Where does the beer go?

[Cellar_Rat]

Where does the beer go - in the pipe or in the bucket.

I have a beer chiller like the one in the picture.


Method 1:
Beer in the bucket or still in the boiler (!) with cold water flowing through pipe.

- or -

Method 2:
The beer drains gently out of the boiler goes through the pipe and the bucket is full of melting ice bergs.

From a schoolboy physics / efficiency / water usage perspective I am a method 2 man myself, however I get the feeling I am in the minority - so what am I missing? Other than an bigger water bill?

[Cellar_Rat]

.. from an input temp of around 85C, I get at exit temp of 20c. All ready for pitch (without too much hassle or indeed involvement) - this stage is normally a teabreak in the beermaking process.

Just after the 'boiling' tea break

[Rich]

I put my chiller in the boiler for the last 10 to 15mins to boil it up so it's as sterile as it's going to be. Then turn the boiler off then run the water. Then the cold break can stay in the boiler when I run it off. (When it's cooled enough I leave it for 15 mins or so to settle, then run off)

How do you ensure that the innards of your coil are sanitised enough to run the beer through? You'll also have any lumpy bits out the boiler in with the ferment. I realise these will drop out as it ferments and settles but I try to have less unwanted stuff in mine.

With the current low ground temps, my 20litres or so of beer has been cooling in around 10 to 15 mins.

[koomber]

You could do it either way. I currently do it the same way as Rich, but I'm looking at swapping over to an inline chiller (basically what you do, but with a pipe in a pipe arrangement with cold water flowing through the outer pipe and the wort running through the middle).

My big problem with an immersion chiller is that you're not only cooling the beer, you're cooling the boiler too.

Whilst the cold break will probably wind up in the beer, I rack after 1 week anyway so I can't really see it contributing too much. Besides, I've never had a beer last long enough to risk developing off flavours!

[Cellar_Rat]

... you're not only cooling the beer, you're cooling the boiler too...

Hmm. Never thought of that. Good point.

Lumps: I have a strainer (braided hose type) in the boiler so not lumps.

Cold break If I understand this correctly - the beer flows clear when exiting. Takes about 10 mins with 6 to 8 ice dream tub sized ice cubes.

Sanitised enough: For me the key word is enough. I don't believe this piece of equipment needs to be sanitised It gets a thorough wash with cold water pumped through it, any bugs are not goin to get chance to get hold as it will be under fermentation in 4-6 hours. Which in itself is a sterilizing process.

There is a problem with this that is is a bit too efficient - 10c is easily possible.