Mash Tun/Bottling Bucket

I have a 5 gallon cooler that i would like to put a false bottom in to use for partial mash brewing. Is there any reason why i couldnt use the same cooler as a bottling bucket?

I think I'd just pick up a bottling bucket .... they are just like about 15 bucks I think... the cooler will probably get scratched with your mash paddle and be hard to sanitise

Agree. Technically the answer is that a cooler mash tun can be used to bottle beers. Practically speaking, I've abused my mash tun far more than is probably safe for beer on the cold side.

Best practice is not use the same equip. for "cold" side and "hot" side...or in other words pre and post boil. The mash is loaded w/ lactobacillus...think sour.

wilserbrewer said:

Best practice is not use the same equip. for "cold" side and "hot" side...or in other words pre and post boil. The mash is loaded w/ lactobacillus...think sour.

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Exactly. I barely clean my mashtun except giving it the most cursory of rinsing on brew day. Since it's a cold side tool, it's really not crucial that it be clean or especially sanitary, since what's coming out of it is boiled. On the other hand anything post boil, i.e. beer being bottled is at risk, so you need to be scrupulous in your sanitization.

You can make a bottling bucket for a lot less than the lhbs sells. You can get five gallon (or slightly over) buckets for under 5 bucks at any hardware store, and the spigot is usually 2 bucks at most lhbss....under 10 bucks and you've got a bucket.

ok thanks. yea it makes sense when you think about cold side/hot side.