Cooler mash tun tubing

I am looking for tubing to go from my cooler mash tun into the kettle. I was wondering what type of tubing I need to use? Is vinyl ok? Does it produce any off flavors?

I use the high temp vinyl stuff and haven't had any problems yet. I believe the best way to go though is with silicone tubing, all the major homebrew supply shops have it.

Some people say it does....but they are the ones selling the high temp stuff from my experience. But going from mash to boil, I wouldn't think would be any problem...it's the boil to ferment where I would be more concerned. I used the vinyl for a long time until I had to buy some more silicone and got some to use throughout.......until I figure out how to run copper tubing everywhere

Lead free vinyl is common but if the tubing doesn't explicitly say lead free then it's got it. Silicone is the Cadillac of tubing but it's not nearly as cheap as vinyl....

I went with silicone for all of my hot side tubing.

silicone.

I know silicone is the best, but I have just bought a 3 kegging system, cooler mashtun parts, and an immersion cooler, so if I could save a little $ by using vinyl I will... But when I go to menards and look at their tubing none of it says it is lead free...

I went through the "question my tubing" phase once too.

Did the experiment where I took a couple of 1" pieces of vinyl tubing and put one in a cup of hot water and the other in a cup of cold.
Eventually took a sip of each and DEFINITELY tasted vinyl taste.
However, I had let it sit for about 20 minutes in the hot water and IME, during brewing we rarely if NEVER would have hot wort in contact with vinyl tubing for that length of time.

I eventually acquired a single 6' section of high temp / food grade silicone tubing and will never switch back.

BIGGEST reason for this is quite simple: It remains very flexible no matter what temperature that it gets. The vinyl tubing was always so stiff until you got some hot liquid running through it.
The additional cost $1.89 per foot opposed to 0.49/foot was WELL worth not having to mess with stiff tubing.

brewkinger said:

BIGGEST reason for this is quite simple: It remains very flexible no matter what temperature that it gets. The vinyl tubing was always so stiff until you got some hot liquid running through it.
The additional cost $1.89 per foot opposed to 0.49/foot was WELL worth not having to mess with stiff tubing.

Click to expand...

I dont like how soft Vinyl tubing gets when its super hot, it kinks way too easily.

amandabab said:

silicone.

Click to expand...

Seconded. Or thirded.

Silicone.

So if I wanted to go with the cheap route right now, would it be "safe" and would it leave a taste in the wort if all I was using the tubing for was draining out of the mash tun into the kettle? Is any vinyl tubing I find ok? Menards?

Yup.

Any hardware store (if that's what Menards is), Home Depot, Walmart.
Clear PVC vinyl tubing, usually 40c per foot.
I used it for 3 or 4 batches and never noticed any plastic flavors.
But I switched to silicone quick.

Just easier and better.

Save up $20 and pick it up, well worth it.