Hey guys, feel free to refer me to a thread that discusses this if it's already been addressed somewhere. I just ordered an immersion chiller and I've seen a video where someone went ahead and put their brew pot into an ice bath while they ran the water through the chiller. So, my question is, is that better, or even necessary? It would be nice to save myself a trip if I didn't have to go buy a couple of bags of ice when I brew.
Ice Bath with an Immersion Chiller?
- Thread starter Nate5700
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jaobrien6
Well-Known Member
In my experience, depending on your water temp, the chiller works *far* faster and better than the ice bath. I don't see a need for an ice bath in addition to it. If you do want to use ice, get a sump pump and use that to push ice water through your chiller, vs straight tap water. Or set up a pre-chiller with the ice water. Either way would be a much better use of ice than the ice bath.
bmckee56
Well-Known Member
I made this out of a small amount of 3/8" tubing and a dish pan. It isn't pretty, but it sure does work.
https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27374&limit=recent
I fill the pan with water the night before brewing and place it in the freezer. A small amount of salt sprinkled over the ice helps to drop the temp a bit more too. Just make certain there is no water inside the tubing when you freeze it or it will not work. Also, hook up you lines completely and then turn on the water or any water in the tubing will freeze up.
Salute!
https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=27374&limit=recent
I fill the pan with water the night before brewing and place it in the freezer. A small amount of salt sprinkled over the ice helps to drop the temp a bit more too. Just make certain there is no water inside the tubing when you freeze it or it will not work. Also, hook up you lines completely and then turn on the water or any water in the tubing will freeze up.
Salute!
I did that, but only because my kitchen sink is big enough to hold the brew pot I used at the time and I just pulled ice from my freezer to throw in. It's not necessary, it just cooled it down a little faster. I've got alot bigger brew pot now that won't fit in the sink (12 gallons vs 5 gallons), and just run tap water through the chiller.
0110x011
Well-Known Member
I suppose it depends on the temperature of your groundwater. I use an IC to get from boiling down to my groundwater temp (currently about 75-77F) and use an icebath to get the rest of the way down to pitching temp. I don't see the benefit of using both at the same time, though.
bmckee56
Well-Known Member
Yes it is a pre-chiller. Water in from tap - out to wort chiller - out of wort chiller to drain. It drops my tap water temperature down dramatically in the summer. I do not need it in the winter months as my tap water is fairly cool.
Salute!
I do my immersion with an ice bath just to get that quick temp drop but it's only like 5 min. quicker. Not nessesary but neither is wirfloc and I always add that as well, I prefer a clear beer unless a wheat so I secondary and keg as well. Just my 2 cents.
johnodon
Well-Known Member
I actually did both for the first time this past weekend. I went from a boil to 78* in 8 minutes. I won't do it any other way in the future!!!! As most will tell you, the faster you get below 80*, the less likely you will have a chance of infection. There are namely two reasons: 1.) bacteria thrives between 80* and 150* and 2.) the faster you get to the target temp of 80*, the faster you can move the wort to the primary and reduce the amount of time it is expsoed to the air.
If you don't mind spending a couple of $$$ on ice, I would highly recommend using teh ice bath in conjunction with the IC.
John
If you don't mind spending a couple of $$$ on ice, I would highly recommend using teh ice bath in conjunction with the IC.
John
you forgot the most important thing! The faster the wort is in the primary the sooner it can start fermenting and eventually the sooner you can drink it! lol it maybe only 5-10min. earlier but in 5-10 min. I could be drinking another beer.
Heh, I don't think I'd do it just for the sake of saving 5 to 10 minutes, since that would be canceled out by my trip to Wal-Mart to buy ice in the first place (unless I happened to have enough in my ice-maker, which would be difficult, and then I'd be out of ice for a while). Now, if using an ice bath with my immersion chiller will actually help make better beer, then I'll go for it. But it sounds like if I were going to use ice I'd be better off using the ice-bucket/pump method or a pre-chiller. Of course both of those things require me to buy yet another piece of equipment...
johnodon
Well-Known Member
That is exactly why I use the ice bath with my chiller...no more equipment needs other than a tub which I already had.
I use both. My ground water isn't cold enough to get my wort down to pitching temps by itself. I use an ice bath at about 100 degrees to drop the wort down to pitching temps.
In the winter there is no need for ice. The immersion chiller with tap water cools 5 gallons of wort to 70F very fast.
In the winter there is no need for ice. The immersion chiller with tap water cools 5 gallons of wort to 70F very fast.
vicratlhead51
Well-Known Member
+1 to both. The closer the wort gets to the temp of your ground water the slower it cools. The only time I tried it without an ice bath it went fast down to 95 degrees but took almost twice as long to get under 90 as it took to go from boil to 95 or so. Of course I've only done 5 batches so my experience is still a little weak. Can't wait til winter (at least for brewing), I live in Michigan so the ground water will be nice and cold then.
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
How bout just freezing water in tupperware containers, etc. I don't pay for ice. It's not like yer trying to make nice cubes for the soda glass.
johnodon
Well-Known Member
This would work but isn't as efficient as ice since it will not touch the entire surface of the kettle. However, I'm sure it would still be adequate and less expensive than buying ice.
SankePankey
Well-Known Member
Just add more blocks then.
I mean, bags of ice are a ridiculus $3 these days and that wouldn't last fer crap for chilling IMO. You'd need like 4-6 bags. (well, I do 15 gal batches)
I mean, bags of ice are a ridiculus $3 these days and that wouldn't last fer crap for chilling IMO. You'd need like 4-6 bags. (well, I do 15 gal batches)
johnodon
Well-Known Member
Yeah...I use 4 bags @ $2.09/ea. Honestly, I would be willing to bet that only half of my ice melts. I think I may scale back to 3 bags and eventually 2 bags when it starts to get a little cooler out.
the other opton is to start bagging your own ice if $$$ is a concern. Just start loading up freezer bags from your ice maker.
John
the other opton is to start bagging your own ice if $$$ is a concern. Just start loading up freezer bags from your ice maker.
John
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