I have a Plate Chiller that has water fed from a cold water reservoir and I am wondering if I should be whirlpooling before I chill or if I can recirculate the wort through the plate chiller back into the kettle to whirlpool as it cools?
I whirlpool (stir with a mash paddle for a minute or so) and then let it settle for 15.
I have a Bazooka screen as my pickup tube along the side of the kettle. Then let-er rip. The plate chillers are great.
Whirlpooling is to contain/separate debris, so if you don’t want a lot of debris, whirlpool before chilling, and pick up away from the debris mound. I recirculate back to the kettle and use a false bottom and whole hops to kind of filter the wort before sending to the chillers, so same idea. Still going to get some debris in the chillers, but no big deal usually. Side pickups work best for whirlpooling.
