Using cooling water as liquor

[Scotty]

I am using an immersion chiller and think it is a bit of a waste letting all the water go. As the chiller is copper and entry and exit pipes are normal plastic tubing, like the type used for syphoning.

Does anyone re-use water used for chilling wort as liqour for their next brew?

[awalker]

Other people recirculate the water with a pump from a couple of large water butts, i'm not sure if I see the point as it has to be pumped and costs more in electricity than it would in water, especially now as the water in the water butts will be quite warm from the weather we've been having, and will probably get a little slimey after a while.

Storing the waste water in a large water butt for watering the garden seems like a sensible solution though.

I do this but without the pump just use gravity to move the water to cool the wort.
You are right about the weather but it still gets to 25oC very quick
Winter is great as it takes no time at all

The water butt I have is 4ft by 4ft so I have plenty to spare and in the winter it normally just goes straight the drain.
But in summer I save it all to a smaller water butt

[Dennis King]

I use the water to clean and hose down the mash tun while the waters warm. Rest in the butt and garden