Switching from Counterflow to Immersion Chiller... Advice?

[BSBrewer]

Thanks everyone so far for the input... I still haven't decided what to do but think a pump is next on my list of toys to acquire. It'd help with my current setup and will likely aid in whatever my next step is. Now I just have to convince wifey that I need it...

Or just buy it and play dumb as to what's in the box on your doorstep...

Pumps are heavy. If you can buy it at the LHBS then you don't have to pay shipping and you can tell her you bought it for $20 from some guy who was quitting the hobby

[brewinhard]

So you are seeing times of 25 total minutes - 35 total minutes to get to lager pitching temps depending on time of year? I see you are in Texas too, which is impressive for those times. Is that for 5 or 10 gallon batches? How much ice do you typically have to use to get down to those temps?[/quote]
Yes, in Austin. 5.5G to the fermentor so I'm chilling about 6G of wort and intentionally leaving 1 or 2 quarts behind with the trub.

It used to take me an hour or more just to get to ale temps. Of all the purchases I've made since starting, the pump made the biggest difference when I consider both the time it saves me every brew day and the improvement it made in my beer.[/quote]

Cool. I can't wait to use mine. Should be busting out a classic blonde ale first then on to a go with some summertime lagers to see how fast/efficiently I can chill down to pitching temps. Thanks for the replies!

[scribo]

I live in MN and cool with an immersion chiller in 5 gal batches in less than 15 min. Even my stainless pot gets cool to touch. The ground water here is cold 50F? and I just use the hose. No lid. No pump. Just put it in about 3 min. before end of boil. Then flow water. It is crucial however to gently agitate the chiller, otherwise the heat transfer is greatly reduced. I can put my hand on the exit and immediately feel the change in temp for agitate versus not agitating. BTW when I first started brewing I was in TX in a rental house and could never get the primary below about 70F. Once I moved to MN and started leaving my primary in basement at 60F I got rid of estery flavors that had been plaguing my beer. I am really surprised at the long times quoted for cooling with immersion I guess it's the chilling water temp.

Cheers!

Sent from my SM-G935T using Tapatalk

[Kbar]

Don't buy an immersion chiller. Buy a plate chiller from Duda diesel. Get the biggest one you can afford. I have a B3-36 20. It chilled 10 gallons in 5 mins. Very little water waste. My cost $149
https://www.dudadiesel.com/search.php?q ... oCjZ7w_wcB

+1

CFC to IC is a big step backwards - I have never been sorry about the purchase of my CFC.

[bazookazilla]

All in all, going from a CFC to immersion is going to be a big step backwards in almost every aspect. The cheap option would be to get a box to stand on. [/quote]


In case any of you were wondering, if you can expect anything from this forum it is an honest answer from Oz.!!!

By the way, thank you Oz for all of the honest answers you have given my (mostly) idiotic questions. They have been a big help to me and my brewing!!

[bazookazilla]

and I do also have a few cardboard boxes up for auction if anyone cares to place a bid...