The Wort Cooler reduces the temperature of wort to the required pitching temperature. In breweries, cooling is typically performed after wort boiling and trub separation.

For wort cooling a plate heat exchanger is used. The cooling process is done in one or two stages. In a single-stage process cold brewing water is used as the single cooling medium. The brewing water can be cooled to approximately 34°F (1°C) in a separate chiller operated with glycol, ammonia or brine.

The wort enters the plate heat exchanger at about 212°f (100°C). Due to the interaction of the hot wort and the cold brewing water in the heat exchanger, the temperature of the wort is lowered to approx. 36 - 37°F (2 - 3°C) while the temperature of the brewing water is raised to about 176°F (80°C). The brewing water is used for the next brew, so the energy is returned to the brewing process.

In a two-stage process, the hot wort is first cooled by brewing water to approx. 68°F (20°C) and then by glycol, ammonia or brine to the pitching temperature. The warm brewing water can also be used for the next brew.