Shirron Plate Chiller and Gravity Feeds

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by BedetheVenerable, Jul 2, 2012.

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  1. BedetheVenerable

    BedetheVenerable Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2008 Missouri

    Looking to finally take my brewing outside, after having the majority of the equipment for 2 years now, but no time and several sanitation issues which have (thankfully) been resolved. I'd really rather be able to fully cover my (10 gallon polarware) kettle firmly when it comes off the flame, and so have been looking at plate chillers (from the reviews, likely the Shirron, as it's half the price of the Therminator). This way, I figure, I wouldn't have to worry about cracking the kettle lid to allow my standard immersion chiller to fit, nor would I have to go out and try to hook it up w/garden hose fittings. I don't have the cash for a march pump, and likely won't for some time, nor do I have the cash for a brewing tree, though it's becoming readily more obvious that I really need one of those. Do any of you use the Shirron plate chiller w/gravity feeds and, if so, how high is your kettle above your carboy? Does it work ok? Also, realistically, how dangerous is it to, w/a friend, pick up a 5 gallon batch of (hot) wort in my 10 gallon kettle and move it to a higher location? They say never move a full kettle, but if that's the case, how do you guys get enough gravity to move your wort through the chiller? Any and all advice welcome!
     
    #1 BedetheVenerable, Jul 2, 2012
  2. FarmerTed

    FarmerTed Pundit (928) May 31, 2011 Colorado

    I just got one, and used it on a 5 gallon batch. I had the kettle just above the carboy (I moved the kettle up onta a portable bench). It took about 15-20 min to fill the carboy % 65 F, using only gravity. I suspect that if I shorten the outlet tubbing, it will go quicker. I also used a bazooka screen (which worked really well).
     
    #2 FarmerTed, Jul 2, 2012
  3. BedetheVenerable

    BedetheVenerable Initiate (0) Sep 5, 2008 Missouri

    Thanks Ted! I also have the Bazooka Screen, which I use for mashing, but from what I've heard, also helps to keep pellet hops out of the chiller. How do you go about sanitizing the chiller? I've heard that's also somewhat difficult, though I did watch a YouTube video where a guy used an auto-siphon (of which I have several) to push PBW, then water, then Star San solution through...you can't really dry them though, it would seem. Is this a problem?
     
    #3 BedetheVenerable, Jul 2, 2012
  4. telejunkie

    telejunkie Savant (1,107) Sep 14, 2007 Vermont

    Try to clean/soak with PBW for 20-30mins pre-brew for the 1st time, then I do a PBW clean post-brew for every brew. Run the PBW forwards & backwards if you can post-soak.
    Not drying it shouldn't be an issue as long as it's cleaned properly. I have mine mounted vertically so that it will drain out the bottom.
    Yes, you definitely need/want a pre-chiller filter.
     
    #4 telejunkie, Jul 2, 2012
  5. LeeryLeprechaun

    LeeryLeprechaun Savant (1,094) Jan 30, 2011 Colorado
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    I have the plate chiller you are talking about. I take my 20 gallon boil pot off the flame and stick it on top of my hot water pot (which I sit upside down on the ground) and have a 1 foot length of tubing that connects the chiller to the ball valve on the boil pot. My fermenator is in my basement so I have the wort go through a window into the fermenator so that everything can be done by gravity. I let the chiller dangle in the air as I run the wort through it. It works very well and I can cool down 20 gallons of beer to 70 F in about half an hour.
     
    #5 LeeryLeprechaun, Jul 2, 2012
  6. FarmerTed

    FarmerTed Pundit (928) May 31, 2011 Colorado

    I basically did what the guy in the youtube video did to clean the chiller when I was done. There wasn't much gunk in there, I suppose thanks to the bazooka screen (I bag my hops). To sanitize, I just flushed oxyclean through the entire system (hoses, valve etc.) and then let it sit a couple hours while I was brewing. Then I flushed the sanitizer out with water from a tea kettle (recently boiled, but cooled). I need about 50 feet of tubing to run from my garage to my basement...
     
    #6 FarmerTed, Jul 2, 2012
  7. jokelahoma

    jokelahoma Savant (1,162) May 9, 2004 Missouri

    #7 jokelahoma, Jul 2, 2012
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