Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Cleaning Plate Chiller  (Read 2640 times)

Offline HopDen

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1125
Cleaning Plate Chiller
« on: August 23, 2020, 09:58:23 am »
I like to think I'm very clean and sanitary in general and specifically in my brewery. I always back flush my plate chiller with hot water right after use and let it flush until I no longer see debris. Today I wanted to back flush with 180* water with added cleaner recirculating through my pump.

What I witnessed flushing out astounded me!! The BK went from a clean clear liquid to a green hop laden mess within minutes. I can't believe I haven't infected a batch of beer by only flushing with hot water.

New rule: Back flush plate chiller every time I brew.

Offline BrewBama

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6051
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2020, 10:22:24 am »
I know many brewers use inline chillers, HERMS, small solid pumps, hard lines, etc. with great success, but I never liked the thought of running the wort thru anything I can’t see, disassemble, physically clean, etc.

That’s a major reason I decided on an immersion vs an inline chiller, disassemble-able pump and valves, silicone transfer tubing vs hard line, etc.

A lot more time is spent disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling my equipment between brews than actually brewing with it.

Like you said, it’s amazing what gunk is hidden away.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Offline Kevin

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 726
  • Great beer. Less work. More fun.
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #2 on: August 23, 2020, 10:47:43 am »
I'm in the same boat as BrewBama. I have used a plate chiller and most recently a counter flow. Not knowing exactly what is hiding in the crevices inside makes me uncomfortable. I just ditched my CF last weekend and pan on ordering a Hydra immersion chiller from Jaded Brewing.
“He was a wise man who invented beer.”
- Plato

Offline goose

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1287
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #3 on: August 23, 2020, 02:00:40 pm »
I have a Duodiesel plate chiller here.  I back flush and forward flush it with hot water immediately after chilling the wort.  I then clean it  by pumping PBW through it while cleaning the boil kettle.  This normally gets it clean.  I also clean it again both ways when I clean and sanitize it and my conical during the brew day.
That said, I also have a stainless steel inline screen with 1.5" triclover fittings between my pump and the plate chiller which helps keep hop debris out of the chiller.  I recommend investing in one of these.  It will save you a lot of grief.  I also use a hop bag in the BK to contain most of the pellet hops.
When I bought the chiller (used), I spent three days cleaning it with caustic and acid washes as it had set for many years without being cleaned.  But I got it cleaned and I can keep it that way with that regimen.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2020, 07:13:00 am by goose »
Goose Steingass
Wooster, OH
Society of Akron Area Zymurgists (SAAZ)
Wayne County Brew Club
Mansfield Brew Club
BJCP Certified

Offline KellerBrauer

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 808
  • Bottoms Up!
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2020, 05:52:57 am »
A few years ago, I took a tour at Leinenkugel brewery in Chippewa Falls, WI.  Part of the tour brought us to an area of the brewery where I saw a huge plate cooler.  The tour guide informed us the plate cooler was used to cool the wort right after the boil.  I found it fascinating that a major brewery used the exact same technology as many home brewers - including me.

Like goose, I use a hop sack with great success.  Then, after use, I back flush with very hot water and follow that with a 60 minute circulation of PBW.  I then remove my plate cooler (about 60 seconds) and drain it completely.  I reinstall it a couple days later - another 60 seconds.  On brew day, I circulate StarSan or IOSan for about an hour while mashing.

The point is, when I remove and drain the cooler, the water that runs out is as crystal clear as if it came from my faucet.  IMHO, plate coolers are wonderful, time saving devices.  But they take a little effort to maintain.
Joliet, IL

All good things come to those who show patients and perseverance while maintaining a positive and progressive attitude. 😉

Offline Kevin

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 726
  • Great beer. Less work. More fun.
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #5 on: August 24, 2020, 06:59:56 am »
The difference between that Leinenkugel plate chiller and the ones (most of them anyway) that homebrewers use is that the professional brewers plate chillers come apart for thorough and regular cleaning. I bet if you could take your chiller apart once you get it running crystal clear you would still find gunk in the crevices.
“He was a wise man who invented beer.”
- Plato

Offline goose

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1287
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #6 on: August 24, 2020, 07:22:20 am »
The difference between that Leinenkugel plate chiller and the ones (most of them anyway) that homebrewers use is that the professional brewers plate chillers come apart for thorough and regular cleaning. I bet if you could take your chiller apart once you get it running crystal clear you would still find gunk in the crevices.

True, but you can get them pretty clean with how Kellerbrauer, Joe, and I do it.  About every few months or so, I also do an acid wash of the chiller that gets any accumulated beer stone and non-organics out of the chiller.  It works well.
When I worked at Hoppin' Frog we took the plate chiller apart about once every six months to clean the plates.  They normally weren't too "gacky" (a Goose term).  We also cleaned the big plate chiller both ways on kettle cleaning days and packed it with iodophor after cleaning.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2020, 09:42:38 am by goose »
Goose Steingass
Wooster, OH
Society of Akron Area Zymurgists (SAAZ)
Wayne County Brew Club
Mansfield Brew Club
BJCP Certified

Offline goose

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1287
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #7 on: August 24, 2020, 07:23:52 am »
Here is a picture of my chiller set-up.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

Goose Steingass
Wooster, OH
Society of Akron Area Zymurgists (SAAZ)
Wayne County Brew Club
Mansfield Brew Club
BJCP Certified

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27093
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2020, 07:38:53 am »
A few years ago, I took a tour at Leinenkugel brewery in Chippewa Falls, WI.  Part of the tour brought us to an area of the brewery where I saw a huge plate cooler.  The tour guide informed us the plate cooler was used to cool the wort right after the boil.  I found it fascinating that a major brewery used the exact same technology as many home brewers - including me.

Like goose, I use a hop sack with great success.  Then, after use, I back flush with very hot water and follow that with a 60 minute circulation of PBW.  I then remove my plate cooler (about 60 seconds) and drain it completely.  I reinstall it a couple days later - another 60 seconds.  On brew day, I circulate StarSan or IOSan for about an hour while mashing.

The point is, when I remove and drain the cooler, the water that runs out is as crystal clear as if it came from my faucet.  IMHO, plate coolers are wonderful, time saving devices.  But they take a little effort to maintain.

I think that's kinda backwards....commercial breweries were there first. It's that homebrewers are using the same equipment as commercial brewers, not vice versa
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline HopDen

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1125
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2020, 02:39:28 pm »
Thanks for the feedback guys!! Definitely changing my routine.

Offline Saccharomyces

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1136
  • Deus ex machina
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2020, 05:14:39 pm »
The plate chiller grew out of the double-pipe chiller, which amateur brewers know as the counterflow chiller.  Like the plate and frame chiller used in professional brewing, the double pipe chiller can be disassembled for cleaning.

Offline KellerBrauer

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 808
  • Bottoms Up!
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #11 on: August 25, 2020, 05:47:05 am »
A few years ago, I took a tour at Leinenkugel brewery in Chippewa Falls, WI.  Part of the tour brought us to an area of the brewery where I saw a huge plate cooler.  The tour guide informed us the plate cooler was used to cool the wort right after the boil.  I found it fascinating that a major brewery used the exact same technology as many home brewers - including me.

Like goose, I use a hop sack with great success.  Then, after use, I back flush with very hot water and follow that with a 60 minute circulation of PBW.  I then remove my plate cooler (about 60 seconds) and drain it completely.  I reinstall it a couple days later - another 60 seconds.  On brew day, I circulate StarSan or IOSan for about an hour while mashing.

The point is, when I remove and drain the cooler, the water that runs out is as crystal clear as if it came from my faucet.  IMHO, plate coolers are wonderful, time saving devices.  But they take a little effort to maintain.

I think that's kinda backwards....commercial breweries were there first. It's that homebrewers are using the same equipment as commercial brewers, not vice versa

That’s semantics.  The point is the same.
Joliet, IL

All good things come to those who show patients and perseverance while maintaining a positive and progressive attitude. 😉

Offline KellerBrauer

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 808
  • Bottoms Up!
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #12 on: August 25, 2020, 05:49:50 am »
I bet if you could take your chiller apart once you get it running crystal clear you would still find gunk in the crevices.

I highly doubt that, but okay.
Joliet, IL

All good things come to those who show patients and perseverance while maintaining a positive and progressive attitude. 😉

Offline goose

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1287
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #13 on: August 25, 2020, 07:50:57 am »
I bet if you could take your chiller apart once you get it running crystal clear you would still find gunk in the crevices.

I highly doubt that, but okay.

It is possible, Kevin.  However, when I clean my fermenter and chiller assembly during the brew day, I never see particles of gunk floating around in the conical or see them in the inline screen and I don't get off flavors in the beers.  So I am pretty positive that I got all the gunk when I backflush and clean the chiller and BK after chilling the beer.  Do plate chillers require more care and maintenance to make sure they are clean, sure.  But they can be cleaned effectively with a bit of effort.
Goose Steingass
Wooster, OH
Society of Akron Area Zymurgists (SAAZ)
Wayne County Brew Club
Mansfield Brew Club
BJCP Certified

Offline BrewBama

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 6051
Re: Cleaning Plate Chiller
« Reply #14 on: August 25, 2020, 08:45:26 am »
I bet if you could take your chiller apart once you get it running crystal clear you would still find gunk in the crevices.

As another data point, when I would clean my 3 piece valves by running cleaner thru until clear, upon disassembled inspection I did find gunk.

That’s why I got quick disassemble valves.

I imagine other pieces of equipment would be the same.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk