Back in Business

Posted on 11:09 AM, under

Well, I think I've figured out my summer heat chilling issues. After some discussion on our homebrew club forum I decided to give a sump pump a try in chilling. My process was as follows:

I killed the heat, draped a Star San soaked kitchen towel over my boil kettle and started running tap water thru my immersion chiller. When I hit the 100 degree mark I started running water thru the sump pump which was setting in my Gott style cooler filled with ice. The water ran thru the chiller back into the cooler w/ the pump. I only used 2 bags of ice.


Raw data:

0 mins: 212f
5 mins: 150f
10 mins: 110f
15 mins: 100f
20 mins: 77f
25 mins: 65f



















I don't think I've EVER gotten below 75f even when my tap water is cool. (currently my tap water is right at 80f) My sump pump is a 1/4 HP ~2800GPH pump with a 1 1/4" valve. I reduced that down with a 1 1/4" x 1/2" fitting then with a 1/2" MIP x 3/8" Barb fitting and attached some 3/8" hose to a female garden hose connector which attaches directly to my IC. I had originally decided to stop brewing during the hot/humid months but I think since this works I'm back to brewing anytime I can.

I'm going to give it another try this weekend and redo the infected beer I did in July.

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