chainsawbrewing
Well-Known Member
i've gotten around 10-15 AG batches under my belt now, and i just have a few questions the veterans could answer i'm sure.
first of all, how long should the lifespan of an igloo cooler converted to an MLT be? do they last virtually forever? do you have to throw them away and rebuild them every year/few years?
how often do you guys take your copper peices out of the cooler, i.e. the ball valve, nipples, etc. and soak them in the peroxide vinegar solution? just once when you build the MLT? or after every mash?
my S.S. braid that i use to filter on the inside of my MLT has GROWN, it's longer than it used to be, and is looking pretty bad. it's still working fine, but do you guys replace these every so often?
does that "grain" smell ever go away inside the cooler? i don't mind it, but it is bad for the brew? i've used soap, water, soaked in diluted oxyclean, scrubbed, it always smells a little bit like grain no matter what though.
now on to the stainless steel MLT questions.
do most people that use a stainless steel MLT just heat all the strike water in the MLT, then mash in with all the grain bill at once, and stir it up, and just adjust the flame throughout the 60minute mash, trying to keep the temp. consistent, and keep a lid off of it, and stir it occasionally to keep the flame from burning/scorching the grains at the bottom?
or do they heat the strike water in a seperate tank, and mash in with a little water, a little grain, stir, a little more water, a little more grain, etc. untill it's all in, and then close the lid, and keep it off the flame, maybe insulate the MLT somehow?
thanks!
brian
first of all, how long should the lifespan of an igloo cooler converted to an MLT be? do they last virtually forever? do you have to throw them away and rebuild them every year/few years?
how often do you guys take your copper peices out of the cooler, i.e. the ball valve, nipples, etc. and soak them in the peroxide vinegar solution? just once when you build the MLT? or after every mash?
my S.S. braid that i use to filter on the inside of my MLT has GROWN, it's longer than it used to be, and is looking pretty bad. it's still working fine, but do you guys replace these every so often?
does that "grain" smell ever go away inside the cooler? i don't mind it, but it is bad for the brew? i've used soap, water, soaked in diluted oxyclean, scrubbed, it always smells a little bit like grain no matter what though.
now on to the stainless steel MLT questions.
do most people that use a stainless steel MLT just heat all the strike water in the MLT, then mash in with all the grain bill at once, and stir it up, and just adjust the flame throughout the 60minute mash, trying to keep the temp. consistent, and keep a lid off of it, and stir it occasionally to keep the flame from burning/scorching the grains at the bottom?
or do they heat the strike water in a seperate tank, and mash in with a little water, a little grain, stir, a little more water, a little more grain, etc. untill it's all in, and then close the lid, and keep it off the flame, maybe insulate the MLT somehow?
thanks!
brian