What's the best (easiest) way to cool beer in cornys? I see that flash beer chillers are fairly cheap and I could quite easily get one and build it into my forthcoming home bar set up....
Alternatively, a converted fridge keggerator could be another way to go, although I do have my eye on our spare(ish) fridge as a temperature controlled fermentation and lagering chamber for the future...
Cooling beer.....
I use a 4 out flash chiller (Cornelius) with both pressuried fonts and beer engines, I use the long cooler coil for lager and stout and the short coils for everything else. I find the temperatures perfect for my taste. I usually pre-chill the water bank I.E switch the chiller off when I am using the bar or TV screen as the noise is a bit annoying. It cools to temp in about 1 hour and stays cool for a session (about 4 hours I guess).
I don't have space for a keggerator but guess this would be at least an equally good option.
One of the advantages of a flash cooler is that I can connect any 4 out of however many cornies I have without physically moving a cornie and stirring it up.
I don't have space for a keggerator but guess this would be at least an equally good option.
One of the advantages of a flash cooler is that I can connect any 4 out of however many cornies I have without physically moving a cornie and stirring it up.
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adm
This might be a stupid question - but how does a flash chiller actually work?
You mentioned a "water bank" is this just a tank of regular water that the machine chills down like a mini fridge, then the beer coils run through that and get chilled in turn?
I also like the simplicity of a chiller, and the ability to change beers just by disconnecting one corny and connecting another....
You mentioned a "water bank" is this just a tank of regular water that the machine chills down like a mini fridge, then the beer coils run through that and get chilled in turn?
I also like the simplicity of a chiller, and the ability to change beers just by disconnecting one corny and connecting another....
Flash chillers are a water tank with:
1. A closed circuit cooling coil (stainless steel pipe through which the refrigerant is pumped) which removes the heat from the water.
2. A thermostat to keep the water above freezing (you can add food grade antifreeze)
3. A series of open ended stainless coiled pipes immersed in the water bath. Connect 1 end to your cornie (out) the other end to your beer font.
4. Usually a stirrer which often incorporates a pump. Stirrer for evening out the water temperature in the tank. Water pump for pumping the chilled water to keep fonts cool. I have used mine in the past for cooling cornies via a copper pipe jacket covered with insulation to aid clearing of lagers (jury still out, and a bit messy to connect/disconnect)
Its the stirrer pump that's noisy on mine (probably just needs a bit of lube) I actually have a 1 out (used for cooling the fermenter) and a 2 out which are both very quiet.....All purchased from Norm or flea-bay
1. A closed circuit cooling coil (stainless steel pipe through which the refrigerant is pumped) which removes the heat from the water.
2. A thermostat to keep the water above freezing (you can add food grade antifreeze)
3. A series of open ended stainless coiled pipes immersed in the water bath. Connect 1 end to your cornie (out) the other end to your beer font.
4. Usually a stirrer which often incorporates a pump. Stirrer for evening out the water temperature in the tank. Water pump for pumping the chilled water to keep fonts cool. I have used mine in the past for cooling cornies via a copper pipe jacket covered with insulation to aid clearing of lagers (jury still out, and a bit messy to connect/disconnect)
Its the stirrer pump that's noisy on mine (probably just needs a bit of lube) I actually have a 1 out (used for cooling the fermenter) and a 2 out which are both very quiet.....All purchased from Norm or flea-bay
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adm
Good stuff - many thanks. One other question - do you need to refill the water tank often?
Actually two questions......presumably cleaning just involves filling a corny (or other suitable container) with cleaning solution and pushing it through the chiller and out of the tap? Then repeat the process with clean water....
Actually two questions......presumably cleaning just involves filling a corny (or other suitable container) with cleaning solution and pushing it through the chiller and out of the tap? Then repeat the process with clean water....
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Aleman
- It's definitely Lock In Time
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Not at all, I tend to drain mine every 12 months, and refill it, I use a bit of betadine in mine to prevent nasty growth. As I use it to drive the FV chiller I do have to top it up as I get coolant trapped in the Chiller coilsadm wrote: do you need to refill the water tank often?
More or less. Hot washing soda pushed through then sealed off and left for a day or so, flushed with clean water, Then an Antiformin soak (Use Bleach), then tripple flushed with water, then a peracetic soak . . . I leave the peracetic in the lines with the ends sealed until I want to use it . . . . . Actually I haven't run beer though the chiller for the last two years . . . lines are still sweet though . . . they will get flushed and cleaned before using them again though.adm wrote:presumably cleaning just involves filling a corny (or other suitable container) with cleaning solution and pushing it through the chiller and out of the tap? Then repeat the process with clean water....
I clean & top up same as Aleman.
One other point. The compressor chucks out a bit of heat, so the unit needs about 10cm free space at its rear and sides and free space at the front to allow the hot air to dissipate. Insulate your "out" lines if they run near the compressor fan vent...in fact insulate them anyway. I use wickes foam heating pipe insulation.
One other point. The compressor chucks out a bit of heat, so the unit needs about 10cm free space at its rear and sides and free space at the front to allow the hot air to dissipate. Insulate your "out" lines if they run near the compressor fan vent...in fact insulate them anyway. I use wickes foam heating pipe insulation.
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adm
Just a quick update on this one.....
I built my keg chiller today and it's sitting there nicely bringing the temp down as we speak.
I used an old chest freezer we had in the garage that was going to be chucked out - its a small upright one, but fits 4 cornys perfectly despite being too short.
I knoced up an extension collar from some red and white plastic road barrier, closed cell foam camping mat and lots of duct tape. It's not pretty, but it does the job. One day, I'll replace it with a nice wooden version, but as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.
Wired up my ATC800 and it seems to be doing the biz...... the ATC is well...not striclty wired to code shall we say, but is working. I need to get a box to enclose it all in....
Aynway, I'll try and tidy things up a bit tomorrow and take some pics, but for tonight I'm going to enjoy cold beer!
So now I've got one almost empty corny in there (Northdown wonder with a few pints left), two full ones, and one totally empty one which will get filled with my Crossbreed next week....
Just time for one more brewday before I go off on my hols in 12 days or so.....then I'll be able to come back to a chiller with 4 full cornys. Lovely.
I built my keg chiller today and it's sitting there nicely bringing the temp down as we speak.
I used an old chest freezer we had in the garage that was going to be chucked out - its a small upright one, but fits 4 cornys perfectly despite being too short.
I knoced up an extension collar from some red and white plastic road barrier, closed cell foam camping mat and lots of duct tape. It's not pretty, but it does the job. One day, I'll replace it with a nice wooden version, but as they say, necessity is the mother of invention.
Wired up my ATC800 and it seems to be doing the biz...... the ATC is well...not striclty wired to code shall we say, but is working. I need to get a box to enclose it all in....
Aynway, I'll try and tidy things up a bit tomorrow and take some pics, but for tonight I'm going to enjoy cold beer!
So now I've got one almost empty corny in there (Northdown wonder with a few pints left), two full ones, and one totally empty one which will get filled with my Crossbreed next week....
Just time for one more brewday before I go off on my hols in 12 days or so.....then I'll be able to come back to a chiller with 4 full cornys. Lovely.
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Whorst
I just keep mine in the fridge, then slap one of these on. Works wonderful.
http://morebeer.com/view_product/18206/ ... -_5_Gallon
http://morebeer.com/view_product/18206/ ... -_5_Gallon
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adm
