[corkybstewart]

I've been using a CFC for the past 6 or 7 years, but this year I pulled out the old immersion chiller and run them in tandem.  The CFC sits in an ice bath in an old Gott cooler, and the wort is pumped through the CFC back into the kettle so it whirlpools around the immersion chiller.    The cooling water comes in the CFC and then through the IC.
I got 10 gallons from boiling to 60F in 10 minutes last weekend as opposed to 30 minutes to get to 75F with the CFC alone.

[bluesman]

I've been using a CFC for the past 6 or 7 years, but this year I pulled out the old immersion chiller and run them in tandem.  The CFC sits in an ice bath in an old Gott cooler, and the wort is pumped through the CFC back into the kettle so it whirlpools around the immersion chiller.    The cooling water comes in the CFC and then through the IC.
I got 10 gallons from boiling to 60F in 10 minutes last weekend as opposed to 30 minutes to get to 75F with the CFC alone.

Very interesting. That's good to know. 

[Kaiser]

25 ft copper IC to 80F then an ice bath while the trub settles out until pitching temp.

Me too. I used to recirculate ice water though the IC to get to pitching temps but then I found that that set-up is not necessary if I just set the kettle in a tub filled with ice water. It takes about an hour to get to 44F but I don’t have to monitor it which is better than 10 min of something that I have to monitor.

Now that we have snow, getting the necessary ice has become much easier.

Kai

[1vertical]

Now that we have snow, getting the necessary ice has become much easier.

Kai

Ah yes, that and ambient lagering temperatures

[ndcube]

25 ft copper IC to 80F then an ice bath while the trub settles out until pitching temp.

Me too. I used to recirculate ice water though the IC to get to pitching temps but then I found that that set-up is not necessary if I just set the kettle in a tub filled with ice water. It takes about an hour to get to 44F but I don’t have to monitor it which is better than 10 min of something that I have to monitor.

Now that we have snow, getting the necessary ice has become much easier.

Kai

Luckily, I have a fridge that makes ice which neither my wife or I use very much.  It all gets used to cool yeast starters or to finish cooling wort.

The first time I used this method I was puzzled that it didn't cool very much after an hour.  I then realized that since the ice water was only about 1/3-1/2 of the way up the bucket the temps were stratifed.  A quick stir brought the whole bucket down to pitching temps.

[Kaiser]

The first time I used this method I was puzzled that it didn't cool very much after an hour.  I then realized that since the ice water was only about 1/3-1/2 of the way up the bucket the temps were stratifed.  A quick stir brought the whole bucket down to pitching temps.

Yes, making sure that the wort level is at or below the ice water level is important. Another thing that is important for me is draining the ice water before siphoning off the wort. If I forget the kettle floats up and disturbs all the trub which has been settling so nicely. I’m not to worried about some trub in the fermenter. In fact I make sure that I pick up some cold break if the wort looks to clear.

Kai

[peterpan]

Besides terminator can be used brazetek plate chiller.

http://www.brazetek.com/products

[bluesman]

I bought a therminator and used it for the first time on my most recent brew session and I have to say that it works great. I used a March pump to pump the hot wort through the chiller at a slow rate.  It took about five minutes to chill the beer from 212F down to 63F. I'm impressed with it's performance. The only downside that I can see is that one must ensure that it has been completely sanitized by thoroughly rinsing and sanitizing prior to use.

[dhacker]

Yes . . welcome to the Therminator users group, Ron! 

Ya know, I back flush mine with hot water after every use, then on brew day, I actually put it in a decent sized stainless pot that I fill with water, (making sure the water enters the "Wort In / Wort Out" ports) and boil the thing for about 10 minutes. Every 6th brew session or so, I Oxiclean it. I've had mine for 3 years and haven't had an infected batch yet! 

[bluesman]

Yes . . welcome to the Therminator users group, Ron! 

Ya know, I back flush mine with hot water after every use, then on brew day, I actually put it in a decent sized stainless pot that I fill with water, (making sure the water enters the "Wort In / Wort Out" ports) and boil the thing for about 10 minutes. Every 6th brew session or so, I Oxiclean it. I've had mine for 3 years and haven't had an infected batch yet! 

Thanks for the great tips dhacker! 

[dhacker]

I should correct the part about "Filling with water" . .  I fill the pot where water is about an inch over the Therminator . . .

[blatz]

Not to be a party pooper, but I can tell you honestly, a plate chiller is very hard to keep clean.  I used one for almost five years (shirron and then a therminator) and they are nearly impossible get completely clean without tons and tons of backflushing (both ways), soaking, etc.

That said, I never had an infection either, so its not like its a high risk, but that drawback is definitely real, so much so that it caused me to give up on them when considered in conjunction with the hassle of using them as well. 

[euge]

I use a homemade IC that switches over to an ice-water recirc when the temp gets down. Wish I had wrapped it around something wider than a corny keg. Often times it sticks out of the top of the wort, so all that area is wasted. But it chills like a madman- especially with wort recirculation.

[alikocho]

I use a homemade CFC - 30ft of 8mm (just shy of 3/8") copper inside a 1/2" hosepipe. Does a great job, but I really need to drill my brewpot rather than siphoning through it. Takes me about 20 mins to move 6 gallons of wort, but it's a pain to get started and I'm sure the flow rate could be faster.

I sanitize by moving boiling water through it for 5-10 minutes without the cooling water going. No infections to date.

[dhacker]

Not to be a party pooper, but I can tell you honestly, a plate chiller is very hard to keep clean.  I used one for almost five years (shirron and then a therminator) and they are nearly impossible get completely clean without tons and tons of backflushing (both ways), soaking, etc.

That said, I never had an infection either, so its not like its a high risk, but that drawback is definitely real, so much so that it caused me to give up on them when considered in conjunction with the hassle of using them as well. 

I worry over a lot of things with my procedures and equipment, but the Therminator isn't one of them. I mean, ya know . . it is possible to sanitize a turd!