I'm in a pickle, can anyone help?

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Naugled, Dec 29, 2015.

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  1. Naugled

    Naugled Pooh-Bah (1,944) Sep 25, 2007 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Long story but I'll cut to the chase. I find myself in Saratoga Springs NY to brew with a friend tomorrow. Sort of a gypsy brewing thing. I was to bring much of the equipment. But I forgot a very important piece, my chiller. I can drive home in the morning and back, but that will add 4 hours to the brew day. Did I mention we plan to brew tomorrow? (Tues 12/29/15) I'm willing to buy a new chiller (I was going to buy a plate chiller soon to replace mine anyway), but I know nothing about the LHBS's up here. Can anyone recommend an LHBS within a 30 mile radius of Saratoga where I can buy a plate chiller?

    We are brewing a 2 bbl batch so I need something that can handle that.

    Long shot question: If there is anyone in the area with a chiller who is willing to let me borrow it tomorrow, I'd gladly compensate them. With beer or whatever.

    Thanks in advance,
    Help
    [​IMG]
     
    #1 Naugled, Dec 29, 2015
  2. WertMaker

    WertMaker Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2009 Oregon

    #2 WertMaker, Dec 29, 2015
  3. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Side note: If you haven't worked with a plate chiller before you should test the chiller before you use it. Check for leaks make sure you get your feed (without a pump, I assume?) and make sure when it hits the wort it does what it should. :slight_smile:

    Good luck!
     
    #3 inchrisin, Dec 29, 2015
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  4. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Find someone to grab the chiller from your brew-shed and meet you half-way?
    Saves two hours.
     
    #4 HerbMeowing, Dec 29, 2015
  5. telejunkie

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

    Saratoga Zymurgist…
    I'm about an hour drive from Saratoga, but I'd just say skip the chiller and just place the pot outside in a wheelbarrow filled with water and snow/sleet. Chills to pitching temp while you watch a movie.
    Dave, stop over for a beer!! We're across the border in VT.
     
    #5 telejunkie, Dec 29, 2015
  6. Naugled

    Naugled Pooh-Bah (1,944) Sep 25, 2007 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Thanks HerbMeowing, that's plan B. Locating one closer is Plan A.
     
    #6 Naugled, Dec 29, 2015
  7. Naugled

    Naugled Pooh-Bah (1,944) Sep 25, 2007 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    I just tried to call them. No answer, probably out shoveling snow. I'll try again.

    Are you really only an hour from Saratoga? I'll coming back up here for kegging and future brews. We'll have a beer.
     
    #7 Naugled, Dec 29, 2015
  8. WanderingFool

    WanderingFool Pooh-Bah (2,136) Aug 7, 2002 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    If there's snow on the ground, put the kettle in the snow and keep stirring. You'll have to move the kettle from time to time since the melting will create a "jacket" in the snow and won't conduct the heat as efficiently. I did this a couple times last year when my yard was buried in snow and I couldn't get to my water faucet. An ice bath would also work, just change out the water and add more ice a few times.
     
    #8 WanderingFool, Dec 29, 2015
  9. telejunkie

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

    Not today…but yeah, can usually make the run over to Saratoga Zymurgist in just about an hour door to door. It's basically due west of here…just have a big mountain range in the way you need to get around.
    Heck I might drive over there for a beer and get some supplies, can't do it today though. Saratoga is a pretty cool town!
     
    #9 telejunkie, Dec 29, 2015
  10. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,250) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    How did it work out? I'm on pins and needles.
     
    #10 pweis909, Dec 30, 2015
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  11. ghostinthemachine

    ghostinthemachine Initiate (0) Aug 14, 2015 Louisiana

    updates?
     
    #11 ghostinthemachine, Dec 30, 2015
  12. HerbMeowing

    HerbMeowing Maven (1,295) Nov 10, 2010 Virginia
    Trader

    Brewing gypsy: all fun'n games till someone shoots their eye out.
     
    #12 HerbMeowing, Dec 30, 2015
  13. DunkelFester

    DunkelFester Zealot (607) Aug 24, 2004 Pennsylvania


    That works poorly (at best) with a 5 gallon pot (lesson learned 11 years ago on my very first batch. I still kinda want to smack the guy at the LHS who suggested it! :wink: ) - but he's brewing 62 gallons of beer! I'd have to assume no sane person is moving a 2BBL kettle *anywhere* while it's full of boiling-hot wort, let alone repeatedly.... In the snow.
     
    #13 DunkelFester, Dec 30, 2015
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  14. Naugled

    Naugled Pooh-Bah (1,944) Sep 25, 2007 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    Just finished, hit all my numbers, OG, efficiency etc. (used Vikeman's brewcipher, worked great for this scale up) But it was a very long day. Everything through mash went as planned. Then for some reason boil took forever then we had to stop to adjust the venting, which meant starting boil all over again. Anyone have any tips on how to speed up boil for 2 bbl? Our gut is to add electric elements to supplement the gas.

    I ended up making a copper coil chiller with 3/8" soft copper from Lowes. Sunk it in a 4 bay sink that we kept filling with snow, worked great but it took 3 hours to get get 75 gal of wort through it. 6 types of hops and 6 lbs later, everything is in the fermenter. Used the Wyeast Burlington yeast. I'll post in two weeks or so when it's kegging day.

    ps, there was no moving of the kettle, but we were able to bring the snow to the kettle, and it did help. Next time though I'll have a right sized chiller with me. Also, no lhbs in the albany/saratoga area had a plate chiller, nor anything but a coil. So I had to improvise and make one on the fly. Also, no one got hurt, but there were a few burns (mostly mine), no fires or explosions (but we burned a lot of propane), so it was a goo day.

    Enjoying a Brown's IPA on tap now to wind down before bed (and clean up in the morn)
     
    #14 Naugled, Dec 30, 2015
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  15. CADETS3

    CADETS3 Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2014 Texas

    What I'm trying to figure out is why are you brewing 62 gallons of beer and using propane?!?!?!? Regardless, good job on your brew. I imagine that was a really long day.
     
    #15 CADETS3, Dec 30, 2015
  16. NiceFly

    NiceFly Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2011 Tajikistan

    Gypsys can't be choosers.
     
    #16 NiceFly, Dec 30, 2015
    Naugled likes this.
  17. telejunkie

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

    Naugled, sorry I didn't really read your OP all that well. Didn't realize it was a 2bbl size… :/
    Would have gladly offered up my 30plate duda chiller. It would have been a bit of a drive, but maybe worth it …glad you got it done though!
     
    #17 telejunkie, Dec 30, 2015
  18. Naugled

    Naugled Pooh-Bah (1,944) Sep 25, 2007 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    zackly, and I wasn't paying for it. The owner of the propane quickly realized we should be supplementing with electric after the kettle was on for 5 hours.
     
    #18 Naugled, Dec 30, 2015
  19. Brew_Betty

    Brew_Betty Initiate (0) Jan 5, 2015 Wisconsin

    So someone with a 2bbl setup doesn't have adequate btu or a chiller and needs someone to travel 2 hours to assist on brew day? :astonished:
     
    #19 Brew_Betty, Dec 30, 2015
  20. Naugled

    Naugled Pooh-Bah (1,944) Sep 25, 2007 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    It was the maiden voyage, the system has officially been christened. And there are still a few bugs to work out.
     
    #20 Naugled, Dec 31, 2015
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