Exchilerator Wort Chiller Review
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Brewing at home can be quite challenging if you are new and haven’t got the process nailed down. Out of the challenges cooling the wort can be difficult depending on the size of your batch.
For small batches, the time taken for cooling would not be a problem with a proper chiller. One of the chillers available for smaller to medium sized batches is the Exchilerator Maxx Counterflow Wort Chiller.
- EASY TO USE - FAST CLEAN UP. The Maxx is for a brewer with pump, without pumps or with warm chilling water.
- USES FDA COMPLIANT copper, PEX, stainless collars, lead free solder and lead free brass fittings. Unlike garden hose designs with so called adjustable nut and ferrule fittings, the Exchilerator is skillfully soldered the full length of the fittings this leaves no place for infections to hide! (see cross sectional photo)
- READY TO BREW MANIFOLD INCLUDED temp gauge, 1/2" s/steel tee, 1/2" s/steel close nipple, 1/2" s/steel ball valve,brass garden hose adapters and a roll of Teflon tape comes standard on the Maxx.( see photo of parts included)
Exchilerator Maxx Counterflow Wort Chiller Features
Quick Chilling
The Exchilerator wort chiller is quite efficient in chilling the wort. It can cool the wort down using warm water. It can chill 2 gallons per minute and up to 10 gallons in less than 5 minutes.
99.9% Pure Copper Made in the USA
The chiller uses USA made copper pipes, not stainless steel, since copper cools 25% faster than stainless steel. In the chiller, the wort flows through a pipe surrounded by a rubber tube. The rubber tube carries the water. Its purpose is to cool the wort down.
Temperature Gauge Included
The chiller comes with a temperature gauge to let you determine the temperature of the wort when it leaves the chiller. Unfortunately, it is an analog temperature gauge and not digital.
Five-Year Warranty
The chiller provides a warranty for 5 years. It says that their product can remain its quality in those 5 years and cool 5 gallons of wort within 5 minutes.
Flow Control
The chiller has a precision value system. It allows you to control the flow of wort in the chiller. You can modify the flow based on your recipe. Controlling the flow lets you control the temperature of the wort and is a vital part of the brewing process.
No Clogging
It is common for clogging of wort in chillers. However, in this chiller, the chances of that happening are low.
Cooling Is Done in Opposite Direction
The chill water and wort flow in opposite directions. You will find the input for the hot wort next to the output for the hot water. Similarly, you will find the input value for the cold water next to the exit for the chill wort. After all, the name of the chiller indicates that it uses the counterflow method to cool the wort.
FDA Compliant
All the components of the chiller are FDA compliant. The solder and brass fittings are lead-free and FDA compliant, as well as the PEX and copper components used in the chiller. The company does not use ferrule fittings and adjustable nuts. It has completely soldered the fittings so there is no chance for infections.
- EASY TO USE - FAST CLEAN UP. The Maxx is for a brewer with pump, without pumps or with warm chilling water.
- USES FDA COMPLIANT copper, PEX, stainless collars, lead free solder and lead free brass fittings. Unlike garden hose designs with so called adjustable nut and ferrule fittings, the Exchilerator is skillfully soldered the full length of the fittings this leaves no place for infections to hide! (see cross sectional photo)
- READY TO BREW MANIFOLD INCLUDED temp gauge, 1/2" s/steel tee, 1/2" s/steel close nipple, 1/2" s/steel ball valve,brass garden hose adapters and a roll of Teflon tape comes standard on the Maxx.( see photo of parts included)
Benefits of Using Exchilerator
The Exchilerator is one of the faster chiller available in the market. It is thanks to its counterflow cooling technology. The technology allows it to cool two gallons of wort withing a minute. You would not face the problem of clogging with this chiller. The company has taken great pains to ensure that the parts used in their product are FDA compliant. You can rest assured that the exchilerator is one of the best wort chillers on the market.
Pros
- Precision value system
- Chills faster at 2 gallons chilled a minute
- Chilling process is quick thanks to copper
- Less clogging
- Control the flow of wort
- FDA approved compliant parts
- Counterflow cooling method
- 5 year warranty
Cons
- Lots of cleaning required
- Analog temperature gauge
- Not meant for large batches (over 25 gallons)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to use cold water for the chiller?
No, you can use slightly warm water and you would get good results.
Is the temperature gauge digital?
No, the company provides an analog temperature gauge.
Is the exchilerator wort chiller suitable for large batches?
For a homebrewer a large batch may be 20-25 gallons which this can handle 5 gallons a minute. But for larger batches it may not be suitable. Some say it works for their 20 gallon batches.
Are their instructions for the Exchilerator Maxx?
Yes, you can find them in the packaging as well as their instructions on Exchilerator’s website.
- EASY TO USE - FAST CLEAN UP. The Maxx is for a brewer with pump, without pumps or with warm chilling water.
- USES FDA COMPLIANT copper, PEX, stainless collars, lead free solder and lead free brass fittings. Unlike garden hose designs with so called adjustable nut and ferrule fittings, the Exchilerator is skillfully soldered the full length of the fittings this leaves no place for infections to hide! (see cross sectional photo)
- READY TO BREW MANIFOLD INCLUDED temp gauge, 1/2" s/steel tee, 1/2" s/steel close nipple, 1/2" s/steel ball valve,brass garden hose adapters and a roll of Teflon tape comes standard on the Maxx.( see photo of parts included)
Conclusion
In this Exchilerator review we have talked about how fast it chills the wort using the counterflow cooling method. You have seen that you can control the flow and temperature of the chilled wort. If you are a homebrewer who is going to do small to midsized batches, then this is the one for you.
