Who here uses coleman xtreme cooler for a MLT?

BeerPressure · 03-22-2009, 03:49 PM

My temps have not been holding as of late. Today I noticed steam escaping from the lid when it was closed. Anyone have this problem, and have a solution? I am brewing a wit right now and i had temp problems in the bed, some spots were right on 154, other spots were colder. That could be due to that I had it up on saw horses which were not level and the front of the cooler was lower than the back.

giligson · 03-22-2009, 03:56 PM

Shouldn't really have a problem if you do a 60 min mash and do a decent stir initially. Are you sure your thermometer is OK?

I have done 20Liter one hour infusion mashes in a plastic bucket insulated with a closed cell foam wrap (camping mat) in a 0 degree Celcius garage with no appreciable loss of temp.

gmarcek · 03-22-2009, 04:02 PM

I noticed the same problem when I first started using one. I put a dish towel in between the lid where it closes (near the handle). This seemed to be the place that steam was coming out most. With preheating there is no problem holding temperature for an hour.

**the_bird** · 03-22-2009, 04:18 PM

I use that cooler, and have never noticed this being a problem. I've brewed outside in the cold, and never noticed any stream escaping; never had any problems with losing temp.

BeerPressure · 03-22-2009, 04:22 PM

Yes i just got a new thermometer and it was calibrated in ice water. Maybe my preheating procedure isnt right. I dump about 2.5 gallons of 140 degree water into it and let it sit for a half hour before I dough in.

Evan · 03-22-2009, 04:33 PM

i used one, and i've noticed a little when its cold. i just put an old blanket over it or sit something heavy on top. the only times i've had problems keeping temp is doing a really small beer and not preheating. i usually preheat with 3 gallons around 180, and let it sit for an hour.

Big10Seaner · 03-22-2009, 04:38 PM

If you're preheating your mash tun you need to preheat with something like 165F degree water, then allow it to drop to the proper strike temperature and add your grains. I've been hitting mash temps almost exactly by doing it this way.

BeerPressure · 03-22-2009, 04:54 PM

Alright, thank you. i will try preheating with hotter water. I did a wit with a protein rest today. The rest stayed at 122 but the sac rest was what i had problems with... Hot spots, cold spots. I did hit my preboil grav though.

Edit: I usually preheat, drain that water then pour in my strike water and grain.

portlandbeergeek · 03-22-2009, 09:27 PM

I use one of these and have no probs keeping heat. I usually preheat with about two gallons of boiling water and let that sit while the strike water heats. I dump the preheat water so the tun is probably in the 190's when the grain and strike water are added. I lose 8-12 degrees between strike water and final mash temp. I always do single temp mashes, and once kept the mash at 148 for four hours....back when my colorblindness made my iodine tests nearly impossible to see :-)
Keep stirring your mash, as I have noticed hot and cold spots in the first five minutes if everything isn't mixed well at the beginning.

**the_bird** · 03-22-2009, 09:36 PM

I haven't even needed two gallons; I usually use maybe a half-gallon, at most. While heating my strike water in the kitchen, I put the tea kettle on; when it boils, I use that water to preheat. Shake it around, get any loose grains out of there, let it sit until the rest of the strike water heats up (usually another twenty minutes). So, preheating helps me do one last little cleanup, as well.

Dump the preheat water, add the grain and strike water, and go.