36 or 48 or 52 quart mash tun?

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I'm using a 52 qt for 5 gallon beers in that range, if maybe a little higher. I generally only lose about 1 degree F during a 60 minute mash.
 
I would never recc a MT for anyone smaller that 15G (60 quart). It is the sweet spot between 5g and 10 gallon batches (extract and all grain). Gives you the room to brew barleywines, etc. YMMV
 
If your fly sparging there may be some advantages to using a smaller sized MT. Smaller size may increase the grain bed depth. This will help avoid channeling during the sparge
 
If your fly sparging there may be some advantages to using a smaller sized MT. Smaller size may increase the grain bed depth. This will help avoid channeling during the sparge

I would think a tall round gott cooler or similar would help in this regard as opposed to a rectangular one.
 
I would think a tall round gott cooler or similar would help in this regard as opposed to a rectangular one.

Yeah tall and narrow is probably a better shape for fly sparge. The beverage coolers are great, also keggles are a good shape. Either with a false bottom makes a great MLT :mug:
 
Yeah tall and narrow is probably a better shape for fly sparge. The beverage coolers are great, also keggles are a good shape. Either with a false bottom makes a great MLT :mug:

I am a fan of the false bottom as well. Luckily for me my buddy ponied up and bought a blichmann tun... Love that false bottom.
 
I am a fan of the false bottom as well. Luckily for my my buddy ponied up and bought a blichmann tun... Love that false bottom.

I currently have a 70qt Coleman extreme cooler with a ss braid (batch sparger). I've been thinking of changing to a Metal mash tun and using direct heat with a pump to recirc during the mash. Blichmann is high on my list of choices. Any cons that you can think of for the Blichmann design? I'm thinking the 15 gallon size would be perfect for 12 gallon batches.
 
I currently have a 70qt Coleman extreme cooler with a ss braid (batch sparger). I've been thinking of changing to a Metal mash tun and using direct heat with a pump to recirc during the mash. Blichmann is high on my list of choices. Any cons that you can think of for the Blichmann design? I'm thinking the 15 gallon size would be perfect for 12 gallon batches.

I am a batch sparger as well.

the only con to the blichman design IMO is the price and customer service. They are @ssholes. You try to get in touch with them and they avoid you and have the place you bought the pot through be their front man. They list legal notices/disclaimers saying you can't give specific details about what they reply in their emails to you. Generally, they are unhelpful and uncaring about whether or not you are happy with their product when you make a complaint.

The other pot to look at for a MT (I might actually go this route and replace the blichmann), is stout kettles and tanks. They look top notch and the price is a bit better unless they have gone up.

15G will be perfect for 12G batches as long as you aren't doing super high grain bills. I did a kate the great RIS and it was a thick mash, not enough room. I do 11G batches and literally 3-4 brews I did made me wish for the 20G MT. However, all the rest were perfect.

So you could always just do smaller batches of the big beers. Just thought I would point that out.
 
Thanks Denny. Purchasing that!
I have my 70 qt extreme with as braid and its wonderful for higher gravities but I'm getting in to the lower gravity beers now and don't want so much dead space. Thanks again
 
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