267 replies to this topic

[HVB]

I think Matt we need a chill off!

[positiveContact]

If both chillers are long enough to adequately chill the wort then you won't notice a difference.

 

that sounds right.

[SchwanzBrewer]

I think Matt we need a chill off!

 

I love my plate chillers. I bought a second one so I wouldn't have to buy so much ice. Now I get away with about 1/3 the ice I was using before by using ground water through the first chiller and using the recirculating ice bath through the second. I wasn't paying attention to my chill last time and I accidentally chilled the wort to 50 degrees! About 2/3 of the way through I noticed and sped up the flow. Ended up having to wait for hours for the wort to heat to 60 degrees so I could pitch the yeast. I'm kind of stuck since I can't get good cold ground water and cleaning extra lines and chillers is a pain in the butt.

[positiveContact]

I love my plate chillers. I bought a second one so I wouldn't have to buy so much ice. Now I get away with about 1/3 the ice I was using before by using ground water through the first chiller and using the recirculating ice bath through the second. I wasn't paying attention to my chill last time and I accidentally chilled the wort to 50 degrees! About 2/3 of the way through I noticed and sped up the flow. Ended up having to wait for hours for the wort to heat to 60 degrees so I could pitch the yeast. I'm kind of stuck since I can't get good cold ground water and cleaning extra lines and chillers is a pain in the butt.

 

I'm not a huge fan of using an IC but it's the easiest way out for me.  seems kind of wasteful.

[HVB]

I love my plate chillers. I bought a second one so I wouldn't have to buy so much ice. Now I get away with about 1/3 the ice I was using before by using ground water through the first chiller and using the recirculating ice bath through the second. I wasn't paying attention to my chill last time and I accidentally chilled the wort to 50 degrees! About 2/3 of the way through I noticed and sped up the flow. Ended up having to wait for hours for the wort to heat to 60 degrees so I could pitch the yeast. I'm kind of stuck since I can't get good cold ground water and cleaning extra lines and chillers is a pain in the butt.

 

Over the years I had 2 (maybe 3) plate chillers.  For some reason I did not find the cooling time to be any better than what I had used before and I did not like worrying about the inside.  I went with the CFC and now have a  SS IM that I use as a post chiller if needed.  Many have great luck with the plate chillers I am the odd ball that did not.  In one way I am lucky that my ground water is cold most of the year and really cold now!

[matt6150]

No matter what I am still going to have to incorporate some ice in the chilling process during the summer. I am on a well that is somewhat shallow so I run out of water fairly quickly. So I use my pool water for chilling, but during the summer it gets to 80+. Even if I use the well water that is usually coming out near 80 anyway. So I will probably be getting out my old IC and run the pool water through that while its sitting in a bucket of ice water, towards the end of course.

[HVB]

No matter what I am still going to have to incorporate some ice in the chilling process during the summer. I am on a well that is somewhat shallow so I run out of water fairly quickly. So I use my pool water for chilling, but during the summer it gets to 80+. Even if I use the well water that is usually coming out near 80 anyway. So I will probably be getting out my old IC and run the pool water through that while its sitting in a bucket of ice water, towards the end of course.

You could always clean out the inside of the IM good and run the partially cooled wort through that while the IM is in a bucket of ice water.  A post chiller.  It has worked good for me when I needed to do it.  BlKtRe suggested it a while back.

[matt6150]

You could always clean out the inside of the IM good and run the partially cooled wort through that while the IM is in a bucket of ice water. A post chiller. It has worked good for me when I needed to do it. BlKtRe suggested it a while back.

Alright cool, I'll keep that in mind.

[BlKtRe]

Yes. Post wort chillers (PWC) work great. I have excellent luck with my Shirron with cold ground water. Works equally as good as my 22ft CFC. I'm no fan of IM chillers. I don't want a wad of copper in my kettle.Warmer months I add the PWC after the plate in a ice bath with a recirculating pump on a foot switch. Using the foot switch to turn off/on allows me some stratification around the coils when needed for extra temp control. Coupled with the pump valve I have more options at hand for precise temp control depending on ground water temps and desired pitch temps. I do not however pump cold ice water into the plate. You will go through more ice with that method.

[positiveContact]

Yes. Post wort chillers (PWC) work great. I have excellent luck with my Shirron with cold ground water. Works equally as good as my 22ft CFC. I'm no fan of IM chillers. I don't want a wad of copper in my kettle.

 

what is the concern of copper in the kettle?

[BlKtRe]

what is the concern of copper in the kettle?

Imagine the amount of copper needed in a 10-20g batch. No thanks. The small footprint of the plate is nice and not worrying about a wad of copper even nicer.

[positiveContact]

Imagine the amount of copper needed in a 10-20g batch. No thanks. The small footprint of the plate is nice and not worrying about a wad of copper even nicer.

 

I've been living with the amount of copper for a 10g batch for a while now.  is there something beyond the footprint you are worried about?  is there a health concern or something?

[BlKtRe]

No real health concerns I know of. I just prefer smaller a footprint. And in line chilling allows those wonderful hops more contact time.

[positiveContact]

No real health concerns I know of. I just prefer smaller a footprint. And in line chilling allows those wonderful hops more contact time.

 

how so?

[HVB]

how so?

Because not all the wort is cooled at once.  So any hops added late have contact with the majority of the wort for a longer time.

[positiveContact]

Because not all the wort is cooled at once.  So any hops added late have contact with the majority of the wort for a longer time.

 

I just pause my chilling for 20-30 minutes after I take the edge off the boil.

[HVB]

I just pause my chilling for 20-30 minutes after I take the edge off the boil.

So do I.  chill to 175-180 and add in hops and let spin for 15 and then settle for 15 then start chilling.  So while I am running out to the CFC the rest of the wort is still in contact with the hops.  So some hot wort may see the hops for 30 minutes and some may see it for 45 minutes.  When you dot it with an IM the entire volume is chilling down at the same time.

[positiveContact]

So do I.  chill to 175-180 and add in hops and let spin for 15 and then settle for 15 then start chilling.  So while I am running out to the CFC the rest of the wort is still in contact with the hops.  So some hot wort may see the hops for 30 minutes and some may see it for 45 minutes.  When you dot it with an IM the entire volume is chilling down at the same time.

 

maybe it makes a difference - you could also say that I have more of the wort in contact (at any temperature) with the hops for longer. 

[BlKtRe]

maybe it makes a difference - you could also say that I have more of the wort in contact (at any temperature) with the hops for longer.

<< scratches head then says your wort isn't as hot. Then says more hops in less wort is hoppier.

[positiveContact]

<< scratches head then says your wort isn't as hot. Then says more hops in less wort is hoppier.

 

true regarding the temp.

 

what do you think would more effectively pull the oils and hop goodness out of 1 oz of hops, 1 gallon of wort or 2 gallons of wort?

 

the reality though is that most people don't seem to think doing a hop stand for much more than 30 minutes adds much in the way of hop flavor/aroma.  so any difference between using an IC to chill or some inline method to chill after the hop stand would likely be pretty negligible.