10 gallon Rubbermaid Cooler

dollhousebrewery · 05-20-2007, 02:26 AM

Hi everyone, today I picked up a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler from Home Depot, to be converted to a MLT. I was just curious about what bottoms people are using, or like the most, and how much grain you guys have been able to fit in them. I plan on doing 5gal batches, it is going to be a simple set-up, for now...

AGBrewer · 05-20-2007, 02:56 AM

I use a stainless false bottom, there is no five gallon batch that you won't be able to mash with it.
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

The Pol · 05-20-2007, 03:00 AM

Yah you can mash over 20 lbs with a single infusion mash... so, I wouldnt worry. I too use a SS false bottom and a SS sparge arm to fly sparge... I also have through the wall thermometers to monitor my mash temps.

**Don** · 05-20-2007, 04:09 AM

I have a 10 gal Igloo.
I built a stainless steel braided ring.

The way I understand it, is it depends on how you are going to use the MLT.

I do batch sparging and the braided works well for me.

I've been thinking about building a copper ring to see if I can get any better efficiency.

dollhousebrewery · 05-20-2007, 04:39 AM

I plan to do batch sparging, for now anyways. I am still pretty new to brewing all together, so it should be the easiest way for me to jump into AG. I only have a 30qt pot, for now, and it has no spigot. Is it required to have one? Can I just siphon it? The pot is aluminum

and I plan to upgrade, so I dont really want to bother with installing a weldless spigot.

The Pol · 05-20-2007, 12:44 PM

Aluminum is great, it conducts heat alot more evenly and readily... just boil some water in it for a bit to passify it. Also, no spigot required, just syphon, you will find that you can mch more easily leave the cold break, hops and trub behind if you syphon off the top instead of draining off the bottom.

**Yooper** · 05-20-2007, 01:04 PM

I have the cheap turkey fryer pot and my wort chiller fits in it. When it's cool, I just siphon it into the fermenter. Sometimes I just siphon until I can easily lift it and then pour it through a strainer/colander into the fermenter if I have lots of gunk. That also helps aerate it some.

The Pol · 05-20-2007, 01:10 PM

See, if I poured, then I wouldnt lose that 1/2 gallon that I do in the gunk and trub at the bottom of my boil kettle... BUT, what are the advantages of getting all of that out prior to the ferment?

PS Lagering looks like it is a pain in the arse!

**ajf** · 05-20-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dollhousebrewery

I plan to do batch sparging, for now anyways. I am still pretty new to brewing all together, so it should be the easiest way for me to jump into AG. I only have a 30qt pot, for now, and it has no spigot. Is it required to have one? Can I just siphon it? The pot is aluminum

and I plan to upgrade, so I dont really want to bother with installing a weldless spigot.

The spigot make thinks a bit easier, but it certainly isn't essential.
I'd recommend a spigot if you use a CFC, but with an immersion chiller or ice water bath, siphoning can work just as well.
Like others have said, I don't see anything wrong with aluminum.

-a.

FlyGuy · 05-20-2007, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dollhousebrewery

Hi everyone, today I picked up a 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler from Home Depot, to be converted to a MLT. I was just curious about what bottoms people are using, or like the most, and how much grain you guys have been able to fit in them. I plan on doing 5gal batches, it is going to be a simple set-up, for now...

If you are going the simple route and batch sparging, just use a section of SS braid (see my signature for details). That 10 gallon MLT will hold about 25 lbs of grain -- more than enough for any 5 gallon brew. Hope it all works well!