Partial Mash (Mini Mash Tun) Question

I am looking to build a "mini" mash tun with a 2gallon cooler (from wiki plans). My question is how many pounds of grain could a 2 gallon cooler hold? Does anyone have a ratio of grains to size of mash tun?

This doesn't show a 2 gallon cooler, but you can probably extrapolate...


I did the math and it comes out to "not much"

According to this: http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml

At 1.25q/lb (a thick mash) of grain 5lbs would take up 1.96g - ie full to the brim, stir gently...

GT

Honestly I think the most I would use for this "mini" tun is 4# of grains. I would still steep crystal malt seperately (I think), but this idea is simply to add some grains into the extract recipes and give the brew a little closer AG characteristic. I know it is not AG, but baby steps are where I am at now and would intend to do both AG and Mini Mash from now on (using extract kits with specialty grains for about 12 months and looking to branch out).
Thanks
HB-Hudy

If I were you, I'd go with a 5 gallon cooler if you're not looking at going all grain. I do partial mash brews and boil on my stove. The brew I'm doing this weekend will use 8 lbs of grain and some of my recipes use more than that. One of the beauties of doing partial mash is you can mash as much grain as you can boil the runnings for, then your extract is just to compensate for the top up water.

And... you can still mash 4lbs of grain in a 5 gallon cooler, but you're not limiting yourself to that.

If you go with the 2 gallon, you'll just kick yourself later when you find a killer recipe you want to try and find that it takes JUST a bit more grain than your little mash tun will hold.

Don't worry, my buddy and I are converting a 10 gallon coleman cooler into our MLT in a week. I just want to have the mini around for these recipes that are calling for about 4# of grain and the 10 gallon MLT seems as though it would be overkill. I don't want my mash feeling out of place is such a wide open space

Your right, 10g would be overkill for 4# of grain. I would still heed ChshreCat's advice about a 5g cooler. I have one and use it a lot for session beers where the OG is around 1.035-1.045. It is the perfect size for them with a liqour:grist ratio of 1.25q:lb. For even smaller amounts of grain such as the 4# you are talking about it would still work, especially if you upped the liquor:grist to 2.5q:lb.

GT

I used a 2 gallon "mini" mash tun last night and used 4.625# of grain. It was very full. I don't think I am going to use more than 4.5# from now on.

4# is the recommended max - you can stretch a little more in there but then you have to deal with spillage and the general PITA. Check out:

http://***********/component/resource/article/511-countertop-partial-mashing

Though now I wish i'd gone with a 5 gallon cooler the first time around...

I have got a 2 gal test batch boiling right now. I used a 2 gal pot to mash in, 1.5qt per lb ratio, 3.5 lbs of grain. I could probably do 4 lbs with that ratio, but anymore and I would have to drop the ratio.

I was going to suggest a 3 gallon one but they're more money than a 5. Get a 5. Small enough to partial mash, large enough to all grain (some beers). No, you NOT want to steep crystal grains separately. Extracting more from cara malts is one benefit of partial mashing.

I use this system to add steeped grains to extract kits, and can get about 4.5 lbs of grain in it.

Reason for using a 2 gallon was IT WAS FREE. And at the time all I was using it for was to add to extract kits, so that is all that was needed. Now I am setting up a 48 qt cooler.