an idea: whirl pool wort chiller sans pump

[lilybrew]

I am in the middle of chilling and an idea struck me:

why not build some sort of windmill type contraption that is powered via the water flow you are already using to chill the water?

[yeast_slurry_speech]

Or you could throw an inline couterflow chiller on the way to the pump, so that you're chilling the beer that's going back into the pot. Then you'd chill it twice as fast.

[mmadia]

why not build some sort of windmill type contraption that is powered via the water flow you are already using to chill the water?

For a while, I thought about making a small scale and
mostly sealed water turbine that would power an agitator of sorts.

in short, there was a lot of aspects that made my head hurt and discouraged me.

So, i made a hand-crank whirlpool paddle agitator --- pics coming soon.

[lilybrew]

yeah the more I thought about it the more I realized it wasn't as simple a device as I thought, mmadia.

[crazymonkey15]

Okay here's the low tech whirlpool chiller, just take the immersion chiller and swirl it around in the wort.

[mmadia]

here's my solution to whirlpooling without a pump.
there's still a few more bits to add to help keep the paddle centered in the IC, as it tends to hit the vertical return part of the IC.





the idea is to toss it the paddle in with the IC at the same time to sterilize it.
at flame out, slap on the funnel, water on, and start cranking.

[Bugeater]

I use the real low tech approach to whirlpooling. I just stir the wort with the IC. Once I get the temp down to where I want it I do one last good stir and pull the chiller and let it sit for 15 minutes. I can then stick the autosiphon in there (with the SS scrubbie in place) and suck out nice clear wort.

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company

[WitsEnd]

I've heard a few people mention "stirring with the IC", but my pot-to-chiller diameter ratio is quite close to 1. (not much room for the chiller to wiggle in my pot).

I had the same thought with one of those paint stirrers from HD. Hook it up to an electric drill, set on low setting, and slowly stir. I would emphasize the SLOWLY as to not freak people out about hot side aeration.