OK, so I am on the finishing touches of building my dream 3 tier gravity fed brewing tree with 15 gallon keggles. I am feeling pretty good about the set up, got a 15" false bottom from Jaybird, got a hop stopper from Innovative Home Brew Solutions, ect, ect....the only thing I am feeling like I really want to step up on is the wort chiller (although I am about a $1000 into this so I dont want to spend a fortune more, saw a Blichmann plate chiller for $200 and that seems like the very upper limit). I dont know what my best option is on a gravity fed system other then your basic copper coils you hook to the garden hose. I am so excited about getting this system going, just want to get the wort chiller figured out then step up to a stainless steel conical fermenter (liking the price of this one!!) http://cgi.ebay.com/BETTER-STAINLES...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4aa0981378
Wort Chiller
- Thread starter StevePT
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soooooo..... was there a question, or were you just getting giddy about the new system? 
I'd say go with an immersion chiller. If you decide you want to make it fancier later, you can convert it into a counter-flow.
If you are willing to drop the brand name, you can find plate heat exchangers for cheaper than $90.
This guy has a huge selection..304 stainless, copper brazed... same construction as Therminators and Shirron chillers:
http://stores.ebay.com/DudaDiesel-A...sidZ97361327QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em14QQ_vcZ1
The best way to price compare would probably be by using square feet of cooling per $.
The Shirron has 0.247 ft^2/plate and 10 plates for a total of 2.47 ft^2 of cooling. At $90, that's $36 per square foot.
This one (http://cgi.ebay.com/20-Plate-Heat-E...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a80923f1) from the above seller has 0.14 ft^2/plate and 20 plates for a total of 2.8 ft^2 of cooling. At $60, that's $21 per square foot.
I've been kicking around the idea of getting one of these, but finally dropped it because I am worried about all the crud from my kettle getting into it and clogging it. If you have a good screen/filter/whatever in your kettle, it would probably be fine.
This guy has a huge selection..304 stainless, copper brazed... same construction as Therminators and Shirron chillers:
http://stores.ebay.com/DudaDiesel-A...sidZ97361327QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em14QQ_vcZ1
The best way to price compare would probably be by using square feet of cooling per $.
The Shirron has 0.247 ft^2/plate and 10 plates for a total of 2.47 ft^2 of cooling. At $90, that's $36 per square foot.
This one (http://cgi.ebay.com/20-Plate-Heat-E...tem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35a80923f1) from the above seller has 0.14 ft^2/plate and 20 plates for a total of 2.8 ft^2 of cooling. At $60, that's $21 per square foot.
I've been kicking around the idea of getting one of these, but finally dropped it because I am worried about all the crud from my kettle getting into it and clogging it. If you have a good screen/filter/whatever in your kettle, it would probably be fine.
Some say the Whirlpooling IC is the best chilling device. Chills the WHOLE VOLUME of wort faster than a plate or CFC.
Probably.
My last two batches, I did the backward IC thing. I pumped the wort through my coil and had the coil in my MLT full of ice water. I recirculated the cold wort back into the kettle to bring the full volume down as fast as possible.
Chilled 5.5 gallons in 10 minutes, using 5 gallons of ice water.
My last two batches, I did the backward IC thing. I pumped the wort through my coil and had the coil in my MLT full of ice water. I recirculated the cold wort back into the kettle to bring the full volume down as fast as possible.
Chilled 5.5 gallons in 10 minutes, using 5 gallons of ice water.
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