Is this cooler salvageable?

I've had it sitting on my deck for a long time. Now that i'm into homebrewing i'm thinking of going all grain. It's a little rusty outside but the inside appears to be ok. dimmensions are 22x13. it has a runoff on the outside but the cap is broken. here are some pictures So what do you think can i convert it into a mash tun? thinking of running a few tests to see how well it maintains temperatures. it's an old coleman and I heard they are a pretty good brand. I never use it for anything else so I'm kind of hoping it's salvageable

Hell yes! Stick your head right in there. No bad smell? No problem.

so is it big enough?

How big is it?

22 inches lenght and 13 wide

I'm not doin your math for you...

I'm just wondering what the average size of cooler people use

I have a 52 quart that I just used to mash 26lbs of grain with about 1.2quarts water/lb (32quarts). It was to the top.

I used a 40Quart Igloo Ice cube for years and worked fine for 5 and 10 Gallon Batches.. I only had one recipe that the grain bill put it close. Looks Plenty big enough for ya.

sportscrazed2 said:

22 inches lenght and 13 wide

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you need to know the height. Then multiply the three numbers together and divide by 57.75 = quarts

put some light clorox water in there to the top and let it sit for a couple hours then wash it out with soap and water. What size is the drain hole? might be able to push some vinyl tubing through and throw a piece of racking cane in the tubing inside and hose clamp a ss braid on that end. use a dura-clamp tubing clamp on the outside to control the flow.

looks to be at least a 40 qrt cooler

There's a BUNCH of threads on this forum regarding how big your mash tun needs to be. Use the search function.

I assume the logo has worn off, otherwise you wouldn't need to ask...but....

That looks EXACTLY like mine- a "Coleman Steel Belted 54" and mine is 13"x22"x16", so I think it is the same. The 54 means it's 54 quarts.

I converted mine and used it for one batch with a copper manifold. Really simple, and the only thing i had to modify from the wiki directions and parts list for that project was to cut a bit off of the inside fender washer so the new straight edge would fit against the bottom corner of the interior, because the valve is set a bit low compared to the Igloos or Rubbermaids. 30 seconds with a hacksaw, 3 minutes to yank out and replace the valve, and I was set for the manifold.

23 lbs. for a 10G batch left me with tons of headspace leftover, so it's plenty big.

BUT...it holds temps for crap. You WILL need a blanket or wrap.

I stupidly did no tests and just assumed it would be fine, but lost more than 5 degrees in short order. I ended up scrambling to decoct repeatedly just to maintain my temps, and ended up hating life on what should have been an awesome return to brewing.

Fun facts: that thing retailed for $100+ for my dad 15+ years ago, and the new retro models can almost double that. Mine was free and I already have a kick ass cooler for parties and camping, so that's why I chose to gut it, and I didn't have to spend more money on a round Rubbermaid.

Since my brew day went so poorly, I found reviews on Amazon that complain about the cold insulating qualities, too, so it's pretty clear that Coleman is just trying to cash in on a classic model from the 50's with a POS new plastic box and retro metal skin. And apparently, the newest models now come with a fail-tacular plastic latch. At least ours are sturdy as hell.

Verdict: Hey, it was free.

unless your furniture is out of scale, it looks like 44l cooler - should be perfect for 5-6 gal batches, dont worry about the latch/handles - if lid closes tight, its ok, you wont be carrying it around with all the grain and water in it

there is no need for expensive ball valves or washers or bulkhead fittings. If you look around sometime you can put a small piece of larger diameter tubing over a smaller size to use the built in bulkhead fitting. Other times the tubing fits right in snug and wont leak. A duralock tubing clamp for a buck and it works better then a ball valve.

why ruin a cooler when you don't need to. Guys put those bulkhead fittings in and they never get them to seal right. If possible leave the existing drain intact. Sometimes cheaper is better

Alright cool I will pour some boiling water in there tommorow and see how well it retains heat over a 60 minute interval. if it's up to snuff i will try to convert it for use with homebrewing

when you put grain in there it will hold temperatures better then plain water. a army blanket wrapped around that cooler will lose less then 2* an hour

sportscrazed2 said:

Alright cool I will pour some boiling water in there tommorow and see how well it retains heat over a 60 minute interval. if it's up to snuff i will try to convert it for use with homebrewing

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Ok, but sorry I have two exceptions:

1. boiling water in a cooler is extreme, try and stay under 180

2. A mash will hold temp far better than water, very different!

OLDBREW said:

why ruin a cooler when you don't need to. Guys put those bulkhead fittings in and they never get them to seal right. If possible leave the existing drain intact. Sometimes cheaper is better

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My fittings snugged right down and didn't leak a drop. And I don't know how other valves come apart, but mine isn't ruined, and I could snap the old one right back in. That was a pleasant surprise.

Sportscrazed2, any results?

jasonsargo said:

Sportscrazed2, any results?

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I tested the cooler with 173 water. It lost about 6 degrees over an hour. I am not sure whether I should use this cooler or if I should invest in another one. What do you think should I turn it into a mash tun and give it a try and if it doesn't work well buy a new cooler and reuse the parts for that cooler?

nvm think i have to get a new one now. tried smashing the spigot out with a hammer and pushed it into the insulation. not sure if i can use it anymore

Reposting something I wrote yesterday:

Before you buy anything, I'm going to throw props at the Coleman Xtreme. For batch sparging, rectangular coolers are fine. My nine-gallon cooler was only $20 or $25 (Dick's Sporting Goods). It holds heat crazy-good. The drain is in a channel in the bottom of the cooler, which means that there is virtually no dead space. And, it has a drain already in place that just unscrews, no drilling or futzing around required.

I'm pretty sure, in fact, it was designed by a homebrewer.

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the_bird said:

Reposting something I wrote yesterday:

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anyone ever try this? http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00681001000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1#reviewsWrap

1 more question I want the ability to do 5 gallon batches but also cut it down to 2.5 gallon batches sometimes. the mash won't be too thin in a larger cooler will it?

You can do mashes as thin as 2qt/pound with no issues, and some people I respect argue in favor of thin mashes. I wouldn't worry about a nine- or ten-gallon cooler being too big.

I was thinking of going with a 48 quart which is a 12 gallon cooler. I want to o 5 gallon batches and don't really ever plan on doing anything bigger because the beer would just go to waste. is there a recommended size for doing between 2.5 and 5 gallon batches? just ordered my turkey fryer next thing i get is a cooler and convert it. probably start with 2.5 gallon batches because i can do it on my stove top until winter is over.

See, I use a nine-gallon cooler, and I haven't run into a beer yet that I can't make five gallons of. Most people are usually more worried about going to 10 gallons in the future rather than backwards to 5. I personally don't think you NEED a 12-gallon cooler, but it should be fine. Personally, I'd go a little smaller, but that may in the end be more of a preference thing - the larger cooler may still lose a little bit more heat, but as you learn your processes you'll adjust.

you see i want to get into kegging as well eventually and the kegs come in 5 gallons. i would rather have 3 5 gallon batches going at once then 1 15 gallon batch. i will keep an eye out for cooler sales. i did see a 48 qt at sears hardware for $23 yesterday. but from what you say a smaller cooler will probably hold heat better and i have no plans on brewing larger batches right now.