Wort chilling options

[DoctorB2B]

Question …. I live in an apartment that doesn't have faucets compatible with most wort chiller hookups. Is there an alternative option aside from ice bags that doesn't require prior faucet hookups? Apologies if this is horribly basic.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

What is the volume of wort you are chilling?

 

[DoctorB2B]

1-5 gallons

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

For cooling 1 gal batches, check out the 1-Gallon Brewers UNITE! topic (start with the year 2019) for ideas. If you are brewing extract+steep, in the 2 gal batch size, the cool-down approach in @Steveruch 's "no boil" recipes in Zymurgy magazine may be of interest.

 

[Jtvann]

There are also many universal faucet adapters that you can use if you want to. Something like this.
https://www.morebeer.com/products/sink-faucet-adapter-stainless.html

 

[davidabcd]

+1 on the adapters.

 

[balrog]

pond pump to recirculate through chiller to sink/bucket

 

[brewbama]

pond pump to recirculate through chiller to sink/bucket

+1. Adapt the faucet to your hose of choice and pond pump with ice. game changer.

 

[Ayzala]

^This^ or you could get the clamp on faucet adapter, can you give us a pic of the faucet?

 

[DoctorB2B]

I can post one when I get home tonight, thanks everyone thus far

 

[Ayzala]

As there would be really no pressure in the chiller you could try this:

https://www.amazon.com/Rinseroo-Sli...ick+connect+on+faucet&qid=1597247084&sr=8-129

 

[Knightshade]

Might be able to get one at Home Depot, possibly quicker than ordering.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/NEOPERL...or-Male-55-64-in-Adapter-37-0109-98/202243060https://www.homedepot.com/p/NEOPERL-Small-Coupler-and-Fitting-37-0293-98/206321179
or maybe watch this..not a sink in sight...kind of glad I just skimmed through it again. Good idea to use a cooler, I've just been using HD buckets. Wonder if I might gain a small bit of time back by not losing so much ice to ambient temp.

 

[gmmarich]

Hello, I had the same problem so I started using ice, substituting ice for water, for a 5 gallon batch I use 10 lbs of ice. I have been doing this for years without any issues.

 

[DarrellQ]

I hate to ask such a newbie question, but I figure you guys will be kind! What is the need to get the wort temp down so quickly? Does it affect the chemistry of the beer if it takes 20 minutes versus an hour? For example, the instructions that came with first ever batch just simply said to "put kettle in a sink with ice water for 20 minutes." Since I hadn't discovered this forum yet, I didn't even know to take wort temp before pitching yeast. I appreciate your comments.

 

[Ayzala]

Simply that wort is full of sugar, bad bacteria and natural yeast love the stuff. So the quicker you can get it to pitching temps and into the fermenter the better.

 

[DoctorB2B]

The two faucets I have in the apartment. Finally have a day off and will review these options. Thanks again everyone.

 

[Ayzala]

Then this or similar would be your best bet. Now the connection to your chiller may need some fittings I'm sure you can find at HD or Lowes. Gook luck and happy brewing

https://www.amazon.com/Rinseroo-Slip-Showerhead-Installation-Hose-Stretch/dp/B07R95DQ39/ref=sr_1_129?dchild=1&keywords=Quick+connect+on+faucet&qid=1597247084&sr=8-129

 

[balrog]

Pond pump.
Get 3 - 5 gallon buckets
Put pond pump in one bucket and fill with tap water
Fill second bucket with water, leaving room for 5-10lb ice, but don't put it in until the last minute to save all the therms
Leave third bucket empty.
Hook pond pump to chiller, output to empty bucket. Hot water for clean up
When pond pump starts sucking air, stop it
Fill pond pump bucket with ice, and water from third bucket
Put output into TOP of ice bucket for recirculation
Turn on pump again

Most important during all of this and something not shown in the video above -- stand there and swirl and raise and lower and swish that coil around CONSTANTLY.

 

[devilssoninlaw]

I use ice packs with great results. I work at a hospital and they throw out at least a dozen of those every day. I always keep a few in the freezer but the night before brew day I'll put a bunch in there and it usually takes 2 to 3 cycles with cold water and 3 ice packs to get to around 70 degrees. I'm a cheapskate and it works well.

 

[Knightshade]

Or if your kitchen has a double sink, you could do this. This was what I was doing a couple months back before my wife kicked me out of the kitchen. I'd run off the first 5 hot gallons into a Home Depot bucket, then everything over to the right side. You can see in this pic that the flow rate was low enough that it would then flow over into the left side, which was filled up with ice and pump.

 

[NGD]

I usually do something similar to @balrog suggestion when I brew small 1.5-2 gallon batches. I fill up one side of the sink with cool water, insert pump, connect cooler and put exit hose into another bucket so I can use hot water for cleaning. Turn on cold water, pump and stir drain bucket is 3/4 full. Anything past that goes down drain til I hit 130. Stirring frequently with sanitized spoon.

Once it gets down to 130 I them take the exit hose and put it on the water fill side of the sink, add ice and icepacks them recirc the colder water til I get close to pitching temps. This saves a bunch of water (usually goes to plants or dogs) and allows to me strut around feeling far superior to my neighbors because I saved a few gallons.