cooling

[Stevo]

4 th brew with grainfather on sunday, all going good and tasting brews 1 & 2 now ....pretty good beer! Anyway, on previous brews on a mates homebuilt system we were able to cool the wort down to 24ish in about 20 mins with a copper cooling coil, and just wondering how long it is taking others out there with the grainfather cooling system ? Also thinking of setting up another pump to pump wort from top of kettle into fermenter so as not to get so much trub in fermenter. Hope that makes sense....Any comments?

[Mark Weusten]

Yeah it does make sense as when I begin to pump out to my fermenter I always get trub coming out first even though I use a hop spider. I think its a great idea to pump from the top of the kettle. In winter with ground water being cooler I get the GF down to 30c in about 20 mins then pump out into fermenter at 16c which is perfect for me. When I do struggle is in the middle of summer and the ground water warms up, I find best I am getting is early twenties in the fermenter. I have wondered how much better plunging a copper coil in the kettle would be, I am sure someone on this forum could tell us. Cheers

[Stevo]

cheers…….. This site is hardly a hive of activity aye?  Do you find the hop spider helps?

[Mark Weusten]

Not really flat out although it has been at times. I find I have to use the hop spider when doing really hoppy beers or the pump clogs. Shame as I don't think the result is as good. I see you are in Auckland we should get some GF guys together for a communal brewday. Always good to get someone else's views.

[Stevo]

someone else's views and taste someone else's brews !!

[Stevo]

…..also do you have the upgrade filter? wonder if that would help.

[Mark Weusten]

Yes I do have the upgrade filter which is an improvement.

[Steve Adkins]

Have you knocked the rubber cap off yet?  I did, lots of trub.

[Steve Adkins]

I would be keen for this

[Steve Adkins]

I do much the same as Mark, recirc until the temp drops below 40, then stand for 20 mins to settle before chilling again as I pump out. 

Have given serious thought to getting a copper coil to drop into a bucket of ice to chill the incoming water