ddrayne10

Recipes 

I have done some extract brew and have been reading up on all grain brew and what equipment i need. I have seen videos and seen different types of mash tuns. I would just like to know what works best for you guys. I am doing just five gallon batches and would like in the future to do 10 gallon batches. What should i use, i was thinking of a 50+ quart cooler. But what i have questions on is what type of false bottom or filter works best. I have seen two types that seem easy one in a rectangle copper tubing with small slits in it or i have also seen steel tubing that has the plastic removed in side so that the steel covering filters the grains (sorry don't know what it is called). What do you guys think any advice is helpful.

davis073005

Recipes 

The cooler was the first mash tun I had I was not happy with it because I like full controll of the temp and everytime you add warm water you thin the mash witch changes the body and alcohol of your brew so I bought a 7 gal pot and bought the bazooka screen as a filter and controll it with bursts of heat from the stove it works great and I never had any problems since

Scut_Monkey

Recipes 

I used and currently still use a cooler as my first mash tun. I might have started with a more "professional" and custom mash tun like a Blichamann if I had more money at the time and if I didn't already have a cooler that was ready for the job sitting at home. I'm not saying build something temporary that you are going to replace after 3 batches but don't worry too much about having the perfect setup out of the gate.

I have built mash tuns with both a copper pipe manifold as well as a steel braid. Honestly the copper manifold gave me about a 3 fold increase in flow spead when sparging. I like it far more than the steel braid setup I made. However, harder to make and as you can imagine cutting all of the copper takes a while.

I think the best advice I can give is if you are looking to buy a cooler buy a 10gallon rubbermaid or similar round cooler. These are very versatile and will allow you place a false bottom in them if you ever want to. I think they are well suited to brewing and easy to modify for brewing.

mrk305

Recipes 

You can make them out of copper tubing, pvc tubing, or use the stainless steel braided toilet feed hose like I do. All of them work fine. That was absolutely no *&^%$#@! help at all was it?

The braided hose is probably the cheapest and easiest. My cooler drains almost every drop. I made it in 10 minutes for less that $10.00 and I have never had a stuck sparge.

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Carport Brewery, Lilburn GA

Jaybird

Recipes 

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f16/stainless-false-bottoms-any-size-65065/
I have 12" and 15" hinged that I have sold to hundreds of HBT users.
PM me if you would like.
Read post #403
Cheers
Jay

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Need a false bottom for your Converted Keg, Kettle or Cooler???

Nor Cal Brewing Solutions, Reddings local homebrew store
(530)243-BEER and (530)221-WINE

Still have questions PM me here or hit the website.
http://www.norcalbrewingsolutions.com

Scut_Monkey

Recipes 

I like it! Getting in on some fresh blood to the AG obsession!

SkiSoloII

Recipes 

I use a 10 gallon circular Rubbermaid cooler from Home Depot. I plumbed a stainless braid manifold made from two 1" water heater lines. Had to join 2 of them to make adequate diameter in the bottom of the tun. Probably could find enough length in some industrial supply site, but I just joined 2 together from HD/Lowes (can't remember which). Had to shorten one of them for proportion length. Used the proportions from "How to Brew" - tried to get the same area outside the manifold as inside. Seems to work pretty well. Haven't had a stuck sparge in over 100 gal, running ~74% efficiency. Very Happy!

Good luck!

Dave