More or less I was too busy all summer to make a wort chiller and I didn't want to pay the high commercial prices for one. I found a 15ft pre-chiller on ebay for $20 shipped. I knew it was going to make a minimal decrease to my cool time but it should be better than just an ice bath in the sink. Then I got this brilliant idea one day at work when I discovered 4 or 5 old aluminum cold plates from Draw Boxes. Why not run the tap water through that in an ice bath first.
Sure enough the first trial run was a huge success. I'm only doing partial boils so I don't know how well it would work on a full 5 gallons but it took 3.5 gallons to 68 degrees in 13 minutes. By far better than the hour it took all summer to get it down there. All in all not bad for $25 invested.
Sure enough the first trial run was a huge success. I'm only doing partial boils so I don't know how well it would work on a full 5 gallons but it took 3.5 gallons to 68 degrees in 13 minutes. By far better than the hour it took all summer to get it down there. All in all not bad for $25 invested.