Multi step mashing in a cooler?

Is I possible to do a multi step mash in a cooler or does that only work for singe temp infusion mashing? Is it even possible to raise the temp of the mash in a cooler?
Sorry if I'm overlooking the obvious I have never done all grain before.thanks for any help

It is possible, yes. There are calculators available online that will help you with the process. Not sure I'd recommend it for an inaugural all-grain batch.

Yes, you do it by adding infusion water at the specified intervals and at calculated temps to raise the overall temp to the desired infusion temp.

Ie. you strike at 145 to achieve a rest at 130 for 10 minutes. Then you add 2qts. of 175 water to raise to 150 (just spitballing some numbers, use a software like BeerSmith). and rest for 30 minutes, then add a gallon of 185 water to mash out, rest for 10 minutes.

Something like that, although you'll want to use something intelligent to get the volumes and temps of each infusion right.

It certainly can be done. You use boiling water to raise the temp and there is an infusion equation that will tell you how much you need. The problem is, depending on how many steps you plan to do, you will run out of room in the mash tun. Every time you raise the temp you will have to add more water, and the more water that is already in the mash tun, the more water you will have to add. Not to mention that eventually you end up with a really thin mash which will take longer to convert since the enzymes will be diluted and have limited access to the starches/sugars. You are better off doing a one or two step mash with a cooler. I do two steps just because I like to dough in before I bump up to conversion temp.

Ok maybe I'll get a few under my belt with single temp infusion mashing first before I try anything more advanced.

You can build one of these:



This used to be my prechiller, before I started recirculating ice water - now I just use it for mash-out, but could be used for step mashes. I have about 4 gallons of water boiling in a pot and use my March pump to circulate it through the coil which is in my cooler mash tun. The water goes from the ball valve on the kettle through the pump, then through the coil, and returns to the top of the kettle (output line clamped to the lip of the kettle). The horizontal handle on the coil rests on the lip of the cooler and supports the coil just above the false bottom. The vertical handle is used to rock the coil back and forth, and I also stir while heating. Just be sure to have a few gallons of water already boiling - you need that thermal mass for efficient heating. When done, just remove the coil and set it in a bucket of water. Note - grain will tend to stick to the coil, so you may want to have something to knock that off when you remove the coil from the cooler (brush or squirt bottle). Probably even more effective than this would be to use steam, but steam under pressure is potentially very dangerous - this method is pretty safe, and works well - the key is to start with enough boiling water.

Very cool piece of equipment there smith may have to look into building one of these in the future