wort chiller

[Mark1964]

im just about to buy a boiler/mashtun is it really neccasary to use a wort chiller or just let the wort cool on its own thanks

 

[Wez]

The risk of infection is greater if you allow it to cool on it's own, you also wont be removing some haze forming particulates as you wont get a good 'cold break'. Having said that there are a few members here who go with natural cooling so it's up to you, but better to have a heads up on what concerns people may have :thumb:

 

[Mark1964]

ok thanks for the info

 

[BigYin]

making a wort chiller is a doddle - and bloody good fun!!

Tested mine today - 98c to 28c in 15 minutes :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

Here it is being leak tested just after I built it :

 

[Wez]

BigYin :clap: :clap: :clap:

Very nice piece of kit :thumb:

 

[Brewmarc]

BigYin :clap: :clap: :clap:

Very nice piece of kit :thumb:

I like the inner coil within the outer :clap: :clap: i think i might modify mine. double cooling power :party: :thumb:

 

[Mark1964]

can you tell me how you made it

 

[Wez]

BigYin I feel a "how to" coming on :thumb:

 

[BigYin]

better check what photos I took of it :lol:

 

[highwayman]

Good job there BigYin :thumb:

 

[BigYin]

BigYin I feel a "how to" coming on :thumb:

viewtopic.php?f=30&t=10534

:thumb:

 

[Mark1964]

could someone explain how you use the wort chiller i know its used to cool wort down quickly to pitching temp does it go in your bucket etc

 

[Muddy Funker]

could someone explain how you use the wort chiller i know its used to cool wort down quickly to pitching temp does it go in your bucket etc

Not that I've used one but, you put it into into the wort during the last 15 mins of the boil this will sterilse the chiller. Then when the boil finishes you connect the chiller to a tap or hose and run cold water through it.
The heat from the wort transfers through the copper and into the cold water and away. I guess the more eco friendly would save the water for the dishes, garden ect?
How much water is used as an average?

 

[Hawks]

I use a lot of the hot water for cleaning up. Often then I have 1 FV of hot water left that I chuck a load of bottles that need labels removing into, the cooler ones get used on the garden.

I made beer for around 2 years without one and never had any problems - not sure if its my imagination though, but I am sure the beer improved when I started cooling with the chiller :)

 

[Muddy Funker]

I use a lot of the hot water for cleaning up. Often then I have 1 FV of hot water left that I chuck a load of bottles that need labels removing into, the cooler ones get used on the garden.

I made beer for around 2 years without one and never had any problems - not sure if its my imagination though, but I am sure the beer improved when I started cooling with the chiller :)

hawkinspm,

How did you cool the wort before? Did you just leave it in the fv to cool before pitching yeast? Covered with lid/clingfilm?
And what did you do about aerating wort before pitching?
I'm about to embark on my first AG and won't have a chiller. I was going to cool in one fv then when cool enough pour into another to froth it up before pitching. Would this work?

Cheers :thumb:

 

[Hawks]

Pretty much what I did yes... I used to make sure it was aerated into the FV and then leave it overnight to cool. Prior to pitching the yeast I would move it to another FV ( and go back and forward 4 or 5 times) from a height. This seemed to get enough air into it :thumb:

 

[Muddy Funker]

Pretty much what I did yes... I used to make sure it was aerated into the FV and then leave it overnight to cool. Prior to pitching the yeast I would move it to another FV ( and go back and forward 4 or 5 times) from a height. This seemed to get enough air into it :thumb:

Perfect,

Thanks I'll be giving that a try then for sure :-)

 

[Brewmarc]

could someone explain how you use the wort chiller i know its used to cool wort down quickly to pitching temp does it go in your bucket etc

Not that I've used one but, you put it into into the wort during the last 15 mins of the boil this will sterilse the chiller. Then when the boil finishes you connect the chiller to a tap or hose and run cold water through it.
The heat from the wort transfers through the copper and into the cold water and away. I guess the more eco friendly would save the water for the dishes, garden ect?
How much water is used as an average?

One point & I have experimented with this :geek: & i know it may sound obvious to some, but the faster the water flow through the chiller the quicker the wert will chill :thumb: So crank it up. :thumb:

 

[Mark1964]

I use a lot of the hot water for cleaning up. Often then I have 1 FV of hot water left that I chuck a load of bottles that need labels removing into, the cooler ones get used on the garden.

I made beer for around 2 years without one and never had any problems - not sure if its my imagination though, but I am sure the beer improved when I started cooling with the chiller :)

hawkinspm,

How did you cool the wort before? Did you just leave it in the fv to cool before pitching yeast? Covered with lid/clingfilm?
And what did you do about aerating wort before pitching?
I'm about to embark on my first AG and won't have a chiller. I was going to cool in one fv then when cool enough pour into another to froth it up before pitching. Would this work?

Cheers :thumb:

Im going to make one you need about 20 feet of the soft bend refridgeration copper pipe about three eights thick 2 legnths of 15mm pipe 4 90 degree bends and 2 reducing couplers fill the thin copper pipe with sand to prevent it kinking and bend round something a bit smaller than your boiler braze together your 15mm pipe in to a upside down L shape braze on the reducing couplers and then braze on your coiled thinner copper pipe. Its just a matter of connecting the hose then.

 

[Mark1964]

I use a lot of the hot water for cleaning up. Often then I have 1 FV of hot water left that I chuck a load of bottles that need labels removing into, the cooler ones get used on the garden.

I made beer for around 2 years without one and never had any problems - not sure if its my imagination though, but I am sure the beer improved when I started cooling with the chiller :)

hawkinspm,

How did you cool the wort before? Did you just leave it in the fv to cool before pitching yeast? Covered with lid/clingfilm?
And what did you do about aerating wort before pitching?
I'm about to embark on my first AG and won't have a chiller. I was going to cool in one fv then when cool enough pour into another to froth it up before pitching. Would this work?

Cheers :thumb:

Im going to make one you need about 20 feet of the soft bend refridgeration copper pipe about three eights thick 2 legnths of 15mm pipe 4 90 degree bends and 2 reducing couplers fill the thin copper pipe with sand to prevent it kinking and bend round something a bit smaller than your boiler braze together your 15mm pipe in to a upside down L shape braze on the reducing couplers and then braze on your coiled thinner copper pipe. Its just a matter of connecting the hose then.

To aereate your wort your better off maybe running the wort from your boiler in to your fv from a bit of a height as it goes in your fv it will aereate etc