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Chiller question

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:28 pm
by carrisr
When using an immersion chiller, is it better to stir or not stir the wort? I would think stirring would be good as it should cool quicker, but then I wondered if that would maybe keep the break from forming as well? What do you do?

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:32 pm
by TappedOut
STIR!
Otherwise you're just wasting time and water.

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:33 pm
by JimF
I stir. I find it cuts my cooling time in half. I don't know if I should, but it seams to work for me.

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2010 1:36 pm
by Matt F
Without a doubt stir. The stirring at the end of the boil is the homebrewer's form of a whirlpool. As you mentioned it will help cool faster. The main reason I always did it is so all the break and trub would be sent to the middle of the kettle to form a big cone of crap you don't need. I would stir vigoursly with a spoon that had been in the boil to sanitze to form as big a vortex as possible. Then with the chilling water already running just leave it alone. After 20 minutes most material you don't want will form a cone in the middle of the kettle. Rack nice clear wort off the side of the kettle. This is very similar to what I accompish now using my pump like the Jamil Z setup whirlpool immersion cheiller which I really like.