I am planning on doing my first AG brew this weekend and I need to get a mash tun. In almost all the videos I have seen they use a rectangular type of cooler. My LHBS has a round Igloo cooler with a false bottom and valve assembly for a reasonable price. My question is whether there is a problem with getting the round type of tun vs the rectangle shaped style.
__________________
Brewing beer is a fun and rewarding hobby. When you do good, you get beer. When you do bad, you get beer.
It's a lot like recreation league softball.
I have round type...It allows you to keep your grain bed thick for filtering...If you have a small grain bill rectangular could be an issue making the grain bed too shallow...
Just what I have picked up from videos, google, DVD from Midwest, & HBT.
__________________ Teufel Hunden Brewing Company
Primary - Apfelwein v2, JChrapewein, Light Scottish Ale, SW 420 v2, Devil Dog Ale Version 2
Secondary - OxiClean
Just Bottled - Jay's Irish Stout
On Deck - The Orginal Fat Tire
Planning - "Hail to the Chief -IIPA", "The Straw Berry Blonde"
NTBA - Wicked Ale
You can make a round one for about $40 bucks. Cooler on CL will run you about $20 + 20 for misc fittings to make a nice bulkhead similar to the flyguy thread "cheap and easy MLT"
I have round type...It allows you to keep your grain bed thick for filtering...If you have a small grain bill rectangular could be an issue making the grain bed too shallow...
Just what I have picked up from videos, Google, DVD from Midwest, & HBT.
I have a 70qt. Colman Extreme, and it works fine for 5 & 10 gal. batches. It was cheap to convert too. About $20 not including the cooler.
Good price at the LBS would be about $80, but I've seen them for more when they use a round cooler with a false bottom and stainless hardware. As others mentioned, if you are worried about the money then make your own because it's pretty easy and quite a bit cheaper.
__________________
Fermenting: ESB Kegged: Extra IPA, Brown Ale, American Wheat, Blackheart Stout Coming Up: Dunkleweizen, 3C Pale Ale
I am not so much worried about the money for one that is already built, I am not the DIY type of guy. I think a 5 gallon with SS false bottom and valve is about $80. I was just wondering if there was a down side to the round shape for batch sparging.
__________________
Brewing beer is a fun and rewarding hobby. When you do good, you get beer. When you do bad, you get beer.
It's a lot like recreation league softball.
Just an FYI, a 5 gallon MLT can really limit the size of beers you can do. Around 1.060 for 1.25 qt/lb, (and I prefer 1.5 qt/lb, so even less), if memory serves...
__________________ Itchy Dog Brewery.
(As of 10-24-2011) Primary - None :-( Aging - WiggleButt ESB, Big Dog, 11th Doctor x2, ShandLord On tap - Black Nose Stout, WiggleButt ESB, Apfelwein, Ruh Roh RyePA, ShandLord
Yes go for a 10 Gallon if you do the cylinder style cooler....Cooler new at Lowes is 43 dollars or so...
This way you can do 5 gallon batches both large and small... Also will work for small 10 gallon batches if you choose to go that route.
__________________ Teufel Hunden Brewing Company
Primary - Apfelwein v2, JChrapewein, Light Scottish Ale, SW 420 v2, Devil Dog Ale Version 2
Secondary - OxiClean
Just Bottled - Jay's Irish Stout
On Deck - The Orginal Fat Tire
Planning - "Hail to the Chief -IIPA", "The Straw Berry Blonde"
NTBA - Wicked Ale
Semper Fi
Last edited by brewagentjay; 03-18-2010 at 07:12 PM.
Reason: forgot some info
+1 for going with a 10 gallon. I just got done using my 10g rubbermaid to brew edworts haus pale ale and it worked awsome. I could easly have done a double batch with room to spare!
Mash Tun Choice
Linear Mode
