Hey guys,
while using the counter flow, I noticed that the tap water from the hose coupling going into the counter flow is spewing water. It worked fine but the waste of water seems like a shame and a cost. I tried tightening it, but it appears the coupling might be damaged and need replacing.
Unrelated, and I don't mean to put anyone on blast, someone left an ankle sock in the ferm room. I am sure it was an impromptu rag to clean something but I had to throw it away out of sanitation concerns.
Counterflow with ground temp water isn't exactly the most environmentally conscious chilling method in the first place, so i don't think a little leak (if it hasn't changed since I last saw it) is our primary concern as long as that valve doesn't just fail on us completely. I think the bigger issue is finding something to do with that used water besides piping it straight down the drain.
I've had in my mind a closed system for the chiller water involving a sump pump, a barrel of salt water, and a small chest freezer...but I could never work out the kinks for our needs. Basically the barrel of saltwater woukd be kept below freezing in the chest freezer with the sump pump in there, two holes drilled in the lid for warm water return and cold water out. I domt think it would cool itself quick enough for the multiple coolings we do back to back, but it would chill the hell out of one batch real fast....
We could pump the exhaust water into raised tank and use that to gravity fill tubs of star san, etc.. It would have to have an overflow that went into the drain. People use systems like this for cabins and such that don't have running water. Those you usually have to hand pump the water up to the tank, but we already have a pump to do the work. Obviously, during busy days, you would still be flushing some down the drain, but it would mitigate some of the waste. You could do this very simply with a blue barrel on a stand.
Actually Mark and I are looking at glychol closed systems for the clubhouse...
ooooo sexy
The emperor is not as forgiving as i am
i think we should expand on Rich's idea and use the warm waste water to fill a hot tub...a man sized mashtun...for large batches...or relaxin'
Or...thow some PBW in there to clean all those hard-to-reach areas while simultaneously de-turding your fermenters and kegs.
Turds in your fermenters? Remind me not to drink any of your beer...
It's an advanced yeast propagation technique I picked up from studying stolen footage of the Icehouse brewing process.
Hot Trub Time Machine
According to the BJCP, all of my yeast turds taste like butterscotch.
I am a proud contributor to the counter flow chiller issues, as I burned the living shit out of a hose today. You're welcome.
Don't worry, Ken T fixed it.
Guys, quit burning hoses!
When I brew, shit gets hot. Hoses need to step back.
jeff keeps them hoses on their toeses...
So Jeff, is it not fixed since I left?
It's fixed, I went and bought a hose clamp.
Thanks, Ken!
*Mash Tub Man Machine