CFC & Whirlpools - when do you do what?

[dalebirrell]

Hi folks,

Anyone use an all in one (eg Grainfather, Brewzilla etc) and a counter flow chiller?

How do you whirlpool and use the CFC, surely pumping wort through the CFC disturbs the trub?

Cheers,
Dale

 

[Agentgonzo]

I use a g30.
For most of the time, I haven't done a whirlpool, just chilled directly after the boil and into the fermenter. Then I did a whirlpool and let it sit for 20 minutes after the boil before chilling.
I have also recirculated for 5 minutes through a hop spider before starting cooling.

I haven't actually noticed (or looked for) a difference

 

[dalebirrell]

Do you need to recirculate the wort through the chiller a few times or do you go straight from G30, through CFC into FV?

 

[Agentgonzo]

You should always recirculate the wort through the chiller for a bit (5 mins or so) at the end of the boil to sanitise the chiller.

Once that's done, if you can go direct from the kettle into the fermenter and reduce the temperature sufficiently then that's preferable. Otherwise you may need to recirculate whilst chilling for a bit first.

In winter when the tap water is cold, I can go straight from the kettle into the fermenter in one go, exciting the chiller at 20°. In summer I need to drop the temperature in the kettle a little bit first

 

[MashBag]

Hi folks,

Anyone use an all in one (eg Grainfather, Brewzilla etc) and a counter flow chiller?

How do you whirlpool and use the CFC, surely pumping wort through the CFC disturbs the trub?

Cheers,
Dale

You can do what best suits you. A bit of trub in the fermentation is not treason.

Me I have an all in one & I don't do either. After boil I go indoors and get on with my day. When I come back the following day, the wort has cooled, the trub has settled, ready to drain it off and add some yeast. Bingo.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

I have a guten 70 similar to brewzilla 3.
I fitted a 3 way on the recirc up pipe and then removed tap and fitted whirlpool at that point.
This allows recirculating and whirlpool during mash which helps mix dead space wort and evens kettle temp.
The CFC I fit during sparge to the whirlpool part and sanitise on the way up to boil.
Post boil I just divert through cfc and whirlpool.
I use a trubtrapper to catch trub works very well. Also fitted a temp probe on CFC outflow so I can see temp drop. Once temp correct or is good for transfer I stop whirlpool and let it settle. I detach hose from whirlpool at kettle and then I transfer via CFC into kettle.
Works well for me. This has the hop rocket in the system as well and I haven't removed the condenser.

 

[dalebirrell]

Nice one, thanks for the info! Looks good.

 

[MashBag]

That looks like that bz has a Lyne arm and a condenser?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

That looks like that bz has a Lyne arm and a condenser?

Well it's a Guten made by keg king but otherwise basically the same as a brewzilla 3, until I modified it and it does also have a SmartPid fitted instead of the original thermostat basic controller.

 

[MashBag]

That makes sense. I wasn't aware of them at all. Supplied with everything. Only asked 'cos I do know someone who converted one.

Does it give to the option of bypass temp control and set power only?

 

[Birdsnestbrewery]

I have a guten 70 similar to brewzilla 3.
I fitted a 3 way on the recirc up pipe and then removed tap and fitted whirlpool at that point.
This allows recirculating and whirlpool during mash which helps mix dead space wort and evens kettle temp.
The CFC I fit during sparge to the whirlpool part and sanitise on the way up to boil.
Post boil I just divert through cfc and whirlpool.
I use a trubtrapper to catch trub works very well. Also fitted a temp probe on CFC outflow so I can see temp drop. Once temp correct or is good for transfer I stop whirlpool and let it settle. I detach hose from whirlpool at kettle and then I transfer via CFC into kettle.
Works well for me. This has the hop rocket in the system as well and I haven't removed the condenser.View attachment 86995

Nice
Is the trubtrap a home made thing?
You said you sanitise the CFC by circulating through it at the beginning of the boil, right? Presumably not including the hop rocket?

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Nice
Is the trubtrap a home made thing?
You said you sanitise the CFC by circulating through it at the beginning of the boil, right? Presumably not including the hop rocket?

Yes trub trap is home made attempt at of one of these as I couldn't get one in NZ or the correct size for my kettle.
https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/trubinator-m/?v=e892e780304d
I don't sanitise the hop rocket with hot wort, just immersion in starsan before loading and putting into the system. Hot wort does pass through it partly as well depending on the temperature during whirlpool. I sanitise on the way up to the boil saves me doing at the end of boil when I'm trying to do other stuff.

Picture of my trub catcha on this thread
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/...u-leave-it-after-the-boil.101463/post-1225984
Mine is just fine mesh and then wrapped around a stainless steel bar at the top and then a silicone U type trim is on the bottom. Very effective for hops and catches a fair amount of trub with little kettle loss as the photo shows.