andrewp
Well-Known Member
I apologize if this has been brought up already but I had an idea and wanted to run it by the forum before trying this weekend.
I found that it takes my standard immersion chiller too long to cool and additional cooling ability of a whirlpool around the chiller seems to be a great solution. With pumps being as expensive as they, I think I have a gravity based solution to the brewer that wants to whirlpool without buying a pump.
My though was to convert a bottling bucket (or plastic brew bucket) into a separate whirlpool vessel. My immersion chiller would run inside the bucket as the hot wort runs from the spigot on my brew-kettle (gravity fed) into the bucket. I would direct from the kettle to be opposite of the chiller for increased cooling. The gravity fed flow, if start point is high enough, should develop at least a small whirlpool.
Additionally, this would give me the opportunity to do a whirlpool hopping.
I figured that a lot of commercial breweries are now doing the whirlpool in a separate vessel, why can't we? This is meant for 5 gal or smaller batches (my largest bucket is 7 g).
Has anyone run a similar set-up? Thoughts? Do I have to worry about the plastic bucket?
Thanks and happy brewing
I found that it takes my standard immersion chiller too long to cool and additional cooling ability of a whirlpool around the chiller seems to be a great solution. With pumps being as expensive as they, I think I have a gravity based solution to the brewer that wants to whirlpool without buying a pump.
My though was to convert a bottling bucket (or plastic brew bucket) into a separate whirlpool vessel. My immersion chiller would run inside the bucket as the hot wort runs from the spigot on my brew-kettle (gravity fed) into the bucket. I would direct from the kettle to be opposite of the chiller for increased cooling. The gravity fed flow, if start point is high enough, should develop at least a small whirlpool.
Additionally, this would give me the opportunity to do a whirlpool hopping.
I figured that a lot of commercial breweries are now doing the whirlpool in a separate vessel, why can't we? This is meant for 5 gal or smaller batches (my largest bucket is 7 g).
Has anyone run a similar set-up? Thoughts? Do I have to worry about the plastic bucket?
Thanks and happy brewing