I'm done with the IC, which CFC do I want? - Types and Methods Discussions on Home Brew Forums

C_B

My IC is jacked up. Mainly because it was DIY from the guy I bought most of my stuff from. Then I let it freeze with water last year and that really jacked it up. So I fixed it with some pieces of like sized tubing cut lengthwise and a lot of solder.
I want to go to a CFC, but I can't decide what to do. I currently use pellet hops, no bag. Just toss it in. I whirlpool and leave most of them in the kettle but I'm worried about what they might do to the inside of a plate chiller. Do I need to bag that stuff with a plate chiller?
I can also do a pipe in pipe DIY CFC where hops would not be an issue. But this isn't THAT much cheaper than a plate chiller and I think it is less efficient.
So the bottom line, how much of a problem is pellet hops and plate chillers?

Then a secondary question, which plate chiller? Duda diesel, Therminator, (Enter-crappy-brand-name->here<)chiller?

Benvarine

I am building this. I have all the parts, the copper coiled, just need to finish. I have heard great stuff. http://www.wortomatic.com/php/articles.php?ID=11

I'll do a build thread once I actually finish it. I've been taking photos.

C_B

That looks pretty nice Ben. I thought about trying to pretty mine up a bit. I may still try that. Do you have a pump? I think the whirlpool arm in there will make a huge difference.

Benvarine

I don't, but I am planning for the future, that's why I liked this one. I am considering keeping my IC, and maybe using it in a cooler with ice water as a pre-chiller during summer. My summer vs. winter water temp fluctuates a bit.

Thym

C_dubbs said:
My IC is jacked up. Mainly because it was DIY from the guy I bought most of my stuff from. Then I let it freeze with water last year and that really jacked it up. So I fixed it with some pieces of like sized tubing cut lengthwise and a lot of solder.
I want to go to a CFC, but I can't decide what to do. I currently use pellet hops, no bag. Just toss it in. I whirlpool and leave most of them in the kettle but I'm worried about what they might do to the inside of a plate chiller. Do I need to bag that stuff with a plate chiller?
I can also do a pipe in pipe DIY CFC where hops would not be an issue. But this isn't THAT much cheaper than a plate chiller and I think it is less efficient.
So the bottom line, how much of a problem is pellet hops and plate chillers?

Then a secondary question, which plate chiller? Duda diesel, Therminator, (Enter-crappy-brand-name->here<)chiller? </p>

the cheaper version is pipe inside a hose. i went pipe inside pipe for it's compactness and rigidity making it easier to mount to my rig.... that and i had most of the materials already laying around.

scoob

Lakewood said:

C_dubbs said:
My IC is jacked up. Mainly because it was DIY from the guy I bought most of my stuff from. Then I let it freeze with water last year and that really jacked it up. So I fixed it with some pieces of like sized tubing cut lengthwise and a lot of solder.
I want to go to a CFC, but I can't decide what to do. I currently use pellet hops, no bag. Just toss it in. I whirlpool and leave most of them in the kettle but I'm worried about what they might do to the inside of a plate chiller. Do I need to bag that stuff with a plate chiller?
I can also do a pipe in pipe DIY CFC where hops would not be an issue. But this isn't THAT much cheaper than a plate chiller and I think it is less efficient.
So the bottom line, how much of a problem is pellet hops and plate chillers?

Then a secondary question, which plate chiller? Duda diesel, Therminator, (Enter-crappy-brand-name->here<)chiller? </p>

the cheaper version is pipe inside a hose. i went pipe inside pipe for it's compactness and rigidity making it easier to mount to my rig.... that and i had most of the materials already laying around.

I will be doing the pipe in a hose build, I am going to pot a build thread when I get going on it.

cleaning a counterflow is pretty simple, just force a clean unused foam earplug through the copper coil using water pressure or air pressure, it does a pretty good job of cleaning the gunk out as long as you do it right away and don't let it dry inside the pipe

C_B

frydogbrews said:

C_dubbs said:
Fry, do you ever use pellet hops? With the new chiller? have any problems?

i toss in pellets for my 60 minute addition, usually never more than an ounce, never had any problems.

i have taken to bagging all my other hops now.
@C_dubbs

Interesting. So you toss the pellets in loose and bag the whole hops in the later additions?

frydogbrews

yup. i just toss the 60 minute additions in with no issues at all. one important point though is that i have one of those strainer things inside my kettle, although some of the hop pellet junk gets through that.

when done using the chiller, i just push the hose onto the wort inlet and flush it out. no need for a back flush assembly or stupid stuff like that, just hold the hose on it for a minute until water runs nice and clear.

my plate chiller is a cheapo, 30 plate job from kegoutlet and it chills ten gallons of piping hot wort to below 70 in under 5 minutes without a pump. i have cold well water though.

the only reason i bag now is that it is easier and faster to squeeze my damn wort out of the thieving hops inside those bags and get all my goodness!!

i was resistant to bagging for years, but now that i finally started, i don't see myself going back. its just too easy, makes for clearer beer faster and much less mess in the fermentation bucket. since the bags are going in boiling wort, i just hose them off after use and hang in garage to dry for next time. sanitation isn't much of an issue with them. (unless you use them to dry hop)