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Guide: Which method is best for cooling wort? A comparison for beer brewers
When brewing beer at home, cooling your wort is a critical step in the brewing process. An efficient and safe cooling method can make the difference between a good beer and a great one. In this guide, we compare four popular methods of wort cooling and explain why the Brewers Heat Exchanger is the ideal choice for serious beer brewers.
Why is fast and efficient cooling important?
Once the wort is cooked, it must be quickly cooled down to fermentation temperature (typically 18-25°C).
Fast and efficient cooling:
- Reduces the risk of infection
- Improves the flavor profile as rapid cooling stops the extraction of bitterness from hops
- Saves time and reduces water consumption
The image shows 4 methods for cooling wort before or when it is pumped for fermentation. The 4 methods are discussed below.
1: Spiral cooler (open container)
How does it work?
A copper or stainless steel spiral is placed directly into the hot wort in the brew kettle. Cold water flows through the spiral and cools the wort around it.
Advantages:
- Simple and cheap solution
- Easy to use for beginners
Disadvantages:
- Slow cooling
- Risk of infection due to refrigeration in open containers
Suitable for:
Beginners who brew less than 25 liters at a time.
2: Plate heat exchanger (welded)
How does it work?
Wort and cold water are pumped through separate channels in a plate heat exchanger. Heat is transferred from the wort to the cooling water through thin metal plates. A plate heat exchanger makes it possible to cool in a counter-current manner and is designed so that there is a large cooling area between the wort and the cooling water, which ensures high cooling efficiency. The corrugated plates typically increase the cooling area by 20% and also cause good turbulent mixing of the liquid, which together makes the plate heat exchanger the most efficient cooler.
Advantages:
- Very efficient cooling
- Cheap solution
- Good temperature control
Disadvantages:
- Difficult to clean – cannot be opened
- High risk of accumulation of bacteria and hop residues
- Requires pre-filter and thorough CIP (Cleaning-In-Place)
Suitable for:
A welded plate heat exchanger is not recommended for the beer brewer as it cannot be cleaned properly.
3: Spiral cooler (tube-in-tube)
How does it work?
A tube-in-tube system, where the wort flows through one tube and cold water through the other in the opposite direction (countercurrent). This allows for good utilization of the cooling water, but cooling must be slow due to the relatively small contact area between the wort and the cooling water. The flow in a spiral cooler will typically be laminar, which will result in poor mixing and thus poorer cooling compared to the heat exchanger.
Advantages:
- More efficient than a coil cooler in an open container
- Good temperature control
Disadvantages:
- Non-separable – can be difficult to clean completely
- Cooling takes longer compared to a plate heat exchanger of similar size
Suitable for:
Brewers who have a little better time when brewing.
4: Brewers Heat Exchanger (Separable Plate Heat Exchanger)
How does it work?
Like a traditional plate heat exchanger – but designed with the home brewer in mind: It can be opened and cleaned thoroughly, and components can be replaced as needed. The integrated temperature sensor allows for extra good temperature control during cooling.
Advantages:
- High efficiency – rapid cooling to fermentation temperature
- Can be completely disassembled and cleaned = optimal hygiene
- Long service life and low risk of clogging
- Easy to inspect and maintain
- Ideal for pumping from brew kettle to fermentation vessel
- Compatible with both small and large batch sizes
- Integrated Temperature sensor
Disadvantages:
- Requires a little more setup than a simple coil cooler chiller
- The price level is higher, but matches the performance and durability
Suitable for:
Ambitious home brewers who care about taste, cleanliness and efficiency.
Conclusion: Which method is best?
At Brewers Hut, we of course believe that a detachable plate heat exchanger will be the best choice for the serious beer brewer.Find it here: Brewers Heat Exchanger.