Show off your mash tun

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

extra_medium

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2008
Messages
211
Reaction score
4
Location
beavercreek, ohio
(if a thread like this already exits please delete this post)

I had an issue recently which is forcing me to redesign my mash tun and i am interested in seeing what others are using. I would like to see pictures of your mash tuns (and maybe steal some ideas). :fro:
 
Coleman 50qt Extreme cooler. Brass ball valve attached to 5' braided SS supply line.

02_28_09_0020.jpg



Used the ground wire from extra romex inside the SS braid to stiffen it and keep it in place while stirring (Not shown in picture). Put in return line for recirculating mash.

Picture_0183.jpg
 
No pictures, but I use a SS braid in a round mash tun. On the inside of the SS braid is a long SS spring wire to prevent it from collapsing. Got the idea off a thread on here, it works amazingly and I've NEVER had to worry about it collapsing.
 
Very excited to be posting the first real Ghetto Blaster on this thread :D

Found the cooler at Savers for $6, parts at a local hardware store for $10
Total cost: $16

1218091654.jpg


1218091655.jpg


My brew buddy, the tiniest full-grown cat ever
1218091430.jpg
 
70qt extreme cooler cvpc
IMG_0519.jpg

IMG_0507.jpg

fishandnomad005.jpg


it can handle around 30lbs and get 72% to 78% eff.
I have a pump and HERMS now so I don't use the funnel anymore
 
i have a 70qt coleman extreme cooler and tried a cpvc manifold which fell apart (wasn't glued) upon stirring. then i tried a bazooka tube which i may end up sticking with, but i have a spare 8' lenght of 1/2" copper tubing begging to be made into a shiney manifold. i batch sparge and would like to know if there are any modifications that could be made to improve this style of sparging. i don't recirculate yet, but am looking to have that ability soon.

is JB Weld ok for inside a mash tun?
 
Very excited to be posting the first real Ghetto Blaster on this thread :D
Found the cooler at Savers for $6, parts at a local hardware store for $10
Total cost: $16

1218091655.jpg

That's all you need right there IMHO! Any more braid than that just serves to make a tangled crimped mess that might not drain. That cheap cooler i believe is a 28 qt., which is a dandy little size for 5 gallon batches. A properly sized cooler, even a cheapy, will hold heat likely as well or better than an oversized super duty extreme "5 day" beast. Sometimes less is more! IMHO of course.:mug:
 
That's all you need right there IMHO! Any more braid than that just serves to make a tangled crimped mess that might not drain. That cheap cooler i believe is a 28 qt., which is a dandy little size for 5 gallon batches. A properly sized cooler, even a cheapy, will hold heat likely as well or better than an oversized super duty extreme "5 day" beast. Sometimes less is more! IMHO of course.:mug:

You mean like this?


Don't get me wrong, I like the setup he has a lot, but when browsing through pics I saw that and was like, woah that braid looks like it's seen better days.

Granted, it may function just fine, but I think it's just not really needed and looks cleaner without it.

$16 for a mash tun is fantastic
 
You mean like this?



Don't get me wrong, I like the setup he has a lot, but when browsing through pics I saw that and was like, woah that braid looks like it's seen better days.

Granted, it may function just fine, but I think it's just not really needed and looks cleaner without it.

$16 for a mash tun is fantastic

FYI, only thing I had to pay for was the ball valve and brass connector and nipple for recirc hose through the lid. Braid compresses back into shape and now has ground wire from romex cable keeping the braid in shape. Doesn't float, and the CPVC Tee comes out only when I want it too, like when I clean, not when stirring. Your right though, the braid looked like crap in that pic.
 
Here's my Igloo Ice Cube. I've only done 3 batch sparges with it... and it works perfect for my needs.

IMG_3607_t.jpg

IMG_3606_t.jpg
 
For the guys who use slits in their manifolds. Does the grain be set well and how much do you vorlauf?

I've done a 5 gallon American Wheat, a 10 gallon Dunkelweizen, and a 10 gallon Multigrain Red... batch sparged all, and never had a problem with the grain bed. Vorlauf was 3 quarts for each batch.
 
guess it's not a very good pic since you can't see anything but the basic idea of the insulation.

It's a 35 gallon tun with a copper manifold in the bottom and then a false bottom on top of that (I had 'em both and figured I might as well use 'em).

The "barrel" is made from rings of 2 inch extruded foam board (you can see a little of it around the thermometer dial) and then I cut the barrel staves to make the wrap for it. It is hinged and the whole barrel opens up and comes right off the stand. I haven't made a latch for it in the back so I'm still using that stupid rachet strap just to keep it tight.

da rig.jpg
 
The cooler was given to me by a fellow brewer, but it didn't come with anything, except the thermometer bulkhead. Personally, I could do without that, but free is free. :rockin:

The manifold is not soldered or anything, so it makes cleanup really easy. When you attach tubing to the outlet (into the kettle), it has a nice siphon action that cleans out the bottom pretty nicely. The slots are all on the bottom. It also fits very snuggly in bottom of the cooler (there is a small recession around the circumference). I hit it a couple of times while stirring and it didn't move or anything.

Also, I had a lot of problems finding a sealing washer for the bulkhead. I even bought a silicone spatula and cut the tip off in an attempt to use that. While in the process, I looked at the 7 feet of silicone tubing I had laying there and realized that it would work fine if I cut about about an inch off and split it. I then took a piece of copper tubing and hammered a hole in the center to punch a hole. No leaks.
downsized_0504000656.jpg


downsized_0504000657a.jpg
 
I like the cap in the end of your braid. Pretty slick and simple.

Thank you,I was looking for a nice way to weigh the braid, and this seemed the best option IMO.

Awesome, I can't believe I missed that the first time I saw your post.

This is my mash tun, this is my gun. This is for brewing, this is for fun.

Awesome! I was hoping someone would catch it...great movie!
 
I've gone through a bunch. This is most of them.

zp2.jpg

zp3.jpg

I did my first AG in this zapap.

False_Bottom1.JPG

My old fly sparge set up. I got the bottom for Jaybird. I beat it over a paint can to dome it up.

pexafold.jpg

holes.jpg

I heat molded the dip tube in the PEX. This worked very well.

P1010434.jpg

P1020615.jpg

This is my current MLT. It's been used over a hundred times now. Works like a champ. :D It is a little better than a braid. It has siphon to less than 1/4 inch and is more rigid.
 
can anyone offer me advice or a finished product where this is used as a MT? it will be part of a HERMS setup, so it will not be direct fired allowing me to put in a bottom drain. :ban:

2010-09-17 18.18.44.jpg
 
Here's mine, a 70qt Coleman Xtreme cooler. A 1/2" SS bolt weighs down the free end of the 3/4" SS water heater braid.

IMG_1987.JPG


IMG_2028.JPG


IMG_2030.JPG
 
can anyone offer me advice or a finished product where this is used as a MT? it will be part of a HERMS setup, so it will not be direct fired allowing me to put in a bottom drain. :ban:

Invert the keg and use the spear opening as your bottom drain utilizing tri-clover fittings. Then cut the bottom (now the top) of the keg out to dump in grain. Cutting through the rubber coating may get ugly.
 
Back
Top