wort chillers

[Jako]

what are you guys rocking for wort chillers? i have a cheap copper immersion chiller that will no longer fit my needs for my new system.

Right now i plan to whirlpool wort after the boil and running a inline filter for hops and trub. I thought about a plate chiller but i don't want a huge clean up. what ever i use i plan to recalculate the water in a ice bath to save water and help drop temps super fast. Not super sold on another immersion chiller, ends up getting bent and kicks around hops and trub if you happen to bump it. Just looking for ideas or suggestions on quality chillers.

 

[RPh_Guy]

In terms of chilling speed and simplicity, it's hard to beat the ICs from CuSS and JaDeD. These aren't like the cheap single coil ICs you've used.
CuSS is now starting to make stainless chillers which I'm definitely going to buy.

Counterflow chillers are also good, but obviously a little more complicated to set up and clean. Right now I'm using a copper CFC. It gets the job done and isn't very expensive

Plate chillers are pretty much a bust imho because they're so hard to clean at the homebrew level and they clog easily, while not offering any real advantage over the other types.

You'll definitely want to use ground water to drop the temp most of the way, followed by a second phase with the ice water.

 

[coolitfast]

Check www.exchilerator.com. We have both counter flow (Maxx or Brutus) and a horizontal immersion chiller that attaches to our Patented HangOver. Other HangOver attachments include The TropStop trub dam and Hop Spider. Take a look.

 

[Shwagger]

I use 2 10 plate PCs and a pump. Works excellent at quick cooling. One pumps tap water and the second one ice water.

Cleaning is simple as i use the pump to pump cleaning solution and then fresh water almost immediately after the wort goes into the fermenter. Forward and backward flush. Then a soak in my starsan bucket.

Easy peasy and fast fast cooling

 

[CodeSection]

I use a copper CFC with BrewtanB. I bought it here... https://www.morebeer.com/products/wort-chiller-counterflow-12-fpt-fittings.html.

However, some day when there is a sale, I'm planning on buying a stainless steel CFC from Stout. The link to it is here.... https://conical-fermenter.com/Counterflow-Wort-Chiller.html

I suggest you read the various threads about the benefit of removing copper equipment. Had I read the threads, I would have bought the Stout SS CFC over MoreBeer's copper. The price is about the same with shipping.

If you decide to go the SS CFC route, only Stout has a longer (31') tubing length as well as wider tubing than what the cheaper competition has to offer. This makes a huge difference in its ability to cool down the wort almost as well as the copper (so I read). Whereas, the other SS CFCs are just to small in tubing and length.

 

[brew703]

I have one of the first ones from CUSS. No comparison to the cheap copper IC's.

 

[Jako]

For the ones using plate chillers how often do you fully take it apart for cleaning. I really like the cuss chillers but I want to avoid copper. Can someone explain why copper is not the best to use?

 

[Shwagger]

For the ones using plate chillers how often do you fully take it apart for cleaning. I really like the cuss chillers but I want to avoid copper. Can someone explain why copper is not the best to use?

I don't think mine come apart

 

[day_trippr]

lol - no, I'm sure it doesn't. There are no consumer-level plate chillers that can be disassembled to the plate level. Not yet, anyway
Perhaps "fully take it apart" means stripping any/all fittings and gasket from it. That'd be prerequisite for baking, for instance...

Why is copper not the "best to use"? Because beer is acidic and will pull copper ions out of the tubing which will accelerate staling (plus copper intake is generally not advisable - see Wilson's disease).

Stainless steel imo is the "best to use", even with its lower performance (higher thermal resistance vs Cu, for instance)...

Cheers!

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

I have and I use the http://www.morebeer.com/products/wort-chiller-counterflow-12-fpt-fittings.html

Goes from boiling wort to 50/60F quickly (move hot wort slowly, prechilled/ice cold water quickly).

Learn from my experience and don't over-tighten the copper fittings. I learned the hard way.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

About the SS wort chiller. It's my understanding SS isn't as efficient as copper at heat/cold transfer.

 

[day_trippr]

As I mentioned, yes. Imo it's a small time cost vs the benefit of avoiding Cu...

Cheers!

 

[Jako]

Sounds like a stainless steel CF is the best of all worlds. The cost is pretty steep but buy once cry once.

Wonder If anyone had done testing on how much copper effects shelf life. Days weeks etc. This is something I plan to work on. Shelf life is Important to me when I brew for competition. Since I can only bottle 2 beers at a time off kegs

 

[RPh_Guy]

I really like the cuss chillers but I want to avoid copper.

CuSS is now starting to make stainless chillers

They should be released soon if you're interested:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/hercules™-s-s-triple-feed-ic.670336/

 

[CodeSection]

Sounds like a stainless steel CF is the best of all worlds. The cost is pretty steep but buy once cry once.

Wonder If anyone had done testing on how much copper effects shelf life. Days weeks etc. This is something I plan to work on. Shelf life is Important to me when I brew for competition. Since I can only bottle 2 beers at a time off kegs

Good choice in deciding to buy a SS CFC. Now, if you are wanting to increase shelf life, buy and use BrewtanB. Here are a couple of links worth reading.....

https://www.natural-specialities.co...n+B+-+Mashing+and+Boiling+fact+sheet+v4.0.pdf

https://wyeastlab.com/brewtan

I buy it from http://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/839534.htm

 

[augiedoggy]

I use 2 10 plate PCs and a pump. Works excellent at quick cooling. One pumps tap water and the second one ice water.

Cleaning is simple as i use the pump to pump cleaning solution and then fresh water almost immediately after the wort goes into the fermenter. Forward and backward flush. Then a soak in my starsan bucket.

Easy peasy and fast fast cooling

same here only I use a duda 20 plate chiller...6 years now. No clogging because I use recirculation for clear wort in BK and 2 hop spiders along with a filter on the dip tube.

 

[augiedoggy]

lol - no, I'm sure it doesn't. There are no consumer-level plate chillers that can be disassembled to the plate level. Not yet, anyway
Perhaps "fully take it apart" means stripping any/all fittings and gasket from it. That'd be prerequisite for baking, for instance...

Why is copper not the "best to use"? Because beer is acidic and will pull copper ions out of the tubing which will accelerate staling (plus copper intake is generally not advisable - see Wilson's disease).

Stainless steel imo is the "best to use", even with its lower performance (higher thermal resistance vs Cu, for instance)...

Cheers!

I remember a time a few years ago when I mentioned all this about the hazzards of copper and everyone kept quoting John Palmers podcast where he said the yeast consume all the copper making it a healthy addition to the wort... Times have changed..
Acidic beer also dissolves aluminum...

 

[day_trippr]

iirc, the "some copper in the brewery is good" thing was based on the associated zinc content of copper vessels and tubing...

Cheers!

 

[augiedoggy]

iirc, the "some copper in the brewery is good" thing was based on the associated zinc content of copper vessels and tubing...

Cheers!

exactly.. copper tubing most commonly used in home brewing, for wort chillers and herms coils.

I do own a sabco plate chiller that I use for my 3bbl setup but I know of home brewers that use them. it is a rebranded alfa laval chiller that comes completely apart for cleaning and the price comes in right about the same as that new SS brewtech malt mill so it can be said its a consumer level plate chiller depending on ones budget.
Personally I think its money better spent vs the mill to save a ton of time and water each brewday but its just my take on it. For a 5 or 10 gallon setup I'd just assume go with a CFC or regular plate chiller depending on process.

 

[mirthfuldragon]

In terms of chilling speed and simplicity, it's hard to beat the ICs from CuSS and JaDeD. These aren't like the cheap single coil ICs you've used.

I have a JaDeD Hydra and the thing is amazing. It will bring hot wort to within 1°F of the input water temperature in <10 minutes, with a whirlpool circulating. It blows the doors off my old DIY chiller. It is the second best piece of brewing gear I own (after my Thermapen).