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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