My Macgyverian moment

[Valicious]

Here's my method I use until I can get a CFC. It wound up cooling my 5-gallons of wort from boiling to pitchable in 15-20 minutes.

1. I put a bag of ice with some salt in a big plastic bin, then put my brewkettle in.
2. I put the sprayer head from my shower in the bin and ran cold water.
3. I used my autosiphon to pump water out of the bin and into another bucket.

My autosiphon doesn't have that high of a flow, so I had to watch it and take out some water with a cup or something.
The basic principle seems the same as a CFC, or at least fairly close.

[Sent From My iPhone]

Hey, if it works it works, right? Stick a spoon or something under the edge of the pot while you're chilling to allow the water to recirc under the pot too. There's a lot of surface area under there.

[Mills]

Good idea! Think about gently swirling your pot while you cool, as this will put a big dent in your total cooling time.

[BigNastyBrew]

I use the wine size auto-siphon when I use it (not for cooling). It has a lot higher flow rate than the smaller beer ones.

Have you considered getting a cheap submersible pump? If you have a Harbor Freight tools nearby, they have 190 gph ones for like $12.

Before you blow your wad on a CFC, have you considered making or building a whirlpool chiller? Many of us prefer the immersion style chillers, anyway, but I saw the whirlpool in action last weekend and it was fantastic.

[Valicious]

I use the wine size auto-siphon when I use it (not for cooling). It has a lot higher flow rate than the smaller beer ones.

Have you considered getting a cheap submersible pump? If you have a Harbor Freight tools nearby, they have 190 gph ones for like $12.

Before you blow your wad on a CFC, have you considered making or building a whirlpool chiller? Many of us prefer the immersion style chillers, anyway, but I saw the whirlpool in action last weekend and it was fantastic.

My friend and I are in the process of cobbling together a CFC, so it'll be a load cheaper than just buying one.

Could you give me a link to one of those pumps? I may be able to track something down locally. How would I use it?

[BigNastyBrew]

I use the wine size auto-siphon when I use it (not for cooling). It has a lot higher flow rate than the smaller beer ones.

Have you considered getting a cheap submersible pump? If you have a Harbor Freight tools nearby, they have 190 gph ones for like $12.

Before you blow your wad on a CFC, have you considered making or building a whirlpool chiller? Many of us prefer the immersion style chillers, anyway, but I saw the whirlpool in action last weekend and it was fantastic.

My friend and I are in the process of cobbling together a CFC, so it'll be a load cheaper than just buying one.

Could you give me a link to one of those pumps? I may be able to track something down locally. How would I use it?

Sure

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=41287

It comes with a little nipple (hee hee) that has a 1/2" OD that goes in that little hole in the pump. Basically, you just put it in the water to where it's completely submerged and then plug it in. Don't plug it til it's in the water, though.

That's all you have to do.

[hotrod38]

A small wire rack for cooling cookies will work under the pot too. I place one under the flask I use for making starters.