wort chilling advice / reality check me

I do the same as Vikeman, chill as much as possible with tap water then recirculate ice water as needed. You already have a big cooler, just use that for your icewater. Then all you need is a basic pond pump.

 

I have 50 feet of I think 1/2 inch (could be 3/8) copper. I used a corny keg to wrap/shape the coil. The coils themselves are about 14 inches tall with "arms" that reach over the top of my 15 gallon pot, about 24 inches total from the bottom coil to the bend over the lip of the pot.

 

This was my exact experience, the pre-chiller knocked the temp down but not near enough. I abandoned the two ICs for a single and hit the boiling wort with tap water first. Even 90º water will cool the wort reasonably fast until about 130º. Then switch over to circulating ice-slurry water with a submersible pump. My first task on brew day is to visit the local fish market and get a cooler of ice. Top it off, drop in a submersible pump (<$20/Amazon), and now you're chillin' with ~40º water to take it down to pitch temp. In my extreme conditions I can take 5.5 gallons down to the mid-60s in about 25 minutes with a plate chiller, about twice that for an IC. If you owned an icehouse you could start with ice and get there quicker.

Couldn't agree more. While block ice lasts longer it is actually less efficient than crushed ice for transferring heat (you want it to melt). At the temps you describe even immersing the pot in ice is not very effective. The only way to make this work is to have a constant stirring motion. The thought of picking up a hot pot of wort makes me cringe.

If you go the IC route the 50' x 1/2" is what I recommend. You really want to build it to match your pot size (diameter & height) which may be different than another brewer . . . some flexibility here. But for price of material you are approaching the cost of a plate chiller. Remember, a PC is capable of cooling any size brew. A local nano-brewery uses the same cooler I use for a 1½ barrel boil.

 

Couldn't agree more. This would be the same as an IC, without a pump and ice water your 75 - 78º supply water will realistically max out with your wort in the 80s . . . and that will take a while.

 

When I was doing partial boils and before I had an IC, I would but a couple gals of spring water and get them as cold as possible in the fridge. Then I would cool the brew pot in an ice water bath (~3 gals), pour the 40 deg water into the fermenter, and then add the warm wort. Is that what you do now?
Won't help when you go to full boils but would work until you do.

 

If you get the big kettle I would definitely get one with the spigot. You could attach some copper tubing to the IC and use the pump to recirc the wort directing it thru the coils. It would cool the wort much faster. You would still have the problem of your warm cooling water though.

 

Why not get a cheap 10 gallon aluminum pot? Something like this? http://www.amazon.com/Update-International-APT-40-Aluminum-40-Quart/dp/B000X1MG1M

 

It is, but I don't think it's a huge concern from a brewing perspective. I have both stainless and aluminium and don't notice any difference in the beer. Don't use caustic cleaners though.

 

What are aluminum kettles reactive with relative to brewing?

 

Why would you use StarSan on your brewpot?

I never use PBW or Oxyclean either. Hot water and a green scrubby and the pot looks brand new.

 

I spray the outside of my spigot with starsan before transferring cooled wort and usually get some on the kettle. I also spray some on the exposed parts of my immersion chiller since I don't add it until the very end of the boil. I always get some on the kettle walls then.

 

I think the fear of aluminum is mostly myth. If someone is truly worried they should never eat out, as most commercial cooking vessels are made of aluminum.

I'm copying Palmers write up below. Bottom line, you shouldnt use bleach on aluminum or steel. 99% of the time my kettle cleanup is done only with hot water.

http://www.howtobrew.com/appendices/appendixB.html

 

This is what I do also, I have since bought another copper immersion chiller and will use it instead of the pound pump, but not sure if it will be any better but just wanting to try and see. Plus I needed a shorter chiller since I only do 2.5 gal batches and this new one fits the bill will use my old chiller in ice and forgo the pump.

 

During the very limited times where my water is above 68F, I put my plate chiller on ice and drain as usual.

 

I guess I always assumed that the blazing heat from the burner combined with boiling liquid would kill anything on the pot. I don't have a spigot so I would never have considered that, but doesn't that get really hot from being in contact with the boiling wort?

I always throw my immersion chiller in with about 15 minutes to go in the boil, basically before I start my flavor/aroma hop additions.

 

Two days ago we got 11 gallons down to 68F using 65 F tap water. You wait a while, but it was 50 ft. Of 1/2 in. copper with a return arm and March pump for recirculation.

The summer heat has finally arrived, so I can't do that again. Ice and a pond pump to recirculate through the IC is my method when it is too warm.