Is this big enough for a mash tun?

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OregonNative

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I found a 7 gallon cooler at walmart for $20 on sale. I found a link online to the same cooler. I'm just getting started in all grain, so I need to go ahead and make a mashtun. I do mostly 5-5.5 gallon batches.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7999982

Also I know basically how to make a mash tun, but if anyone has any recommendations, tips, links please go ahead and post them.

Thanks guys,
Pat
 
If you want to brew higher OG beer styles, or if you want to make a 10 gallon batch you may consider going larger. My 10 gallon MLT was very full when I made my 5-gallon batch of Imperial IPA. But for regular gravity beers you should be fine.
 
Kilted, thanks a ton man for that link its very helpful. The reason I still asked about that cooler is because some people recommend a 10 gallon even for 5 gallon batches. I wanted to hear some feedback on what people recommended for a new all grain brewer.

Death, excellent man thanks very much for the feedback.

Brian, Thanks for the feedback bro. I'll check the prices on 10 gallon coolers next time I go to the store. I would like to be able to brew a few high gravity beers.
 
http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

This will give you a guess at what you would be able to fit into a 7 gallon MLT. Using a 15# grain bill and a 1.3 lb/qt you would need a little more then 6 gallons, so you should be fine. +1 on need it bigger to do bigger beers, but if you don't have a big enough brew pot it is a pain to do big beers anyway.
 
I have a 10 gallon and I sometimes wish I went with the 7, because of the amount of dead-space. 15lb is a pretty big grain bill. Most of my brews (including porters and stouts) max out at ~12lb.
 
ACE is another option for the 10 gallon. It's $3 - $4 more then the Target price, but you can have it shipped to a local ACE for free if that's an option for you.
 
Having deadspace isn't necessarily a problem, provided that you calibrate your brewing software to the thermal mass of the tun when calculating strike temps. I had a 5 gallon cooler kicking around that I converted into an MLT and I use it for the majority of my brewing- because I don't make really big beers regularly. I can fit almost 13 lbs of grain into my 5 gallon MLT with a thicker mash. I do have a 10 gallon that I break out occasionally when tackling a barleywine, though. :drunk:

I think the general consensus of people here is go for the 10 gallon so you can do 10 gallon batches if you so desire (provided you have a large enough brew kettle) or make the big beers.
 
I have used a 5gal cooler for the last year. Making beers up to about 1.065 without additional extract and 1.092 with extract.
You 7gal cooler should be just fine for 90% of the beers you make. If you like making lots of RIS, Barleywines or IIPAs then it would probably be a good idea to upgrade to the 10gal. Also if you plan to start brewing 10gal beers in the near future.
However the hardware easily transfers between the different sizes and the coolers are cheap compared to the brew kettles so if you want to upgrade in the future its not a big deal.

Craig
 
Well guys, I'm thinking about just trying to find a 10 gallon. I figure with a 10 gallon, I should be able to make ANY 5 gallon batch without having to worry. Thanks so much for the feedback everyone. I really appreciate it.
 
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