Firstly, hello all - I'm a newbie round here and have just signed up - great site/forum!
I've been brewing for a few years but only one brew per year and a 3kg malt extract kit at that! :ph34r:
But....that's all about to change! I'm looking to start a grain brew and have been busy researching equipment/methods etc etc....
While looking at the various wort coolers available for the post-boil cooling I was thinking
whether a heat exchanger from a domestic boiler would make a good wort cooler ?
I see that expensive brewing specific exchangers are available e.g. http://www.blichmannengineering.com/The ... inator.htm so how different
are they from a domestic boiler exchanger ?
Ebay has a few new exchangers - e.g. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Vaillant-Domestic ... dZViewItem
Are such beasts suitable for homebrew ? B)
Cheers! :beer
Newbie !
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Reg
- I do it all with smoke and mirrors
- Posts: 2119
- Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 1:00 pm
- Location: Knebworth, UK
- Contact:
Hey Andy!
Welcome to Jim's Homebrew, Nice to see you.
Jim's probably the best guy to go into the real detail on wort coolers, although there is some information on his main site which can be reached via the link in the top left marked Jim's Beer Kit.
See you around.
Reg
Beer drinker, moderator - (not that we've ever really needed one) - and general site idiot! :blink:
Welcome to Jim's Homebrew, Nice to see you.
Jim's probably the best guy to go into the real detail on wort coolers, although there is some information on his main site which can be reached via the link in the top left marked Jim's Beer Kit.
See you around.
Reg
Beer drinker, moderator - (not that we've ever really needed one) - and general site idiot! :blink:
-
Andy
- Virtually comatose but still standing
- Posts: 8716
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:00 pm
- Location: Ash, Surrey
- Contact:
Cheers Reg!
Yes, I've read Jim's main site and have seen his counterflow cooler. I wanted something
a little easier to put together and an off-the-shelf heat exchanger a la ebay seemed
like a potential solution.
The main issue I can think of would be clogging of the unit with residue from the boil
although some kind of mesh/filter before the wort gets to the unit could sort that.
Here's a description of how plate exchangers are constructed http://www.ezypart.co.uk/parts/part_id__2070
Sounds ideal
I shall await Jim's entrance
Yes, I've read Jim's main site and have seen his counterflow cooler. I wanted something
a little easier to put together and an off-the-shelf heat exchanger a la ebay seemed
like a potential solution.
The main issue I can think of would be clogging of the unit with residue from the boil
although some kind of mesh/filter before the wort gets to the unit could sort that.
Here's a description of how plate exchangers are constructed http://www.ezypart.co.uk/parts/part_id__2070
Sounds ideal
I shall await Jim's entrance
-
Andy
- Virtually comatose but still standing
- Posts: 8716
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:00 pm
- Location: Ash, Surrey
- Contact:
Cheers Mr Brush. That immersion cooler is excellent value at £17! May end up going down that route....
The thing which puts me off immersion coolers is the amount of time and therefore water which you need to put through them
to achieve sufficient cooling. I'm on a water meter here and although water is pretty cheap it does seem rather wasteful to bung through such large volumes of water
I hear what you're saying about the clogging/hygiene issues of the heat exchanger solution - would be great if they could be overcome somehow
The thing which puts me off immersion coolers is the amount of time and therefore water which you need to put through them
to achieve sufficient cooling. I'm on a water meter here and although water is pretty cheap it does seem rather wasteful to bung through such large volumes of water
I hear what you're saying about the clogging/hygiene issues of the heat exchanger solution - would be great if they could be overcome somehow
Hi Andy, and welcome.
When I first decided to go for a counterflow chiller, I searched the internet but could only find them for sale in the US, and shipping costs were high.
I also have doubts about keeping a domestic hot water heat exchanger clean enough to use for wort chilling.
If you (or someone you know) can do basic plumbing, putting together your own counterflow chiller isn't that hard, and there are plenty of instructions on the net. All you need is some hosepipe, some 8mm & 15mm copper pipe, a few yorkshire fittings and a blowlamp.
Commiserations on having metered water, though; that's a home brewer's worst nightmare!
When I first decided to go for a counterflow chiller, I searched the internet but could only find them for sale in the US, and shipping costs were high.
I also have doubts about keeping a domestic hot water heat exchanger clean enough to use for wort chilling.
If you (or someone you know) can do basic plumbing, putting together your own counterflow chiller isn't that hard, and there are plenty of instructions on the net. All you need is some hosepipe, some 8mm & 15mm copper pipe, a few yorkshire fittings and a blowlamp.
Commiserations on having metered water, though; that's a home brewer's worst nightmare!
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sagwalla
I've never measured the exact amount of water used to cool, but I know it's less than 25 gallons for a 5 gallon batch because I don't fill the bucket full five times. About that much.
I am new to these therminators, but really like the idea. I have an immersion coil now, and the cost will probably keep me from upgrading, but, hey, you've gotta dream about something, no?
I am new to these therminators, but really like the idea. I have an immersion coil now, and the cost will probably keep me from upgrading, but, hey, you've gotta dream about something, no?
