Once again I’m moving on up to newer better equipment. I’m planning on doing 10 gallon batches of my tried and true recipes and 5 gallon “test” recipes. So I picked up a much larger kettle this weekend and ordering a new chiller The Hydra - Fastest Immersion Wort Chiller On the Market – JaDeD Brewing LLC
So my next order of business is to get myself a pump. The owner of my local Homebrew store only carries a bilchmann riptide for 200 bucks. I can’t help but notice that our host and other vendors have pumps for half the price with stainless heads.
Personally I think it depends on you dedication and commitment level.
I have a Chugger pump with SS head. BUT I have to take out several bolts and parts to take it apart and completely clean it.
With the rip tide it’s all TC.
Now with that said Ive taken my pump apart one time per year to completely clean and it was hardly dirty.
I have a pump from our host with a SS head… I do my best to run hot water through it… It’s grown a mushroom of some sort once!!!
If I had a pump that was very simple to disassemble, I’d do that every time then… Pay twice as much to have it in your possession… No Way…
Sneezles61
Right on, I’m glad to hear good reports about this chiller. There are a lot of options out there and it’s a tough choice, this helps for sure thanks.
I picked up a 16 gallon kettle. Not what I was shopping for but the owner of the Homebrew shop sold it to me as a cash deal for 100 bucks with a 3 piece valve and nipple. No way I could turn that down.
I just got the Riptide for Christmas but haven’t used it yet. I was shopping brands and overall benefits compared to the dollar and decided the Riptide was what I wanted regardless of who was buying it.
I have a chugger pump with upgraded impeller. I never disassemble it to clean it. I did a few times the first year or so I had it and found it to be a waste of time. I run boiling water through the system before and after every brew session and that does the trick. Every few months I’ll add some pbw to the boiling water during clean up then follow with clear water.
I’ll probably get the riptide. Experience with this hobby has taught me to over buy, every time I’ve gone the cheap route I’ve regretted it and it’s cost me more time and money down the road.
The ease of disassembly is cool but what’s got me leaning that way is the dB level and the gpm. I’m looking for a good whirlpool while chilling and I’m thinking the extra power this pump has will help with the 10 gallon batches
If the riptide was available when I bought my pump I likely would have went with it. Although I said my pump was clean when I take it apart it would be convenient to have a single TC.
Sneezles61