Wort chiller options

[sharkleybrews]

Recently I have been thinking of procuring a wort chiller for my brewing. I have never used one before. Usually the only times I could brew were when it was cold or, better yet, snowing. I live a temperate zone so this only privies me to 4-6 months of brewing time. Does anyone have any advice on what to buy or make when trying to cool wort? Any advice, manufacturers, or home made remedies will be greatly appreciated.

 

[jaycount]

An immersion chiller is least expensive, easiest to clean, and easiest to use. They'll run you around $60 new, or you can make one.

 

[brandonhagen1]

ice bath will work

 

[CGVT]

I got this one.
http://www.nybrewsupply.com/wort-chillers/copper-wort-chiller-garden-hose-fittings-38-x-50.html

It was cheaper than I could make it... For about $20 more you can get the 1/2" ID 50' chiller

 

[Zorin]

I made a counter flow wort chiller from the DIY section here on HBT. Using a pump, I'm able to take a 5.5gal of wort from 212F to 55F in 5 mins. Easy to clean as well I just have a hot bucket of water and sanitizer ready when done to flush it.

Good luck.
Z

 

[Curtis2010]

I acquired a Duda Diesel B3-12A 30 plate chiller last year via Amazon.com for about US$88.00. Could not possibly be more pleased with it: very competitive price, quality construction, easy to clean/sanitize, amazingly efficient (5-10 gallon batches chilled in minutes). At this price they are competitive with retail shop immersion chillers.

Even if you chose to build your own immersion chiller -- copper tubing is not cheap. By the time you price out the tubing and fittings and factor in your time (it's worth something...or at least could be better spent brewing and drinking beer!) and consider the fact that Version 1.0 of anything is rarely the best...then these chillers by Duda Diesel are very appealing.

You will need a few extra bits and pieces to hook them up -- some basic plumbing fittings, hoses, etc -- things you should be able to find at any good hardware store. Installing quick disconnects for all the hoses makes it very convenient to use and stow.

See http://www.dudadiesel.com/search.php?query=wort+chiller.

 

[zacster]

I DIYed my immersion chiller from 50' 1/2" copper. While I used it yesterday and it worked just fine, I'd buy one rather than do it again. It just wasn't worth the effort and it looks like hell. I'd rather have one that has a neat stacked helix than mine which is all over the place, and the uprights, well they just aren't all that upright.

I does work well however and cooled my 5 gallon batch in about 10 minutes to 58 for a lager.

(and I also finally figured out that I can turn it upside down to drain. I used to blow it out. Duh.)

 

[FrizzleFry]

I just bought a 20 plate chiller from DudaDiesel myself for $65, plus some hardware to hook it up to my new kettle. If I add up the 10 or 20 lbs bags of ice per batch I have been using since the beginning I could have bought a chiller by now, and since I am going all grain with 10 gallon batch size capacity I knew I needed something.
There is a little more plumbing involved with a plate chiller than an immersion chiller - your kettle needs to have a valve. But yeah they are faster and more efficient.

 

[mattd2]

I just bought a 20 plate chiller from DudaDiesel myself for $65, plus some hardware to hook it up to my new kettle...

Sort of to the help out the OP, and me, in the decision making why did you go with th 20 plate over a 30+? i'm asking because I am looking at upgrading my chiller (current 3x 15' 1/4" copper mini-beast) to a plate and compared with buying local in NZ it is still cheaper to buy one from Duda including shipping. But the total difference between the 20 and 30 plate is about NZ$50 (and puts it slightly outside the budget).
Are you planing on recircing until the whole batch is cooled? From the charts on the website what I took was going from a 20 to a 30 isn't going to reduce you cooling water usage by much and is just a time thing.

 

[FrizzleFry]

No I went with the 20 plate because I am a cheap ba$tard. I was trying to keep the total cost of my switch to all grain down, so i went with the 20, an aluminum pot, and a used propane burner. Besides their site said the 20 would cool a 10 gallon batch in 15 min, which is already twice as fast as I have been managing a 5 gallon batch with an ice water bath in the sink.
As for recirculating, I will do that if necessary, or maybe I could just partially close the ball valve and cut the wort flow rate in half. I am just guessing here, never used one before obviously.
I'm a newb make no mistake, and I suppose I could later regret not getting the 30, no idea.

 

[mattd2]

No I went with the 20 plate because I am a cheap ba$tard. I was trying to keep the total cost of my switch to all grain down, so i went with the 20, an aluminum pot, and a used propane burner. Besides their site said the 20 would cool a 10 gallon batch in 15 min, which is already twice as fast as I have been managing a 5 gallon batch with an ice water bath in the sink.
As for recirculating, I will do that if necessary, or maybe I could just partially close the ball valve and cut the wort flow rate in half. I am just guessing here, never used one before obviously.
I'm a newb make no mistake, and I suppose I could later regret not getting the 30, no idea.

Hahaha, make no mistake I'm a cheap bastard too!
From their chart I think that is what they are doing with their results, pumping the cooling water through as quick as possible and resticting the flowrate so it is one pass through the chiller into the fermenter. I know what you mean 15 mins is better that 30+ (for a 2.5 gallon batch!).
I think recircing is really only a nice to have to get a whirlpool going in the kettle and to reduce the cold break going into the fermenter.

 

[Curtis2010]

Hahaha, make no mistake I'm a cheap bastard too!
...pumping the cooling water through as quick as possible and resticting the flowrate so it is one pass through the chiller into the fermenter. I know what you mean 15 mins is better that 30+ (for a 2.5 gallon batch!).
I think recircing is really only a nice to have to get a whirlpool going in the kettle and to reduce the cold break going into the fermenter.

With my set-up that is what I do: restrict the wort flow and good full flow on the cooling water side. I usually make a cool water addition to the kettle right after the boil to start the cooling process and then flow through the wort chiller. Works great even with my relatively warm cooling water. W/ the valve on my brew kettle about half open, or a bit less, it cools the wort to about 80F+ on the first pass (which is ambient temp here and works fine for pitching because my yeast is already in a starter solution at that temp).

Next season, I may try setting up a pre-chiller for my cooling water -- just a few feet of copper tubing passing through a cooler loaded w/ice. But, it is still a major improvement from cooling in the sink as is (took what seemed like forever w/many water changes to cool a 5-gallon batch).

 

[FrizzleFry]

I usually make a cool water addition to the kettle right after the boil to start the cooling process and then flow through the wort chiller. Works great even with my relatively warm cooling water.

That's a good idea. I had been putting my addition water in the freezer for a few hours (not quite frozen) but not adding it until the wort was in the fermenter, mostly to keep the water level of the wort in the pot down to the height of my sink. But now I won't need to wait, I can use your method, thanks! I live in Florida so my ground water temp isn't going to be real cold in the summer either.

 

[drewneely]

Just got a 40 plate Duda Diesel shipped today. Looking forward to trying it out this weekend.

 

[lamppa]

i made my imersion chiller, with whirlpool capabilities (you need a pump for whirlpool) for 90.00 including the fittings. If you can sweat pipe and find some round 'thing' thats the correct diameter, its easy, and half price.

65.00 of the 90 was 60' 1/2" copper tubing.


IMG_0556 by lump_digity, on Flickr


IMG_0559 by lump_digity, on Flickr
if you dont tie the runs together it wants to slinky apart when you lift it.


IMG_0558 by lump_digity, on Flickr


IMG_0557 by lump_digity, on Flickr

 

[lamppa]

A little tip, the hot wort rises to the top so make sure you put the 'IN' side on the top coil and the "OUT" on the bottom

 

[Curtis2010]

i made my imersion chiller, with whirlpool capabilities (you need a pump for whirlpool) for 90.00 including the fittings. If you can sweat pipe and find some round 'thing' thats the correct diameter, its easy, and half price.

65.00 of the 90 was 60' 1/2" copper tubing.

Very nice work!

But for those of use without good pipe-fitting skills, the materials alone come out to the price of many of the Duda Diesel plates.

However, we don't get the satisfaction of a job well done!