hopbacks, who uses 'em?

[Bugeater]

That idea does have merit. Let us know how it goes. If it works, I may try it myself.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[SunkenBier]

Next in line to brew is a Helles then a Mai bock so I wont be hitting this for a bit.

[Bugeater]

Of course, I may just be talking out of my ass here

Boog, that is a fancy trick that you have learned over the years. You'll have to teach JP.

Mylo

I used to have to deal with politicians and bureaucrats on a daily basis. I had good teachers.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[DannyW]

I used to send it hot from the boil to the hopback and then chill it before it went to the fermentor. The problem is with this method I had beer sitting hot creating DMS while it was sending it into the hopback.

I've wondered about this for a while - if you are using a counterflow chiller, why not keep the burner going as you drain the kettle? If the wort is still boiling then it won't be collecting any DMS.

[Test_Engineer]

I used to send it hot from the boil to the hopback and then chill it before it went to the fermentor. The problem is with this method I had beer sitting hot creating DMS while it was sending it into the hopback.

I love experimenting so I am trying to do it cold now to see the affects. One reason I want it cold is because Im now using an immersion chiller with a prechiller so I can drop everything cold fast.

I just had a nice idea I think I might try. While the immersion chiller is chilling I can send the beer from the kettle into the hopback and pump it back into the main beer to whirlpool. I think I may have to try that soon.

I would gues that most in-line chiller solutions would be no problem, and possibly better than an immersion chiller. The hot wort is sanitizing everything while it is being pumped out, but this is not the case with an imersion chiller. I would also bet that the wort is "sitting hot creating DMS" for a less amount of time using an inline chiller. Most good in-line chiller solutions can cool at a pretty rapid pace, typically they can keep up with what the pump can supply. After the wort is pumped out of the kettle, you have cooled wort in a fermenter, while with an immersion chiller, you still have a kettle full of cooled wort that you have to deal with. I guess if it was such a bad idea to use inline chillers, I don't think EVERY brewery I have ever visited would be using one.

Just my thoughts. I think either way is fine, either using a inline chiller or recirculate with a Jamil whirlpool chiller with a hopback. To each his own I guess.

[SunkenBier]

I guess if it was such a bad idea to use inline chillers, I don't think EVERY brewery I have ever visited would be using one.

Dont most breweries use glycol chillers? With my inline chiller I cannot drop the temp as far as a glycol chiller. With my inline I can usually hit 70 or 80 and thats with about 20 pounds of ice. I am not patient and do not want to wait for the fermentors to cool enough to cold pitch for a lager.

Using an immersion chiller with a prechiller I seem to be able to cool very nicely and I dont have to go to the grocery store for Ice. If I want to drop it even farther Ill send it through the inline chiller immersed in ice too.

[Test_Engineer]

I guess if it was such a bad idea to use inline chillers, I don't think EVERY brewery I have ever visited would be using one.

Dont most breweries use glycol chillers? With my inline chiller I cannot drop the temp as far as a glycol chiller. With my inline I can usually hit 70 or 80 and thats with about 20 pounds of ice. I am not patient and do not want to wait for the fermentors to cool enough to cold pitch for a lager.

They typically use a big heat exchanger/plate chiller running glycol as the exchange liquid. Basically a big version of a Therminator or Shirron.