Homebrew Plate Chiller Facts
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- Опубліковано 15 вер 2024
- ** Oooops, the new chiller is 12 inches long and the old one more like 8 to 9 inches long**
I will discuss using a plate chiller to cool your wort. In my opinion the plate chiller is the best way to quickly and efficiently cool your wort from boiling temperatures to pitching temperatures. This video shows everything from setting up the chiller, to using it, to cleaning it. It will help those already using plate chillers (heat exchangers) or those considering purchasing one for use in their system.
I didn't know Chuck Norris brewed beer!
Very well done, I live in Townsville Australia and up here in the tropics all ways battling the heat, our ground water is 33 Celsius so I put my wort in a temp controlled fridge then pitch the yeast. No matter how big the chiller what goes in will come out the same temp. I could run the water through an old emersion chiller in a bucket of ice!
Thanks for the note. 33 C is hard to chill with for sure!! Funny thing, here in Tacoma our ground water wants to hover around 58 F or so. In the summer it does warm up making it less efficient. I have seen others do what you stated, that is run the cooling water through an immersion chiller that is sitting in an ice bath.
Great video. After watching it, pulled the trigger on a similar chiller from Amazon, specs below, for $100. Just hooked it up last weekend and brewed a clone of Mac & Jack African Amber and it cooled my wort from 200F to 64F in a heart beat. Never going back to an immersion chiller again.
HFS(R) Homebrew Beer Wort Chiller (12.4'' 2.9''/40 plate, 1/2" x 1/2" NPT)
Right on. I use PBW (recirculate it) after a good back wash to keep it clean. Load it up with StarSan each brewing day too.
Excellent video! You left pretty much no questions unanswered.
Hey! I’m a home brewer and we’re neighbors. I have no idea how your vid popped up on my feed but I’m in Tacoma. Great to see someone local! Definitely going to subscribe and watch your other videos. I’m not experienced at all, but we all start somewhere, right? 😊
Hi neighbor! So glad you dropped me a note. I have talked to people all over the world through this channel, it's nice to meet someone close to home. I've been brewing for quite sometime now and it is certainly one of my top passions. Feel free to drop me a comment at anytime (I see them all) with questions or ideas. Also, I use Jon's Homebrew Supply in Puyallup for my supplier. Jon is a tremendous source of information (a good friend too). Thanks again for taking the time to write me a note. -Duane
@@homebrewingtips6029 I’ve never been down to Jon’s in Puyallup. I’ve only ever been to Fermentation Initiative off S Tacoma Way. I’ll have to go to Jon’s one of these days and check it out!
I like Chris over at Ferm Initiative , the HOPS beer club meets there on Saturdays (I used to go but not so much anymore). I think Jon's offering is a bit better.@@melk.9425
Really good video, nice setup also. We are practically neighbors
thanks so much for the note. I enjoy putting the videos together to share my approach and efforts. Tacoma is a great place to be!!!
@@homebrewingtips6029 I am in Spanacompton. Area you still brewing?
@@aspjake123 Oh ya. Nothing better than brewing and enjoying the fruit of your labor.
You mention in your video that the DUDAHX-B3-23A-40ST plate chiller is 23 inches long. The website states 12.4 inches long. Can you put a tape measure on yours and confirm the length?
I run a similar set up with two plate chillers in serial. Hose water first at around 80°F here in the South in the summer. After hits 90 degrees, I switch to recirculating ice bath water. I can get the wort down to 40 degrees after about 15-20 mins. I recirculate the wort back to the kettle to use it as a coolant to help chill quicker, but I am wondering if I am abusing my wort by running it full throttle through two chillers over and over. Comments/suggestions?
Cool video!
Great vid on the chiller
Cool setup. I stumbled across this video as I am NOT a brewer. It probably came across my feed because I have a heat transfer background. Do you have the connections set up for counter flow? Meaning, the cooling water inlet should be connected to the same end of the "chiller" as the wort outlet. Thus the flows would be counter to each other and give you maximum efficiency. Can't tell from the vid, but thought I'd mention. Thanks so much for sharing.
thanks for the note. Yes I do have the in/out connections just like you described.
Have you tried using the chiller rotated 90* and running the wort from the bottom up so that the wort fills the whole unit? You may have been able to get away with the old chiller or run the wort through even faster with the new one.
+John Rankin this is a really good suggestion, I have not tried that. Next time I brew I think I'll things up so I can do just that (it would be nice to run a bit faster). It is winter now and the ground water is so cold that almost anything would work! I'll still be able to monitor the difference. I'll be sure to report my results.
+HomeBrewingTips Did you happen to measure the ground temperature used in the video? Have you seen this chart: www.dudadiesel.com/files/beerwortchart.pdf ?
The chart has the wort out within 7*. What models of chillers do you have?
John Rankin Yes, I saw this chart and others like it. My ground water temperature swings quite a bit here in Tacoma. I don't really measure it, but rather accept that I have to work with what it is. Cool down time is roughly 1/2 as long in the winter. As for the model number, I am now using the DUDAHX-B3-23A-40ST. It is the length that seems to help, so the 30 plate (or smaller??) could also do the trick as long as you stick with the longer models. I have to say, I do like this one though (even though it costs a few extra bucks)
I like your meticulous approach to brewing and appreciate you sharing your experiences on You-Tube. What is the make and model of your new plate chiller?
francesevemoore Thanks for your note. I try to share tid-bits that hopefully help others. I don't try to say what is right or wrong, but rather show in detail aspects that I think will be interesting. As for this particular chiller, it is a Duda Diesel DUDUHX-B3-23A-40ST. You can find it on their website, 23" and 40 plate and it goes for about $180. As I mentioned, I think a lower plate count in the 23 inch length would serve you well. They have a lot of info on their website on that topic. I will also say this, I am delighted with this unit. Even on the hot summer days here, the efficiency is surprisingly good. I'll be posting some more fun topics soon. Thanks again.
HomeBrewingTips Many thanks for the feedback. I have been looking at the Duda Diesel chillers and considering which model would be most appropriate. I live in Vancouver, B.C. so very similar conditions to you in WA. I am disappointed with the performance of my counter flow chiller and will probably change to a plate chiller - likely the exact model that you have chosen. Thanks again for your help!!
HomeBrewingTips e
Can you run two smaller plate chillers in line with one another to gain maximum rapid cooling? I currently recirculate back into my boil pot until I obtain my target pitch temp through a single small plate chiller. I am contemplating getting another smaller plate chiller
don't know why that wouldn't work. It is another thing to clean (which isn't such a big deal). I used to recirculate just as you describe. That would stir everything up which was sort of an issue. Instead of two, I'd favor one bigger and more efficient chiller. I always say, go ahead and give it a shot and see what happens. If you are unhappy you can try to sell the two smaller units and buy one larger one. Thanks fro watching and reaching out to me.
I use a counter flow chiller (copper line in a garden hose setup) and I am able to do the same single pass chill from boil to 68f. I don't see the reason for the extreme expense of what you have vs. my cheap setup. Your setup is definitely "choice" though and you make my setup look awful. :-)
do you filter your wort prior to plate chiller? I have bought a duda diesel chiller and am afraid of clogging it
No, I do not filter the wort and I have never had a problem . With that said, I use pellet hops so if you use whole hops you should discuss this with someone using whole hops. I have tried a bunch of different hop screens, bags, spiders, etc. Now I just do a simple 20 min whirlpool and then make my transfer. I too was concerned about plugging it up, cleaning it out, potential infections, but I have never had any of these problems. This is a great way to go for maximum efficiency. I have used different brands and had good luck with each. Enjoy!
Noticed your wort is gravity fed from the boil kettle down, then back up to the plate chiller then up again before it is fed into the fermenter. Are you using a pump to accomplish this? I don't think this is mentioned in the video. Just trying to understand the physics of your setup.
Thanks
yes, I have pumps to move the wort around. I have used March type pumps as well as small DC pumps (which I now prefer).
Thanks for sharing.
What is the brand of that chiller!?
thanks for watching. This is a DudaDiesel DUDAHX-B3-23A-40ST
i thought copper was a no no for anything post boil
why do you use copper pipe, why cant you use PEX ?
I like using copper. For me it is easy to use and is easy to clean. I am sure that many other materials could be used based on personal preference.
9 minute video titled "Homebrew Plate Chiller Facts" spent only 2 minutes actually focusing on the plate chiller.
sorry to disappoint you. I was trying to share my experience with different equipment. Hopefully you found some use in what I was trying to share.
I dig your setup you guy