The Basics of Using a Glycol Chiller | Free Beer Friday

[@MoreBeer_]

What do you use at home for temperature control during fermentation? 🍻

[@tagrifleworks]

Currently using a repurposed water cooler. Submersible pump in the reservoir. Temp control works ok, cold crashing not really practical. Purpose built glycol chiller would be ideal, but we work with what we got!

[@samhofmann5670]

Bucket of water inside a keezer which stays at 40F. I have some holes drilled to push cold water through the temp twister coil using a submersible pump. Less than $100 if you already have the keezer, but it can only hold lager temps

[@kenapel6109]

a kitchen refrigerator connected to an inkbird.

[@joeoestreich5299]

I use a freezer with an inkbird controller

[@andrewpatterson8222]

Mu utility room stays within 2-4°

[@jimcollumjr8205]

Small refrigerator and an ice bird- works like charm. Good job Vito..

[@mrolltray]

Trash can & Ice. Luving all y'all do.

[@rossheitkamp1565]

I think the flow direction DOES make a small difference, but not for the reason Vito gives. Entering at the top means that the coldest glycol will be encountering the warmest wort at the top of the fermenter so that will do the best job for achieving a uniform temperature in the fermenter. Although either direction will eventually achieve equilibrium.

[@MoreBeer_]

That makes sense. Really helpful, thanks for sharing, Ross! 🍻

[@ferrisr]

Actually, at least according to Spike, that inverts once you get below 40F. The temperature stratification inverts and the warmest wort is at the bottom. I don't know how large a difference it makes, but I've seen it recommended by others as well that you send your cold glycol to the bottom of the coil first like Chris was saying when you're running below 40F, and the way you/Vito suggest when running above 40F.

[@rossheitkamp1565]

@@ferrisr Oh, that's interesting! I believe that with plain water, the changeover, where water starts to expand again (and get less dense) when getting colder, doesn't happen until very close to freezing. I hadn't considered that lots of dissolved sugar could make that begin sooner, at a higher temperature.

[@ChristopherVarnum]

Thanks! The glycol chiller is something I've always wanted to learn more about and this setup looks amazingly easy to use.

[@MoreBeer_]

Great to hear, Christopher! Cheers 🍻

[@jibba0202]

Heat rises so the warmest wort should be on the top. So you want the coldest glycol to spend the most amount of time at the top of the fermenter. So you would want to go into the twisty part of the coil first.

[@patrickglaser1560]

Thermodynamically you want input to hit the top of the liquid where its warmest. However velocity of the pump water makes it pretty trivial.

[@tagrifleworks]

That IceMaster looks sweeeeet!

[@MoreBeer_]

It is an awesome piece of equipment! We may have to give one of those away soon...! 🍻

[@JIMMBAY1]

The Ice Master looks like I might just try one. Great video & content. Thanks for all...

[@andrewpatterson8222]

Hope Chris can make a speedy recovery. Plus he has better hair than Vito. 😂

[@vitodelucchi7347]

You're not wrong about the hair...but you're also not right LOL

[@MoreBeer_]

🤔 😂

[@AdkismLaura]

In regards to cooling ice packs for freezer can glycol be used as a cooling gel pack?

[@JamesRea2]

The instructions on your website for the BrewBuilt™ IceMaster Max 2 Glycol Chiller say an 80/20 water to glycol mix. Why are you going 70/30 in this video?

[@allanbrand]

Glycol chiller giveaway next? :) :)