14 replies to this topic

[Deerslyr]

Ok... assume for a moment that I can find a garden hose adapter that fits the nearest sink, which happens to be the master bathroom.  I don't want all the water to be draining out because in this weather it will just create an ice rink.  I don't have a utility sink nearby.  It is in the basement.  Can I use the hose to return the water back to the toilet???  

 

I need a way to effectively deal with the water situation in the winter.

[SchwanzBrewer]

Use the tub or back in the sink. Then you don't have to worry about overflow.

[Deerslyr]

Hmmm... if it reaches to the tub, which it should, that would be the best bet.  Then I could place something on the hose so that it won't move and flood the house!

[Big Nake]

I admit that in the winter I chill and catch some of the water but after that I let it fly on the garage floor. This is usually not a problem as it runs down, drops over the edge of the garage floor where it meets the driveway and then there is a 1-2" gap between my garage and driveway and the water ends up in there. If it freezes in there, no problemo. If some ends up on the driveway, I try to use a broom and get rid of most of it before it freezes. I can't run any water into or out of the house without the possibility of divorce or at least a night in the doghouse.

[bigdaddyale]

I dont understand what you want to do.You want to drain the water from you chiller to a source in the basement?Why do you need a chiller at all . Transfer to a corny then cold crash out side. make sure to leave the pressure relief valve unscrewed so you dont crunch up your keg or make an air filter that connects to the gas in fitting.

[bigdaddyale]

Use the tub or back in the sink. Then you don't have to worry about overflow.

or cram the hose in the overflow tube.

[bigdaddyale]

The more I think about it I wouldn't even deal with chill water run off.5 gallon batches into a corney,10 gallon into a sankey, outside to cold crash.You guys got it made with the cold weather for brewing.All the bad sour beer bugs happen at 70f or there about.You don't need to chill your wort,God will.

[bigdaddyale]

I admit that in the winter I chill and catch some of the water but after that I let it fly on the garage floor. This is usually not a problem as it runs down, drops over the edge of the garage floor where it meets the driveway and then there is a 1-2" gap between my garage and driveway and the water ends up in there. If it freezes in there, no problemo. If some ends up on the driveway, I try to use a broom and get rid of most of it before it freezes. I can't run any water into or out of the house without the possibility of divorce or at least a night in the doghouse.

Why even bother with a chiller at all?

[Genesee Ted]

There are other implications than sanitary for chilling.  Hop character, DMS, cold break, haze, etc I am sure there are others.  Also, chilling in the corney creates a vacuum, as you alluded to, but opening the PRV is just going to draw "dirty" air into the corny.  The ground water gets pretty cold this time of year.  I am pretty sure mine is like 44 or so right now, although I haven't checked at my house.  That is what it comes out at at the still.  Your wort cools down very quickly with a chiller. 

[Big Nake]

There are other implications than sanitary for chilling.  Hop character, DMS, cold break, haze, etc I am sure there are others.  Also, chilling in the corney creates a vacuum, as you alluded to, but opening the PRV is just going to draw "dirty" air into the corny.  The ground water gets pretty cold this time of year.  I am pretty sure mine is like 44 or so right now, although I haven't checked at my house.  That is what it comes out at at the still.  Your wort cools down very quickly with a chiller.

This.

Why even bother with a chiller at all?

I want to get a good, quick chill and pitch. I really don't like the idea of leaving wort laying around to cool. I know that some people do that but I prefer to get it cool and go. I was at a brewday at another brewers house once in the winter and there were a bunch of us there drinking and after the boil he put the brewpot in a snow bank and just kept packing snow around it. It was fine and he said the beer (a kolsch, IIRC) came out nicely. But I wouldn't rely on that... chill it and be done.

[positiveContact]

aint nobody got time for that.

[Deerslyr]

This.I want to get a good, quick chill and pitch. I really don't like the idea of leaving wort laying around to cool. I know that some people do that but I prefer to get it cool and go. I was at a brewday at another brewers house once in the winter and there were a bunch of us there drinking and after the boil he put the brewpot in a snow bank and just kept packing snow around it. It was fine and he said the beer (a kolsch, IIRC) came out nicely. But I wouldn't rely on that... chill it and be done.

This is why I would much rather use my CFC.  I'm used to it and comfortable with it.  If there was one brewery item that I couldn't do without, this would be it... well, I suppose I need my pump too, but at the end of the day a few more cinder blocks would help the gravity issues.

[djinkc]

Ok... assume for a moment that I can find a garden hose adapter that fits the nearest sink, which happens to be the master bathroom.  I don't want all the water to be draining out because in this weather it will just create an ice rink.  I don't have a utility sink nearby.  It is in the basement.  Can I use the hose to return the water back to the toilet???  

 

I need a way to effectively deal with the water situation in the winter.

I bought my adapter at the local hardware store.  It's on my utility tub with a QD too.

 

Hmmm... if it reaches to the tub, which it should, that would be the best bet.  Then I could place something on the hose so that it won't move and flood the house!

 

I think that would be a good time to be triple redundant.

[Deerslyr]

I bought my adapter at the local hardware store.  It's on my utility tub with a QD too.

 

 

I think that would be a good time to be triple redundant.

Pay my son to hold the hose for 10 to 15 minutes?

[Clintama]

Yes, you can buy adapters to fit most faucets. The one I have will allow me to connect a ball lock OD to it. It drips just a little, but there's a sink underneath it.

Edited by brewboy, 31 January 2014 - 10:21 PM.