bottlebomber

Recipes 

Ok I just bought this 70 quart cooler and I want to build a manifold for it... Any recommendations?

freedombrew

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TheBeerNerd had a good write up on this cooler, but it looks like the link to his site isn't working now. He used the existing port with an elbow to get the plumbing down to the bottom of the cooler and avoid the dead space at the bottom.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/70-qt-maxcold-cube-174113/

Blktre did a manifold on the 60qt version without the wheels. No odd-shaped lump from the wheels to worry about on the 60, but the idea would be the same.
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/igloo-ice-cube-maxcold-70-qt-roller-27741/index2.html

I was planning on using the existing port with an elbow like TheBeerNerd, but after looking at the cooler I changed my mind. There's a pretty deep recess on the port exit and it comes out at an angle, so the placement seemed too awkward for me. Plus, the lid opens to the opposite side.

I'm just going to drill a new hole on the front of the cooler, right at the bottom, and use a braid instead of a manifold. Seems the simplest way to go and keeps the valve and lid opening on the same side.

freedombrew

Recipes 

Just found a manifold example for the wheeled cooler, thanks rockytoptim....
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/igloo-maxcold-mash-tun-140032/index2.html

melche01

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I have the same pot from update international but 10 gallons. I drilled hole and installed weldless 3 way valve myself with no issues. The 10 gallon pot is 1mm thick and I think once you get to 15g and above it is 1.2mm. Either way should be able to do all the fittings yourself.

freedombrew

Recipes 

OK, so here's the process in theory. I'm working up my parts list for fittings. I'm planning to use camlocks to move the hoses around from valve to valve. Any good ideas on hose hangers for over the top of the cooler or kettle?

freedombrew

Recipes 

By the way, I'm drinking the first bottle from a batch of Denny's Rye IPA while posting this. We did an all-grain BIAB for my birthday (oyster roast!)... man is this GOOD!

I can't wait to get this put together and go all-grain for good. What took me so long?

ekjohns

Recipes 

I do something similar with 2 pots and 1 cooler.
1. heat up mash water it pot 1
2. mash in cooler
3. heat sparge water while mash sits
4. drain cooler into pot 2
5. batch sparge from pot (while collecting everything in pot 2)
6. use pump to transfer wort from pot 2 to pot 1

The reason I use pot 1 for heating everything is cause im in an apartment and my pot 1 has a heating element in it.

HearthstoneBrewery

Recipes 

Is your stand tall enough to allow gravity draining of the mash tun into the brew pot? I always had problems when I tried to pump out of my mash tun; stuck sparges, pump losing prime.

duffbeer71

Recipes 

Good to hear! We're doing a batch of Denny's Rye IPA next week.

freedombrew

Recipes 

I'm planning on getting the Blichmann burner with the 24" legs, so I'm not counting on a gravity feed to the pot. Hoping to gravity feed to the carboys.

From what I've heard stuck sparges aren't too big of a deal when doing a batch sparge, but both pumps and sparges are new territory for me so I'm not really sure what to expect.