Cooling an oak barrel

[CaptainEBC]

We have a wooden barrel and I'm looking for a way to cool it. Our brewery gets too hot to just let it sit out.

We have some spare glycol ports on our wall manifold, so some sort of stainless immersion coil would probably work.

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks

[Gordie]

An immersion chiller is your best bet. Large oak wine fermenters (900+ gal) are often cooled with what is basically a chrome radiator running a glycol loop. Short of sticking the barrel in a cellar, that's pretty much your only option.

Kevin

[gerrydog]

Check out UK Brewing Supply. They sell a glycol tubing setup for firkins. It might work with your barrel.

[triple]

cooling

Make a cool room. Buy used refrigerator walls and ceilings. They are real cheap. 8' high and 4' wide panels 4" thick. They go together like a kit. Add the refrigerator unit. Now you have something you can expand into at a reasonable cost.

[CaptainEBC]

We're thinking about using one of these:

http://morewinepro.com/view_product/6810/103169/Cooling_Snake_-_0.6m

[triple]

Cooling snake

How do you keep the barrel sealed? Special Bung?

[beejay]

How do you keep the barrel sealed? Special Bung?

http://morewinepro.com/view_product/6226/beerwinecoffee/Silicone_Sleeve_for_Cooling_Snakes

[CaptainEBC]

They sell a silicon bung that adaps to it.

[triple]

They sell a silicon bung that adaps to it.

Good to know. Thanks.