Mead Lovers Digest #0193

eZine lover (@eZine)

Published in 

Mead Lovers Digest

 · 7 months ago

 

Mead Lover's Digest #193                            Sat 14 August 1993 

 
        Forum for Discussion of Mead Brewing and Consuming 
               John Dilley, Digest Coordinator 

 
Contents: 
  Counter flow vs immersion chillers ("Bob Jones") 

 
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Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1993 07:40:20 -0700 (PDT) 
From: "Bob Jones" <bjones@novax.llnl.gov> 
Subject: Counter flow vs immersion chillers 

>Kinney writes: 
> 
> 
> I often see and hear about the incredible difficulties of keeping 
> counter-flow wort chillers sterile.  Most of the time, though not 
> this time, these fears come from people who have never used them and 
> have been listening to other people who have never used them.  I've 
> used a counter flow chiller for over 11 years and have never had a problem. 
> 
> They do require some special care and feeding but the procedures 
> for keeping them sterile really aren't that much of a hassel.  I'm 
> not sure why the speaker at the AHA conference had the problem he 
> did but I'm outlining the sterilization procedure that has worked 
> flawlessly for me below. 

Since I'm probably the speaker that was refered to I'll just jump in here 
and give my feels on this much discussed matter. I did have an infection 
problem associated directly with my counter flow chiller. I was 
recirculating warm bleach solution through the chiller for about an hour 
before use. In retrospect I think the infection was at the connections to the 
chiller. These little cracks and seals are the best hiding places for those 
critters to hang out. I would suggest always take the chiller connections 
apart, if possibe, and clean them good and dry well. I think Kinney's 
procedure sounds very good, use it. 

Now for the goods and bads of each as I see them : 

Counter flow positives - 

     * Faster cooling of the wort as it passes through cooler, makes for 
       better cold break. +1 

Counter flow negatives - 

     * the cold break ends up in your fermenter. -1 
     * they are more difficult to clean than an immersion or at least it 
       would seem that way, -1 
     * you have less control over the final wort exit temperature, -1 

 
Immersion chiller positives - 

     * easier to clean compared to the counter flow, +1 
     * the majority of the cold break is left befind in the kettle, +1 
     * you can decide when the wort is cool enough by waiting longer,+1 

Immersion chiller negatives - 

     * the cooling is slower and produces less cold break, -1 

Final score : 

     * Counter flow chiller, -2 
     * Immersion chiller, +2 

The choice IS yours, the debate rages on............ 

Bob Jones 

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End of Mead Lover's Digest 
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