I’m upgrading my brewery this year. One of the two “big” things on the list is a counterflow chiller. Something easy to clean & sanitize is at the top of my feature list. Which is the best to get?
Also, I’ve heard you need high temp hoses to handle the hot wort… what do I want to look for?
Thanks,
Chris
I made one with a garden hose and copper tubing for less than $30 and bought a shirron for $95. They both perform the same; the one I bought is better looking.
I too made mine from a garden hose & copper tubing. To sanitize, I run boiling wort through it before I turn on the cooling water (then I return the wort to the kettle).
The one I made is 3/8 Copper tubing with the flare fittings going through the wall of a 5 gallon bucket. There is a half inch valve in the bottom of the bucket is for the cooling water drain off. It has a hose that hooks up to it to run it off elsewhere. Gravity fed I can do 10 gallons in 20 minutes with running just a normal garden hose into the top of the bucket. Cleaning it isn’t that hard if you do it right after you right after you run wort through it after rinsing out your brew kettle of any plan matter.
I hardly consider going to a CFC an “upgrade” from an IC for several reasons:
• A CFC is not easier to clean than a IC. With an IC you simply hose it off and plop it in the kettle 10-15 min. before the end of the boil. You can soak it in a vinegar solution to remove patina or a cleanser solution to remove trub/stone. Who the hell knows if the inside of a CFC is clean?
• Using an IC you can start cooling immediately after the boil is over. With the CFC you really need to wait at least 10-15 minutes before cooling to let break/hops settle. During this time SMM, the precursor to DMS can still being formed at hot temps but can;t be driven off. Also, hop utilization is still taking place, loosing aroma and gaining bitterness.
• With an IC you can leave most of the hot AND cold break behind in the kettle.
• With a CFC you can sometimes have a clog in the copper due to the length of tubing, depending on the ID.
I used a CFC for years and I prefer an IC much better. Way easier all around and big benefits on the quality of beer IMO. If you really want to upgrade consider getting a pump (you will need one for your CFC to work properly anyway) and try using Jamil’s Whirlpool Chiller - Mrmalty.com Or, simply keep a sanitzied spoon handy and Whirlpool it yourself from time to time. But personally I wouldn’t recommend a CFC over an IC.
For another opinion,
IMHO, for 5 gallon batches of ale, an IC is fine. For lagers or in places south (like Alabama?) the CFC chills more efficiently.
I agree that a pump or more burners would be in the running, but I am not a big fan of the recirculating chilling.
P.S. I love my plate chiller
YMMV
True about SMM issue being a Pils related deal and a 90 minute boil will handle most of the SMM. I use Pils malt a hell of a lot. The hops issue is still an issue though.
During the dea heat of summer (here in alabama) I can get my wort down under 140 degree (12 gallons of it) in under 15 minutes. I do have an issue getting it cooler than 80 degrees.
On my 1bbl system I am using a CFC (NB’s Chillzilla) in conjunction with a pump and WP it back into the kettle. But if the OP already has an IC I would not personally consider going to a CFC an “upgrade”. I used a CFC for around 10 years before discovering the simple joys of an IC. 
Some good info I hadn’t really thought through, yet. Which is why I asked the question here.
I like the recirculating IC idea. I’ll get going on that. I might try to use my 3/8 tubing version and add a recirculator to that. I also need to work on my hop filtering system. There’s just plain too much tubing in there, and it plugs up because it makes several coils in the bottom of the kettle. I figure I can “tune” the recirculation tube to whirlpool the trub away from the side of the kettle, and drain my wort from along the edge.
Thanks guys!
Chris
+10 for recirculation
I built a CFC about a year ago after I went to 12 gallon batches (25ft of 1/2" OD copper in a 3/4" hose). Wasn’t real happy with the cooling time (also tried recirculating the wort back to the kettle). I added a recirc tube to my small IC (50 ft 3/8" in 2 concentric coils) WOW 6 gal down to 120 in 10 minutes. Bigger is better right (size matters)? I then built the “monster” - 50ft of 5/8" OD copper around a 12" diameter with a recirc tube, for my 20 gal kettle. Now 12gal down to 120 in 5 minutes - no DMS for me!
Dave
When we went to 10gal batches we invested in the Sabco Chill wizard, which is based off of the therminator. We have put over 500 gallons of wort through it and haven’t had a problem. We usually backflush for cleaning and once in a while run some pbw through it. It is handy to be able to chill and oxygenate at the same time wieht the built in stone.
In winter when the water is colder it takes less than 10 minutes to chill 10 gallons to 70 degrees, and in summer it takes about 15 minutes. It is spendy but if you are making a bunch of beer it is definitely handy.
Yeah, in the winter they are scary efficient.
+1…boiling wort at the beginning of the process and boiling water at the end are all you need to sanitize the thing, whichever one you choose. Been doing it that way for 24 years with no chemicals, and no issues.
Ok i still havent been able to get pictures to work here, but oh well here is a link to my CFC.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1085780&id=1014415261
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1085786&id=1014415261
photo.php (66.9 KB)
I just recently started doing this (once I got a pump) and I think it’s the best of both worlds. Rapid chilling (I see about 10°C/min over the first few minutes) eliminates the SMM and hop utilization issues, and it allows you to run a closed system the entire time the wort is below boiling.
I’m just using a homemade garden hose CFC though. A Chillzilla is on the wish list, but a long way off.
I’m guessing you have an IC right now. Get a plate chiller and use it in tandem with your current IC. Put your IC in a bucket of ice water and then have the out connect into the plate chiller in. This way you can get your city water under 40 degrees before it ever hits the wort.
You can save the first hot waste water coming out of the chiller for clean up or even pasta water. You might be hungry after brewing and drinking for a few hours…
With my IC I am able to run a closed system too, I have a notch in my kettle lid. I simply close the notch with aluminum foil. To be safe I usually wrap the whole lid in aluminum foil too. And, FTR I see a 10 degree drop in the first minute or two with the IC as well. I have not tried the Chillzilla on my 12 gallon system so not sure if there is any difference.