The Beer Borg

How does one use an immersion chiller with a pull-out faucet (that’s what I have), or in a situation when there’s no running water source reasonably close to brewing location? You can also use this method if your tap water is too warm and you have trouble getting your wort to pitching temps.

Parts needed:

• Immersion chiller (super easy and cheap to make from a 20-ft roll of soft 3/8″ copper – about $15 from a home improvement store, but that’s another article).
• Fountain pump (200+ gph works best) – this one from Amazon would work great
• Vinyl tubing and worm clamps for connections

How to:

• Start by putting your immersion chiller (clean, but no need to sanitize) into the boil pot with 15-20 min left in the boil – this will sanitize the chiller. Don’t connect the vinyl tubing yet.
• Put a stopper into your kitchen sink and fill with cold tap water (or use a bucket). Put the pump in; connect the tubing to the pump, and leave the tap running into the sink.
  
• As soon as the boil is over, connect the vinyl tubing from the pump, as well as your discharge tube to the immersion chiller; make sure the clamps are tight. Put the end of the discharge tube into the other side of the sink. Plug the pump in and watch the temps start to drop (having a thermometer in the pot while cooling makes this easy). Mixing wort during chilling will speed up the process and prevent stratification.
• When the temps drop to about 110F (10 min or so), turn off the tap and let the pump get the water level down to just above the pump inlet. Place the discharge tube into the same side of the sink as the pump, and add 10-20 pounds of ice (the more the better!). Now you’re recirculating ice-cold (32F) water through your chiller!
• This will take the temps down quickly and without wasting anymore water.

Happy brewing!