Cheap & Easy 10 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion

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I just built a 7 gallon version of this. I found a 7 gallon Gatorade cooler from Universal Industrial Supply via Amazon.com for $33 with shipping (what a steal). I found the other parts at Home Depot, the SS 5/8" washer and Fastenal, and the other 5/8" washers at Ace Hardware. Altogether, it cost be $71 and 15 minutes in labor. Not bad for a 7 gallon mash tun.

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It's probably been said in this thread but I hate te search function on the app. What is probably the highest lb of grain you can use successfully in the 10 gal. Just wondering for future brews.

I have brewed tons of beer with this set up, awesome btw
 
I just built a 7 gallon version of this. I found a 7 gallon Gatorade cooler from Universal Industrial Supply via Amazon.com for $33 with shipping (what a steal). I found the other parts at Home Depot, the SS 5/8" washer and Fastenal, and the other 5/8" washers at Ace Hardware. Altogether, it cost be $71 and 15 minutes in labor. Not bad for a 7 gallon mash tun.

That's an awesome price, do you happen to have a link to the sale or vendor?
 
I just built a 7 gallon version of this. I found a 7 gallon Gatorade cooler from Universal Industrial Supply via Amazon.com for $33 with shipping (what a steal). I found the other parts at Home Depot, the SS 5/8" washer and Fastenal, and the other 5/8" washers at Ace Hardware. Altogether, it cost be $71 and 15 minutes in labor. Not bad for a 7 gallon mash tun.

But you used brass in an acidic environment....should have gone stainless.
 
tinytowers said:
But you used brass in an acidic environment....should have gone stainless.

This is why when I built mine I went with SS in the mash tun but brass in the HLT as I figured the HLT only contacts hot water.
 
But you used brass in an acidic environment....should have gone stainless.

Considering the short amount of time the mash is in contact with the brass, it isn't really a problem. If you're worried about lead, and you keg, chances are there is a brass component there as well. My kegerator actually came with a warning that it contains lead, which has been known to cause cancer in the state of California. Since I live in Minnesota, I'm not worried ;-)

One other thing...I did cut the supply hose down so it would lay straight. I was afraid of channeling and a stuck sparge.
 
That's an awesome price, do you happen to have a link to the sale or vendor?

When I got mine, there were only 2 left. And I received an email shortly after I posted this that another reader grabbed the 2nd one. I searched Amazon for it, and I can't find it. Honestly, I think the standard price is a complete rip off. If you don't have the patience to search the web for a bargain, you're better off going to Home Depot and picking up the 10 gallon for $40+
 
Oh, and maybe you're wondering how everything turned out?.?.? I did my first all grain batch (Irish Red) the weekend after Thanksgiving. There were no leaks, and the tun held the temperature just fine (only lost 5/10ths of a degree over 1 hour). I was surprised to find my SG was slightly higher than the recipe's range. I guess I got lucky and was darn efficient for a first time. I did a single infusion with a batch sparge after watching plenty of videos.
 
I just wanted to say thank you for this post and instructions. I built a mash tun based on these directions and it was very easy. The suggestion for a 5/8" build a bolt solved the stainless steel washer issue.
Also, the brass fittings i used were lead free so no lead issues, they were standard Watts parts, got them at hd.
Thanks.
Dominic
 
What kind of effeciency are people getting on this setup with high gravity brews? I did a 5 gal batch of Christmas ale:
.5 lb German carafa III
.81 lb Special Roast
.81 Victory
13.33 Brewers Malt (is this the same as American 2 row?)
.2 lb turbinado sugar

It was supposed to give 1.08 to 1.082 OG, and I only got 1.065 after temp adjustment. I used 5 gal for 60 min mash at 154 deg and 2.5 more gal of 170 deg for batch sparge which resulted in 6.2 gal of wort collected. According to the Brewer's Friend, this is only a 56% brewhouse efficiency.

My proceedure was to heat the 5 gals, dump in cooler, then add grain and stirred for 2-3 mins. Then I left it there and tried shaking the cooler every 20 mins or so, but this was problematic as wort tried to leak out the top when I shook. I drained off 3 gals, then added about 2.5 more, strirred, left for 10 mins then collected 3.2 gal. I maybe could have collected another pint if I had waited 30 mins for drainings, tipped the cooler over, etc - that is what was left at the end anyway.

So should I be satisfied with my efficiency with this equipment, or is the LHBS shorting me on grain, or do I need a finer mash, or should I just use more grain to compensate?
 
Two things that are most commented on regarding efficiency are how fine your grains are crushed (maybe set it a hair finer next time) and how slowly you collect your first runnings after the vorlauf (don't open your valve all the way). Might be a couple of things worth trying.
 
What kind of effeciency are people getting on this setup with high gravity brews? I did a 5 gal batch of Christmas ale:
.5 lb German carafa III
.81 lb Special Roast
.81 Victory
13.33 Brewers Malt (is this the same as American 2 row?)
.2 lb turbinado sugar

It was supposed to give 1.08 to 1.082 OG, and I only got 1.065 after temp adjustment. I used 5 gal for 60 min mash at 154 deg and 2.5 more gal of 170 deg for batch sparge which resulted in 6.2 gal of wort collected. According to the Brewer's Friend, this is only a 56% brewhouse efficiency.

My proceedure was to heat the 5 gals, dump in cooler, then add grain and stirred for 2-3 mins. Then I left it there and tried shaking the cooler every 20 mins or so, but this was problematic as wort tried to leak out the top when I shook. I drained off 3 gals, then added about 2.5 more, strirred, left for 10 mins then collected 3.2 gal. I maybe could have collected another pint if I had waited 30 mins for drainings, tipped the cooler over, etc - that is what was left at the end anyway.

So should I be satisfied with my efficiency with this equipment, or is the LHBS shorting me on grain, or do I need a finer mash, or should I just use more grain to compensate?

Two things that are most commented on regarding efficiency are how fine your grains are crushed (maybe set it a hair finer next time) and how slowly you collect your first runnings after the vorlauf (don't open your valve all the way). Might be a couple of things worth trying.
 
I was able to find the SS fender washers at Elliot's Hardware, which is a local Dallas hardware shop.

Just in case anyone in Dallas is looking.
 
I'm planning on doing this build soon. But I do have a question: why do I need the 5/8" washers when the nipple is only 3/8"? And do they have to be fender washers, or will plain/flat stainless steel washers do?
 
chasman said:
I'm planning on doing this build soon. But I do have a question: why do I need the 5/8" washers when the nipple is only 3/8"? And do they have to be fender washers, or will plain/flat stainless steel washers do?

You won't need either if you buy a weldless bulkhead and valve from brewhardware.com ! That's what I did! No need to worry about washers or factory gaskets & it's all stainless steel instead of brass
 
I'm planning on doing this build soon. But I do have a question: why do I need the 5/8" washers when the nipple is only 3/8"? And do they have to be fender washers, or will plain/flat stainless steel washers do?

Based on my recent experience the washers need to be bigger than the nipple so they can fit over it and make the inside and outside pieces fit tightly when screwed together.

I used flat washers for the outside and a fender for the inside SS washer but this was mostly because that's what I was able to find after trips to multiple stores. The first "5/8" washers (The employee grabbed them for me so I'm not 100% sure they were actually 5/8) from Home Depot were actually just a little too small to fit the thread so I had to buy more that were a little bigger.

I found the SS fender washer my local homebrew store (Adventures in Michigan).

I would just buy a few extra washers so you've got some wiggle room. It's likely that the different brand coolers vary in the thickness of their walls and this will impact how many washers you need.
 
And like everyone else I'd like to thank the original poster and everyone else for the plans. Beyond a little searching for the proper washers this was as easy as it gets.
First all grain batch scheduled for tomorrow (depending on an impending cold that seems to be brewing in my head)
Can't wait!!!
 
And like everyone else I'd like to thank the original poster and everyone else for the plans. Beyond a little searching for the proper washers this was as easy as it gets.
First all grain batch scheduled for tomorrow (depending on an impending cold that seems to be brewing in my head)
Can't wait!!!
 
After spending many days reading this entire thread, I finally built mine yesterday. Went together pretty easily. Filled it with hot water and let it sit for 90 minutes and not a drop leaked out...until I tried to open the valve to drain it. The valve is loose, which I have read isn't that uncommon, but the whole valve flexes left and right pretty easily. So, sitting the cooler doesn't leak, but the force it takes just to open and close the valve moves the valve enough that a couple of drops will leak out. Obviously this isn't the end of the world, but is there anything I can do to strengthen this up?

I have the 10 gallon Rubbermaid/Home Depot cooler. I put 2 ss washers on the inside and 6 on the outside trying to snug it up as much as possible.
 
Instead of clamps or a rubber hose I used some aluminum wire to hold the braid on. You could find stainless, I just happened to have aluminum laying around. A couple wraps and it holds strong.
 
I'm building my mash tun tomorrow, and have all my supplies ready to go.

I read a prior post where someone said the weight of the mash will crush the braided hose, thus defeating the purpose of using the long hose as a filter.

Has anyone tried inserting some type of a ss rigid structure inside the hose to retain it's structural integrity.

Any opinions on this? Maybe I'm over thinking it.

Thx, MF
 
I inserted a heat-resistant vinyl tube with notches cut in it inside the mesh. It was explained somewhere (with pics) back in the hundreds of pages somewhere. Sorry I don't have the exact post.

So far it has worked for me. No crushed tube, no stuck sparges. I batch sparge.
 
I'm building my mash tun tomorrow, and have all my supplies ready to go.

I read a prior post where someone said the weight of the mash will crush the braided hose, thus defeating the purpose of using the long hose as a filter.

Has anyone tried inserting some type of a ss rigid structure inside the hose to retain it's structural integrity.

Any opinions on this? Maybe I'm over thinking it.

Thx, MF

Mine has a SS spring in there. I got it from McMaster Carr.
 
My bazooka screen is the SS supply hose with silicone tubing inserted inside and a whole lot of small cuts put in for the liquid to flow through


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Suggestion: go to Home Depot in the Winter and see if you can find a 10 Gallon like above... I did and there was only two as it is a seasonal item... it was outside and dusty so they gave it to me for $25 bucks...
 
Just thought I would follow up. I built my 10 gal MLT per this thread. It's been in use for over a year now (about 20 brews) and it still works great. Doesn't leak a drop. The only thing I have changed is replacing the stainless braid with a manifold I just made. Haven't brewed with the manifold yet though.
 
MidniteFlyer said:
any idea how to cut this mesh hose without the ends fraying like in all the examples?

I used a pair of wire cutters like these.



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Then folded the ends inward with pliers.
 
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to take some of the play out of the valve? I see where some people have said the valve being a little loose is no big deal, but the amount of pressure it takes to turn the valve open and closed pushes/pulls the valve enough that it starts to leak a little. Just sitting it seems sealed well, no leaks.

I currently have 6 washers on the outside and 2 on the inside and its still pretty loose. Do I just keep adding washers? Would 1/2" fitting fit a little tighter making it sturdier?

Thanks!
 
I have found some food grade sealant online and I am going to go around the washers on the outside. Mine doesn't leak with room temp water, but once it heats up and everything expands it drips slowly. I would say 1/2cup-1full cup max over an hour, enough to irritate me.
 
any idea how to cut this mesh hose without the ends fraying like in all the examples?

I think Denny used a hatchet to cut the ends off the braid, I have used a set of pruning shears, well lopping shears for cutting tree branches, I also rember using a razor knife slow and steady...then once you have the inner tubing removed, I typically use a pair of sturdy scissors to trim the frayed end, don't try and cut the whole thing at once, just give it a haircut a few strands at a time until it is nice and clean. Very easy actually!
 
I have found some food grade sealant online and I am going to go around the washers on the outside. Mine doesn't leak with room temp water, but once it heats up and everything expands it drips slowly. I would say 1/2cup-1full cup max over an hour, enough to irritate me.

Just FYI, you can just use aquarium silicone you can get at any pet store for $10...its 100% silicone when it sets.
 
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