Wort Chilling newbie question

[jasolhe]

So I have this $1,000 new deep freeze with a fast freeze setting. Right now it is on setting 4 (6 is max aka fast freeze), setting 4 is -10 degrees. Just a guess, my thermometer only does -20, but I'm betting if I put in on the fast freeze setting it will get to -30 degrees or so.

How long do you think a 5 gallon batch of wort would take to cool in this deep freezer?

I'll probably just fill 20 ounce pop bottles and use both sides of the sink with the rinse and repeat method.

Maybe I'll get a larger (than my boiling kettle) plastic container, put it in the deep freezer with salt and 20 ounce pop bottles frozen filled with water before starting the boil so it will be damn near freezing point when I'm ready to transfer the wort pot into it. After a quick cold water rinse in the sink prior.

Still though it's just like cooking a really thick burger, that middle part is always last to lose it's pink color. Which is why the wort chiller coil method probably is the best option.

Newbie advice appreciated. By newbie i mean i have the equipment - just haven't used it yet!

 

[lumpher]

i'd think a wort chiller would work hours faster than putting it in a freezer. never tried it, though

 

[Phunhog]

Wort chiller would be faster. The freezer idea isn't bad though.....just takes more time. It might work better if you could shake the carboy to mix the wort .

 

[45_70sharps]

Without some way of keeping the wort moving inside the carboy or bucket, you are probably going to get it frozen on the outside before it's cooled in the center.
I'm not sure how you would get it right. It would take some experimenting with letting it sit, opening the freezer to swirl the wort and take a temp reading, then returning it to the freezer.

I agree that the chiller built for the job is the way to go. It works pretty fast.

 

[schittbreff]

I use my immersion wort chiller, until about 75-80 degrees, after that it doesn't really cool as fast, especially in the summer when the tapwater is fairly warm where I live (In the winter I just put it outside) then its into the deep freeze, for half an hour or so. a good stir and I'm at 65. It wont freeze on the outside, at least it doesn't in my freezer. yours sounds like it might be newer and colder than mine. just keep an eye on it. the combination of chiller and freezer is the fastest way to chill wort that I know of.

 

[Xpertskir]

I use my immersion wort chiller, until about 75-80 degrees, after that it doesn't really cool as fast, especially in the summer when the tapwater is fairly warm where I live (In the winter I just put it outside) then its into the deep freeze, for half an hour or so. a good stir and I'm at 65. .

This is my strategy until I get another wort chiller and turn my current wort chiller into a pre chiller

 

[Whattawort]

May not be the best choice as a chiller, but then again, I always do the no-chill because I'm lazy so what do I know? That said, you have a perfect setup to make eisbier. Give it a try sometime. Just pull off a gallon or so from your next batch when it's done, put it in a sanitized container and freeze it. At bottling time, bottle everything that didn't freeze. I did this with my pecan brown for sh*ts and grins and it's made for a very interesting beer.