Wort Chiller Advice

[technicoloraudio]

I am in search of a wort chiller after my original plan of circulating wort through my HERMS coil turned out to be extremely inefficient.

I have looked through the threads pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of certain models and styles, but am yet to find something that fits the bill.

my feature priorities are:

1) Stainless construction, Tri-Clover fittings.
2) Maximum efficiency!
3) Reasonable cost.

I want to get my wort chilled to pitching temps as fast as possible, obviously, but want to find a way to prevent a tremendous amount of waste water. I am still thinking of using my HLT as a Cold Water Tank, and possibly employing dry ice to chill circulating water. Have not gotten to glycol yet, but don't to run water into the ground for ten or twenty minutes.
I also would like to find something that is ready to use out of the box, and not have to mess with welding new fittings etc.


Recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

 

[eluterio]

If Im understanding your post all you want to do is use less water and chill as fast as possible. This to me would be a plate chiller.

 

[Demus]

Got a swimming pool at your house? I use a sump pump in my pool as the source water for my plate chiller. Cool beer, warm pool, zero wasted water... Nice!


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[technicoloraudio]

That's right eluterio, I just want what everybody else wants!!!

I recently came across the sabco chill wizard plate chiller and it looks like it might be the one.

I was just a little surprised at the lack of TC options as far as wort chillers go.


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[eluterio]

That's right eluterio, I just want what everybody else wants!!!

I recently came across the sabco chill wizard plate chiller and it looks like it might be the one.

I was just a little surprised at the lack of TC options as far as wort chillers go.


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Agree on the lack of options and they are all about the same price. Sabco makes some swell products and its priced near the same as others ive seen. I dont have one yet but when I do Ill remember this one, I like the triclamp fitting.

Good luck!

 

[technicoloraudio]

another question regarding the plate chiller:

do you run through the chiller back to the kettle, or straight out into a fermenter?

i have read the spec's of the therminator and reviews of some of the dudadiesel stuff, but do they work that effeciently? i feel like feeding cooled wort back into hot wort is defeating, but even with 70ish degree ground water, am i going to get 10 gallons cool in less than 30 minutes?

 

[Demus]

I recirculate back to the kettle with my Duda. Once I'm Dow to 100 degrees I switch the feed water to a pond pump in a bucket with an immersion chiller. At that point I could run strait to fermenter, but generally just keep the recirc going. Takes me less than :20 to chill 6 gallons to 68....


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