Can't get my wort chilled! New to San Diego

[Mylo]

I have an idea to use my counterflow and my immersion chiller in tandem to cool the wort. I want to put the immersion chiller in an ice bath, run the hose water through it and into the counterflow. I have some tinkering to do in the "cool, cool, cool of the evening."

Still not the best idea in my mind. The JZ chiller is one of the best things I ever made. It's fast and efficient - even in the summertime. I do have to switch to recirc-ing icewater - but that is after I've gotten the whole batch below 90. In your situation, you will chew through all that pre-chiller ice with your tap water, and the majority of your wort will still be hot enough to generate DMS and drive off hop volitles.


Mylo

[siwelwerd]

The problem with stirring, is that you will have to have the lid off the whole time - which scares the shit out of me.

I think you're being just a wee bit paranoid there. I don't even have a lid for my kettle and have never had a problem.

No argument on your point about a recirc-immersion chiller being the best thing since sliced bread though.

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

The problem with stirring, is that you will have to have the lid off the whole time - which scares the shit out of me.

I think you're being just a wee bit paranoid there. I don't even have a lid for my kettle and have never had a problem.

No argument on your point about a recirc-immersion chiller being the best thing since sliced bread though.

I've looked at the recirc chiller on JZ's site, and read the description. I even looked at one at MoreBeer last week. Frankly, it still baffles me. I cannot picture how it works. Never mind the fact I do not have a pump, I just cannot imagine how to build or use the recirculationg chiller.

[Mylo]

I've looked at the recirc chiller on JZ's site, and read the description. I even looked at one at MoreBeer last week. Frankly, it still baffles me. I cannot picture how it works. Never mind the fact I do not have a pump, I just cannot imagine how to build or use the recirculationg chiller.

It works exactly like a regular immersion chiller - except that it has a extra tube that returns the wort back into the pot. You gravity feed to the march pump, and then back up to that third pipe. It's just a way to return the wort back into the pot, below the surface. Since it curves around a bit, it sets the wort slowly in motion around the coils.


Mylo

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

I've looked at the recirc chiller on JZ's site, and read the description. I even looked at one at MoreBeer last week. Frankly, it still baffles me. I cannot picture how it works. Never mind the fact I do not have a pump, I just cannot imagine how to build or use the recirculationg chiller.

It works exactly like a regular immersion chiller - except that it has a extra tube that returns the wort back into the pot. You gravity feed to the march pump, and then back up to that third pipe. It's just a way to return the wort back into the pot, below the surface. Since it curves around a bit, it sets the wort slowly in motion around the coils.


Mylo

How long is the extra tube? A foot? The photos weren't too clear, and apparently someone kept giving me beer on the bus tour so I didn't pay too much attention to the chiller. I think my eyes went around in circles as I followed the copper and I got dizzy.

Like J I need really clear pictures or drawings. Didn't you put that on Wort-O-Matic?

[Mylo]

Didn't you put that on Wort-O-Matic?

Yep


Mylo

[Dirk McLargeHuge]

Didn't you put that on Wort-O-Matic?

Yep


Mylo

like going all-grain the first time, this might require me seeing it in action. Short-buser, doncha know.

Thanks for the link. I have to bookmark it this time.