Cheap & Easy 10 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion

Tiber_Brew said:

I would wager on it being the mash water. Much more thermal mass than the water used to preheat it. That is, of course, unless you fill 'er up with hot water to preheat it. (I just put a gallon or two of hot water in to preheat mine.)

TB

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Ya, I do the same. O well. Guess we will see how it goes on the second use. Hopefully it doesn't just crack in half on me.

Thanks Flyguy for the post. I just finished mine tonight and it cost a bit more but still under $100. Had to add some washers and a gasket at the seal point. Three tries and no leaks now. Gonna plan my first all grain next weekend.

Cheers!

has anyone who built this recently noticed that they changed the design of the cooler seal to more of a grommet style rather than a square cut oring like came with my 5 gallon i built a couple years ago?






edit new seal worked fine first try no leaks

Can I do 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon water cooler or is that overkill?

I'm new here but I think the 10G is perfect for 5G batches. If you get a large grain bill you'll quickly find that you'll need that overhead space in your MLT! If you do some high OG beers with huge grain bills like 15-18 lbs. (those are big to me as a noob, there are probably larger grain bills), it'll be just right.

I did a Pumpkin Ale and put it in my 10G Rubbermaid Cooler and it was about 3/4 full when I put the sparge water in it.

I think you'll find the 10G is just right for 5-5 1/2 G batches.

Good luck!

Jeff

surreal_trip said:

Can I do 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon water cooler or is that overkill?

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Yep. I do 5 gal batches in a 10 gal round cooler. Works great and gives you the freedom to scale up to a 10 gal comfortably. Good luck!

I think I'm going to give this project a try but I have a few rookie questions. The ss braid & false bottom are doing the same thing right? Acting as a Filter. I did a search on youtube & seen some folks had a system of copper tubing in the bottom of thier coolers. Are these "homemade" false bottoms? Are there many small holes drilled in the copper tubing? I think I'm going to go with the ss braid but I was just wondering the pros & cons of the options available.

marshbandit said:

I think I'm going to give this project a try but I have a few rookie questions. The ss braid & false bottom are doing the same thing right? Acting as a Filter. I did a search on youtube & seen some folks had a system of copper tubing in the bottom of thier coolers. Are these "homemade" false bottoms? Are there many small holes drilled in the copper tubing? I think I'm going to go with the ss braid but I was just wondering the pros & cons of the options available.

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They are called manifolds and are usally designed to minimize channeling. I f you are batch sparging the braid is the way to go if you fly sparge that is where the false bottom and manifolds come in

Just a quick note for all of you out there. I made another one of these today but like many of you had issues with finding the washers. I ended up changing to a 1/4" ball valve and then a 1/4"xclose brass nipple then adapted up to 3/8" on the braid side which let me drop down to 1/2 inch washers instead of the 5/8. Also going from the 1 1/2" brass nipple to a close (about 7/8") I didn't need as many spacer washers to get it to fit correctly.
I'm thinking this probably won't affect my drain speed as the inside is the same diameter as the 3/8" barb coming off the end of the ball valve., It just puts the choke point a little farther back in the line. Will report tomorrow after making my Hobgoblin clone.

DrawTap88 said:

Which false bottom did you get?

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I got a 12" SS false bottom from Midwest Supplies.
Here's the link: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/12-stainless-steel-false-bottom.html

fc36 said:

I got a 12" SS false bottom from Midwest Supplies.
Here's the link: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/12-stainless-steel-false-bottom.html

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How's it working out for you?

I'm new here but I think the 10G is perfect for 5G batches. If you get a large grain bill you'll quickly find that you'll need that overhead space in your MLT! If you do some high OG beers with huge grain bills like 15-18 lbs. (those are big to me as a noob, there are probably larger grain bills), it'll be just right.

I did a Pumpkin Ale and put it in my 10G Rubbermaid Cooler and it was about 3/4 full when I put the sparge water in it.

I think you'll find the 10G is just right for 5-5 1/2 G batches.

Good luck!

Jeff

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I fit 25lbs of grain + water in my cooler, which filled it right to the brim. So, no worries for anyone concerned about the overhead space on 5 gal batches since you'll have plenty of overhead space.

Any reason you couldn't do this on a larger 52 quart chest cooler?

So after a 5 gal batch of Orfy's Hobgoblin clone today there was no issue with going down to a 1/4 inch ball valve. I highly recommend this for anyone having issues finding the 5/8 fender washers.

thrstyunderwater said:

Any reason you couldn't do this on a larger 52 quart chest freezer?

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I don't see why not. I wouldn't heat it directly though, since the insulation on the inside may deform and give you some trouble.

One word of note for those that are using a false bottom... I find that using 1/2" couplings and thick silicone tubing works best because it allows the false bottom to sit very well on the bottom. The thicker tubing is nearly impossible to crush with either a paddle or under a vacuum.

The 1/2" coupling allows a lot more grain to run through without clogging, until the wort runs clear.

While you are not supposed to use work drive clamps with silicone, I find they work best since they are solidly attached and difficult to knock off while stirring.

I just wanted to say thanks for this awesome design! I put it together with no problems and have done a number of batches that have come out great!

FWIW, I found the 5/8" SS washer at a True Value even though it was a tiny place. Also, I used the SS hose clamps and haven't seen any signs of rust after at least a half dozen batches. For cost and effort, even if they do show rust, I'll just replace them rather than try other means (especially since they're easy to remove to clean thoroughly).

I built one using this thread as a guide. Aside from finding the washers, it was easy as cake to put together.
I think I spent a whole five minutes assembling the hardware.

I should be testing it out within the next week or two!

guys-

Bought my materials for this today. Really excited about it. Had the same problem finding the SS washer. What about using a rubber washer? Also could not find a "heat resistant" o-ring. I realize many say this is an optional part, so maybe I'll just go without. But any suggestions on how to locate a "heat resistant" o-ring would be appreciated.

For the 100th+ time, thanks fly guy and all the others that provided info for this great project.

Nova,

I used whatever o-rings they had at Home Depot. In the bathroom faucet row of all places. So far after two sessions no issues.

As far as SS washers I found my at Ace Hardware and not the Fender washers as I found the regular ones (all I could find anyway) and it works like a charm.

I too used whatever O-ring they had at the store.

Also, I considered using the rubber washer too when I thought the SS washers would never be found. I would consider the heat rating on the rubber washer since that is a pretty vital part to the design.

I don't think I posted in here yet, but I have now run three 5g batches through mine and LOVE it.

$40 - 10G HD cooler
$45 - 12" false bottom http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?products_id=10654
$40 - 2 piece ball valve kit http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_82_89&products_id=11638
$10 - internal barb - http://www.austinhomebrew.com/product_info.php?cPath=178_33_82_89&products_id=10040
6 inches of silicone tubing I already had.

So about $150 spent here, but it works absolutely flawlessly IMO.

I literally don't understand why I didn't go AG sooner.

czukowski said:

Nova,

I used whatever o-rings they had at Home Depot. In the bathroom faucet row of all places. So far after two sessions no issues.

As far as SS washers I found my at Ace Hardware and not the Fender washers as I found the regular ones (all I could find anyway) and it works like a charm.

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Just finished it! Doing a water test and no leaks so far.

Someone mentioned it in another post, but the Create-A-Bolt set by Crown Bolt has stainless steel washers in it. You can buy it at Home Depot in the hardware section for less than $4. Good was a good find as I could not find the right size SS washer ANYWHERE.

Looking good, chrislehr. Good call on the hardware kit, novabrew.

MrInternet said:

I did this to a 3Gal gatorade Igloo my parents had had for 20 something years. Works like a top, holds temp -2 deg for 75 minutes... I'll take that. Anyway, I was thinking about marking off gradations on the interior for gallons/quarts, as I plan to fill with over-heated water first and let the tun heat up until the water cools to strike temp. I already took the measurements, but I started thinking that maybe permanent marker wouldn't be the greatest thing to have in my mash tun... I know it's "permanent", but it seems that with the heat there might be a leeching of something harsh.

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Just bumping this question... I'm int he process of building a 10G version of this, and would love to mark off gradients inside the tun in permanent marker. I know it will fade over time, I guess what I want to know is after it dries, is there any reason to think that exposing it to 140-170 temps will leech anything harmful? Thanks!

Do you already have the cooler? My rubbermaid already has volume gradients in gallons and litres built in. The marker would eventually leech into your wort, without a doubt. The only issue would be if that would bother you. Do you use teflon cookware? That stuff's probably worse...

And I can't thank flyguy enough for this DIY. I was using a bucket with a false bottom for a year. This thing is amazing! What a dream to use and clean!

Only slightly related, being posted for amusement:

MASH OUT AND ROCK OUT!

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000W4O8OI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Found a 10G cooler on craigslist the other day and I picked up the HW at lowes tonight. Looking 1 step closer to AG

Thanks for this. I can't wait to try my first AG batch. A couple notes on my build: I found the 10 gallon cooler ($39.99) and all the hardware at Home Depot. I used the "Create a Bolt" for the SS washers as well as a few zinc washers as spacers on the outside (OK cause it's not going to touch the wort, right?).

I noticed that the supply hoses at Home Depot are all plastic (even though they look like steel) so I ended up going to my local hardware store for that.

I can't wait to try this out! Now, what should I brew?

Does anyone know the maximum size grain bill you can use in this 10 gallon MLT?

BryanJ said:

Does anyone know the maximum size grain bill you can use in this 10 gallon MLT?

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https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-big-your-mash-tun-needs-123585/

^ Thank you, that is very helpful.

Where is everyone getting the 10 gallon round coolers now? Does HD still sell them? I searched their website and nothing showed up.

Diesel48 said:

Where is everyone getting the 10 gallon round coolers now? Does HD still sell them? I searched their website and nothing showed up.

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Yes indeed! I got mine at Home Depot. But I didn't see them online either. The 5 gal ones were $18 and the 10 gal were $34.

Walmart might have them too, but I'v never checked.

Cool, I will have to head there at lunch and see what I can find.

If i get the all the fittings from barginfittings.com does anyone know what parts I need for the 10 gallon HD cooler? I picked up the cooler at lunch. Does the kit come with enough washers to bring the spicket out far enough to turn?

Diesel48 said:

If i get the all the fittings from barginfittings.com does anyone know what parts I need for the 10 gallon HD cooler? I picked up the cooler at lunch. Does the kit come with enough washers to bring the spicket out far enough to turn?

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I would start here and see if this will work. If you aren't sure, just call them. They are very helpful.

http://www.bargainfittings.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=85

pkincaid said:

Yes indeed! I got mine at Home Depot. But I didn't see them online either. The 5 gal ones were $18 and the 10 gal were $34.

Walmart might have them too, but I'v never checked.

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My HD only had the 5 gallon version. Ace Hardware had the Rubbermaid 10 gallon version for $49 and the Igloo (yellow) 10 gallon version for $59. I went with Rubbermaid.

zymurgy101 said:

My HD only had the 5 gallon version. Ace Hardware had the Rubbermaid 10 gallon version for $49 and the Igloo (yellow) 10 gallon version for $59. I went with Rubbermaid.

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My local WM didn't have any; I have seen them at HD and Lowe's. Also, if you can't find them locally, you can get them here with about a $19 delivery charge.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=30855&catid=760&clickid=searchresults

Good luck.

Diesel48 said:

If i get the all the fittings from barginfittings.com does anyone know what parts I need for the 10 gallon HD cooler? I picked up the cooler at lunch. Does the kit come with enough washers to bring the spicket out far enough to turn?

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Hope this helps... Its my thread on how I made mine and all the parts needed!

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/mash-tun-diy-pics-thanks-flyguy-197153/

zymurgy101 said:

My HD only had the 5 gallon version. Ace Hardware had the Rubbermaid 10 gallon version for $49 and the Igloo (yellow) 10 gallon version for $59. I went with Rubbermaid.

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Mines a Rubbermaid, but has a nasty ole' Home Depot print on the side. $59! Wow.... but I think when I bought mine they were on sale.