Max mash capacity?

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Sea

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To anyone who uses the ten galon Rubbermaid cooler to mash in:

What is the most grain you can mash in the thing, at what water/grain ratio? I'm just starting 10G batches, and I'd love the benefit of your collective experience.

Thanks!
 
I like to do a fairly thick mash at 1.25 quarts to each lb of grain. Given your volume, I'd say 25 lbs is optimistic, and 30 lbs is REALLY pushing it.
 
Here's a calculator that I found posted here -- you want the Can I Mash It? section.

I believe it was Edwort who originally posted this link, if I'm not mistaken.
 
I just got done building the Rubbermaid 10 gal MLT also and had the opposite question. What's the minimum amount of grain I could mash? Would 5 or 6 pounds be alright? I'm not quite ready for AG. I still need a bigger pot and some way to cool the wort (with my 98 degree tap water:( ) So in the meantime, I thought I'd try a PM. Is there a minimum grain depth if you're batch sparging or doesn't it matter?

Tom
 
ultralord said:
I just got done building the Rubbermaid 10 gal MLT also and had the opposite question. What's the minimum amount of grain I could mash? Would 5 or 6 pounds be alright? I'm not quite ready for AG. I still need a bigger pot and some way to cool the wort (with my 98 degree tap water:( ) So in the meantime, I thought I'd try a PM. Is there a minimum grain depth if you're batch sparging or doesn't it matter?

Tom


Tom, I've been mashing 4-5 lbs up to this point, and the only problem is that with a grain bed that thin, it's really difficult to pour the vorlauf runnings back in without disturbing the bed.

Someone suggested setting a plate on the bed and pouring onto that, or a pie tin with a bunch of small holes in it. I would recomend trying this as I was getting grain husk after running off ten quarts, and eventually just settled with what I could get.
 
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