Chugger Pumps, Beer Pumps, and Food Grade Wort Transferring Setups

Your Guide to Choosing a Hombrewing Beer Pump

There are many different brands of beer in the market today. However, if you love craft beer, you know that mass produced beer isn’t what you want to take every day.

If you like to brew your own beer, tailored to your specific tastes, you must get the right home brewing equipment.

You can find many different kinds of beer brewing kits, but for a professional product, you must include a Chugger Pump. In this article, we will explain the importance of Chugger Pumps when brewing, its advantages and disadvantages, and the top Chugger Pumps to complete your beer brewing kit.

What are Chugger Pumps?

The brewing process involves many essential instruments and steps. Not only do you need to have the optimal materials, but also have the right tools for it.

For many years, brewers would make all the different processes, including the transfer of the liquids from one vessel to the other.

This step was not exempted of danger for the brewer and the product itself. The hot liquid could spill and burn the brewer, or the process would take so long that the product would lose its temperature and get spoiled.

Here is when the Chuggers Pumps come in handy. A Chugger Pump is a brewing tool that connects the brewing vessels and allows the liquid to run hot and cold between them. It gives the user control over the management of the liquids without losing temperature, avoiding accidents when dealing with hot liquids and making the transfer of the product a lot easier.

It’s important to remember that this tool never should run dry. This is because it is not a self-priming pump, so be sure to flood the pump head before opening the valve. That way, you will preserve the life of your Chugger Pump for a longer time.

Why do you need a Chugger Pump?

When brewing for the first time, you may find that the Chugger Pump is not included as one of the essential tools in the beer brewing kit. However, homebrewers have learned that having one changes the whole process. Here are some of the reasons why you need a chugger pump:

It optimizes the brewing process. 

Installing a Chugger Pump for your brewing process will not only help you improve the quality of the product but also save time. You can transfer hot and cold liquids faster. You can avoid the heavy lifting of the vessels for transferring and the dangers of dealing with these liquids by hand.

It is also a cleaner process, filtering the liquids safely and avoiding the errors of the human hand. When working with cold liquids or if you want to cool hot liquid, the Chugger Pump helps the recirculating of the liquid, cooling it faster from one vessel to the other.

Automation – No need to transfer liquids yourself

You automatize the process of transferring the liquids from one brewing vessel to the other. This is a process that would usually take a few minutes, when doing it manually. The time involved can lead to a significant difference in the quality of the product. If you aren’t careful, the temperature may change, losing the optimal degrees of heat or cold during the transfer. 

To avoid this, some brewers used to heat the liquid more than the recommended temperature, jeopardizing the quality of the product. Another benefit from the automatization of this process is that it reduces the dangers. You won’t have to worry about spilling the hot liquid over you or the floor.

Chugger Pump features

If you are starting into the process of homebrewing, you will learn very soon that transferring the liquids can be one of the most exhausting parts of the process. You will have to deal with liquids in different degrees of temperature depending on the part of the process. 

You will also find that it will involve lifting the brewing vessels to transfer one liquid to the fermenter or another brewing vessel. The containers filled with liquid are not light, and you must be very careful to avoid burning your hand or spilling the liquid while you do the transfer.

That is not a problem for beginners only. Expert brewers will find that part of the process annoying and dangerous if not doing it correctly and carefully. Chugger Pumps helps to make that specific process a lot easier. 

After flooding the pump head, connect the vessels through the pump and open the valve. That way, the process that would have taken some time is done in a few minutes. It won’t affect the temperatures of the liquids, and you won’t have to lift them manually. Or, if you need to cool down one of the liquids before it reaches the other vessel, the Chugger Pump allows the recirculating of the liquid, that will cool the liquid faster.

Advantages

Owning a Chugger Pump comes with many benefits, for beginners and expert brewers.

• Automation in home brewing.

Instead of having to do all the process in homebrewing manually, you can automate the most problematic ones. By doing so, the process of transferring liquids becomes more manageable, and the dangers that come with dealing with hot and cold liquids and heavy lifting disappear.

This reduces all risks of human errors and health problems. You can now relax and enjoy the more interesting, artistic parts of homebrewing.

• Works for both hot and cold liquids.

While brewing, you will need to boil and cool down the liquids a few times to perfect the product. This process, if you are not careful, can affect the tools you use.

With a chugger pump you won’t need to use different pumps for transferring liquids of different temperatures. The material of the pump allows you to work with both hot and cold liquids, even to cool down hot liquids while doing the transferring without damaging the structure of the pump.

• They make brewing faster.

When you eliminate the human factor of the process of transferring liquids, it becomes faster. That is because you won’t need to move the brewing vessels and be very careful in the process of transferring. You will only have to open and close the valve whenever you need to do a specific process, and the Chugger Pump does the rest for you.

Factors to consider before buying a Chugger Pump.

• Pressure.

When selecting the right Chugger Pump for you, don’t forget to look up how much back-pressure it can handle. The pressure is measured in feet and meters. Its numbers can vary depending on the size and capacity of the pump. The average Max Head can be between 11ft to 18ft.

• Size.

Chugger Pumps comes in different sizes, depending on the capacities of the engine and the structure of the pump. They are usually very light and easy to manage so that you can adapt them to your brewing vessels quickly.

• Pump type.

Most pumps have very similar features and specifications, but there is some difference depending on the specific capacities of the pump.

The material of the pumps is also varied, making them more or less endurable. They are resistant to different temperatures changes. This feature allows them to transfer liquids between vessels without the fear of fast oxidation and corrosion of the pump.

• Run dry protection.

Chugger Pumps are not self-primed. This means that it is dangerous to run them dry. Pumps usually come with instructions that must be followed very carefully to avoid this danger. The most important one is to flood the pump head before using it.

But accidents may happen. If so, there are some protections against this particular problem. Check your Chugger Pump specifications to know if it has this feature.

Best Chugger Pumps for Home-Brewing

Looking for a chugger pump that meets your needs? You may want to look at these popular options today. 

XCPSS-IN-1 X-DRY by CHUGGER PUMP

Specifications.

The XCPSS-IN-1 X-DRY is the first pump created by brewers for brewers. It is a SS 115 V inline homebrewing system beer pump and comes with a 1/20 HP (0.40 HP) Motor only and with Run Dry Protection. 

ETL Certified and approved by FDA and UL, the pump is compatible with US FDA Food Compliant Materials. Its 1/2″ MPT connections make it adaptable to any configuration for its appliance. Its plug cord is 55″ and it is non-submersible.

It includes a magnetic drive with the base, a Teflon thrust washer, a clear silicone o-ring, and a Ryton/Teflon impeller. The circulation pump also has a 360 stainless steel front and rear housing.

Do note that this is not a self-priming pump. So, even with protections, you must not run it dry. It is necessary, flood the pump head before using it. Also, it is better to check the electric specifications before buying. That way, you can see if your electronic system can handle it. 

Advantages.

It’s an affordable, sensible and less expensive alternative to the March 815-SS beer pumps and its motor is 25% more potent. It is also compatible with the engines of this brand, so it is easier to find replacements if needed.

You can move it around easier because it’s quite light and portable. Also, when you need to transfer the flow of hot and cold liquids between brewing vessels and kettles, its circulatory system allows recycling ice water to cool it faster. It calms the wort through a counter-flow chiller.

The XCPSS-IN-1 X-DRY can handle 13.5 ft back-pressure and allows handling of different temperatures up to 250 degrees F. Its max flow rate is of 7 GPM 26.5 LPM.

Disadvantages.

Let a professional electrician install it, so that you are sure other devices aren’t affected.  

CPPS-IN-1 by CHUGGER PUMP

Specifications.

Another great product of the same company mentioned above is CPPS-IN-1. As all the Chugger Pump products, it’s made by brewers for brewers. It has many similarities to the XCPSS-IN-1 X-DRY, except for some of its features.

It is a sturdy 115-Volt (50/60HZ) booster pump, with a 55″ electric cord and plug. It is non-submersible.

It has ETL Certificated and is recognized and approved by the FDA and UL. It is also compatible with US FDA Food Compliant Materials.

The high-quality construction includes a magnetic drive with its base, a Teflon thrust washer, a clear silicone O-ring, and a Ryton/Teflon impeller. It also has male pipe thread connections. The pump is made of poly/plastic polysulfide for the front housing, and 316 stainless steel for the rear housing.

Advantages.

The pump comes with a 1/20 HP (.40 HP) motor that is comparable to the Marsh 815-PL and 809 beer pumps. If you need to replace it, you can exchange it with the March 809 motor.

This pump runs the flow of hot and cold liquids between brewing vessels and kettles. It cools the wort through a counter-flow chiller and recycles ice water for faster chilling of the liquids. Its 1/2 MPT connections allow a more versatile configuration for its application, and it’s very light and portable.

It has an 18.6 ft (4.1 m) for handling the back-pressure, and it can handle different temperatures up to 250 degrees F. Its max flow rate is of 7 GPM 26.5 LPM.

Disadvantages.

As the other pumps, the CPPS-IN-1 is not a self-priming pump. Therefore, you must not run it dry. The recommended way to use the pump is to flood the pump head before you use it. That way, you assure its durability for a longer time.

Stainless Steel 115-Volt Pump by BACOENG

Specifications.

The Stainless Steel 115-Volt Pump is excellent for beginners in beer homebrewing. It comes with an inline beer pump system; it has a 55″ electric cord with plug, and 1/2″ MPT connections.

Its max flow rate is of 5 GPM. It is compatible with the US FDA Food Compliant Materials. This is because it is made of stainless steel. This material is used in professional configurations because it is a durable metal and is apt for the treatment of food. It can be quickly disinfected and resist caustic chemical products.

Advantages.

It is effortless and intuitive to use. Liquid transfers from the bottom part of the valve to the bomb. Once the device is on (plugged to the outlet) the propeller circles the liquid to its max flow.

You can use it to dispense beer, for water treatment, to transfer hot water from one brewing vessel to another, a kettle, or a fermenter. It can also be used in the cooling process of home brewing.

This pump works with a magnet drive. Having a magnetic pump assures you its strength and longevity. It avoids the defects of pollution after corrosion caused by liquid leakage; it also allows you to slow down the flow without damaging the pump. It is resistant to abrasion and corrosion, and it can handle temperatures up to 221 degrees F.

Disadvantages.

This pump is not a self-priming pump, so you must not run it dry. It is recommended to sterilize the pump head pipe the first time you are going to use it. Also, you should keep the temperature up to 212 degrees F, and never go higher than 248 degrees F.

MP-15R Magnetic Beer Water Pump by OneBom

Specifications.

The MP-15R Magnetic Beer Water Pump is excellent for beginners in homebrewing. It is made of 304 stainless steel, and it comes with a 57″ electric cord with plug. This means that you can put the device far from the connecting outlet. That way, it can avoid getting damaged by water.

Advantages.

You can use this device to transfer hot water from your kettle to a mash turn or recirculate mash water and spurge and transfer to a brew kettle. The stainless steel is an excellent metal to be sanitized. It resists the use of chemical products and is compatible with US FDA Food Complaint Material, which makes it safe for food treatment.

It is resistant to abrasion and corrosion. Its magnetic disc counts with a static-impeller, which makes it very quiet and without leaks. It ranges between 32 degrees F and 284 degrees F of temperature and it has a max capacity of 16/19 L per minute and an average capacity of 8/12 L per minute.

Disadvantages.

Do not exceed the recommended temperature (120 degrees C or 248 degrees F). The excessive heat or coolness of liquid may damage parts. Besides, the infusion pump can’t transfer air on its own. Therefore, it is recommended to put the pump lower than the source liquid. That way, gravity feeds the pump.

Magnetic Drive Pump by Ferroday

Specifications.

Finally, there is the Magnetic Drive Pump produced and distributed by Ferroday. It is a full-sealed pump, equipped with magnetic materials that attract and join together. It has a stainless-steel pump head, and 1/2″ MPT connection.

Advantages.

The Magnetic Drive Pump offers superior performance and optimal quality for transferring liquids. It works excellent for homebrewing, or as equipment on industrial business. It’s resistant to abrasion and corrosion, thanks to a unique ceramic material.

It can be used as beer dispenser or water treatment. It’s helpful for contamination control in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. It’s resistant to high temperatures up to 120 degrees C or 248 degrees F. It has a max capacity of 16/19 L per minute and an average capacity of 8/12 L per minute.

Disadvantages.

If you exceed the suggested temperatures it is most likely that the parts get damaged.

Conclusion

It doesn’t matter if you are starting on the process of homebrewing, or if you already have some experience doing it. Including a Chugger Pump in your beer brewing kit is an excellent idea, and it will make the whole process easier and faster.

You won’t have to worry anymore with the transfer of liquids in different temperatures and the dangers it involves. The whole process will be automatized, and you will only have to move the valve to make it work.

You won’t need to deal with the heavy lifting that may damage your back. There will be no more spilling issues that can burn you or damage your equipment. It’s easy, intuitive to use and it will help you save time that you can spend on making the best recipe for your homebrewed beer.