National Homebrew Club Ireland

Brewing Discussions => Equipment & Chemicals => Topic started by: Ciderhead on December 07, 2012, 07:54:15 PM

Title: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Ciderhead on December 07, 2012, 07:54:15 PM
I have 10mm 30M home made chiller ( formed by wrapping around a keg)and although it gets me where I want to be in 15-20mins, I know I am not getting the most from water passing through after 10mins.
I have been reading a lot recently about chilling as rapidly as possible to minimise chill haze, which I have had on and off.
I was thinking of adding a second coil inside the first? anybody got something like this or thoughts?
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Ciderhead on December 07, 2012, 08:06:02 PM
QuoteWhat's your kettle setup? Are you leaving cold break material behind?

(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj605/joctcl/photo2-1.jpg)
The copper has been repaced with bazooka screen, but cold break falls right out, and especially now that I add in at 10 rather than 15mins my whirlfloc.
I also read somewhere recently about a pinch of irish moss at flameout?
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Spud395 on December 10, 2012, 05:35:38 PM
The Lee Vally club have exactly what you're talking about.

2 cold water feeds (via a splitter) into 2 coils, one inside the other. I believe it cut chilling time considerably.

Somewhere down my todo list as well, but that is some list
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Ciderhead on December 10, 2012, 06:53:00 PM
QuoteWould it not make more sense to get a counter flow chiller?

Transfer to your fermenter *and* chill at the same time?

was thinking that but counter flow chillers although effective are a bitch to clean I understand  :(
Even considered plate chillers, gonna follow Spuds advice as also seen some fancy ones on Jims.
I will post pics before and after. :)
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Will_D on December 10, 2012, 09:11:42 PM
There's been a lot of debate about counter flow ( either tube in tube or plate chillers ) and an immersion coil.

The coil drops the whole wort down in temperature slowly.

The counter flow drops the temp. of a small amout of wort very quickly but the bulk of the wort stays very hot for a long time.

"You pays ye'r money, ye' buys the cooler of choice and ye' takes ye'r chances"

Their is NO simple answer to this debate short of a MsC/PhD thesis

Will
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Metattron on December 11, 2012, 05:40:16 PM
You could go to the extreme and build a Glycol chiller...

http://forums.morebeer.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=27957
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Rossa on December 12, 2012, 10:31:33 AM
Basic Brewing Radio did a collaborative experiment with some Australians with regards to chilling or not chilling.
3 way : Immersion chiller, Plate chiller and no chiller. The Immersion chiller used less water and gave better hop flavour than the plate or no chill.

November 8, 2012 - ANHC Chilling Experiment
http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=radio
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Ciderhead on December 15, 2012, 03:47:42 PM
Todays project increase the efficiency of my 10mm chiller from this

(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj605/joctcl/IMG_10441_zpsda3d1944.jpg)

to this

(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj605/joctcl/IMG_1113_zps86f5bc08.jpg)

I wrapped the copper around a Demi-john, I decided that I was going to solder the joints this time and as you can see plenty of flux and lead everywhere!
I will post how efficient it is after I have given it a go.
Hope the friends of the forest don't realise I have that much copper in my shed :)

(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj605/joctcl/IMG_1114_zps0031e1e1.jpg)
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Spud395 on December 15, 2012, 04:12:29 PM
That looks like some weapon alright.

Interested to see how it goes for you as I'm thinking along the same lines
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Ciderhead on December 15, 2012, 06:11:12 PM
I was thinking if it doesn't work I am going to use it as a Hadron Collider ;)
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: newToBrew on December 16, 2012, 09:09:39 AM
dual coil instructable (http://www.instructables.com/id/Homebrew-Wort-Cooler-Twin-Coil-Immersion-Type/)
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: rukkus on December 16, 2012, 10:05:19 AM
Grab a small pump and recirculate while chilling. That will drop your times ;)

Wow thats some amount of copper.

I left the pump on after running it to sanitise it at the end of the boil one day. I noticed it resulted in cooling much faster.
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Ciderhead on December 16, 2012, 03:52:05 PM
QuoteI think you will see a fairly modest improvement in efficiency.
Bah Humbug the results are in, Tube you can eat my shorts ;)

Ambient Temp 7 Degrees
Water Temp from Well 6.2 degrees
25 Litre Batch
Water flow 9 Litres per minute


Starting at 2 element full rolling boil

5 Mins 37 Degrees
6 Min 30 Degrees
8 Min 23 Degrees
9 Min 21 Degrees        My Ale pitching Temp v's 16/17 Mins  Previously
10 Mins 19 Degrees
11 Mins 18
12 Mins 16
13 Mins 15
14 Mins 14
15 Mins 13                   My Lager/Pils pitching temp 20/22 Minutes Previously

Obviously harder below 20 but well worth the extra effort especially for my Pils/Lagers lighter beers.
Well happy  ;D
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Ciderhead on December 16, 2012, 06:10:26 PM
QuoteVery good. Will your beer taste better now? ;)

Absolutely ya cheeky feck and it will clearer than water that flows from a mountain spring, and smoother than a babies arse and .... Jealousy will get you no where [smiley=tongue.gif]
Title: Re: Copper Chiller Advice and or Construction
Post by: Spud395 on December 17, 2012, 09:42:51 PM
Impressive stats, will get around to it sometime (sooner now)