Wort Chilling Method

[TheWitGuy]

So I was thinking that most of us here have a copper wort chiller that we use after the boil process. Knowing that the cold months are coming I really don't want to use my garden hose and have my water lines freeze and explode. I thought of taking some of those big Ziploc bags filled with water and freezing them. Once I need to chill the wort I could sanitatize the frozen water bags and place them into my keggle. Once done you could just pull them out when you've reached your desired temperature right?

 

[Skep18]

Not trying to be combative, but the thought of a bag bursting/melting/leaking... makes me cringe.

Any thoughts given to recirculating cold water or something? You'd have some more investment, but one batch of beer gone wrong would probably be worth the money?

A keggle is a lot of beer though...

 

[TheWitGuy]

Not trying to be combative, but the thought of a bag bursting/melting/leaking... makes me cringe.

Any thoughts given to recirculating cold water or something? You'd have some more investment, but one batch of beer gone wrong would probably be worth the money?

A keggle is a lot of beer though...

I use my keggle for 5 gal. bathes and it works just great. The worry of boil overs are non-existant. As for the melting just as long as they are in the center of the pot so that they aren't touching the hot walls.

 

[Starrider]

I have used freezer packs the same way. They are sealed and less likely to open. The hard plastic ones are even better. I worry about them leaking too, especially since it is not water inside them but have never had an issue.

I also tried a (new) heater core from a car. There has been a lot of negativity with this idea but I have investigated the unit and the manufacturing process and it is 100% aluminum with no epoxies etc to cause any problems. For the unit I have, I was able to talk to the engineers and see the process for myself for peace of mind. It does take a little more effort to clean and make sure it is sanitized but it will cool a 5 gallon batch to 70 degrees in under 4 minutes. That is just using the cold water faucet from the laundry sink.

For what ever it is worth, I have gotten lazy on the last couple of batches and just filled the laundry sink with cold water, maybe a little ice, and dropped the boil kettle in and let it set over night. It is at pitchable temperatures the next morning and gives my yeast starter a little more time to get going. No chillers to clean and much of the trub has already settled so I can keep it out of the fermenter.