to remove the hop particles that will clog up a plate chiller. I have a spider and stopped using it due to less than desirable tastes, probably caused by less hop utilization. My secondary issue is that the plate chiller has a lot more maintenance associated with it, sanitizing before and after use.
I guess at this point I am wondering if it's worth it, since it is only seeming to add more complication to my brewing process and not saving me time, if any.
Anyone have first hand experience with this transition?
I am trying to streamline my brew day and avoid needing ice each time I chill my wort so I am looking at plate chillers but everything I read about them make me think me think this is going to only complicate and add time to my brewing process.
The main issue, and the one that I think causes all my woes, I see with getting a plate chiller is the fact that I will need to use a hop spider for every brew now to remove the hop particles that will clog up a plate chiller. I have a spider and stopped using it due to less than desirable tastes, probably caused by less hop utilization. My secondary issue is that the plate chiller has a lot more maintenance associated with it, sanitizing before and after use.
I guess at this point I am wondering if it's worth it, since it is only seeming to add more complication to my brewing process and not saving me time, if any.
Anyone have first hand experience with this transition?