Which cooler should I get?

I am in the process of converting to all grain. Recently, I got a 15gal kettle and burner and now I need to get a cooler for a mash tun. I would like to be able to do 5 and 10 gallon batches.

Usually I don't do big beers or barley wines so I dont need a huge cooler. I have been looking at the Coleman Xtreme 70 quart for my application as it seems it would strike a nice balance of not being too big for a 5 gallon batch but be big enough for a 10 gallon batch.

Any input would be grateful. Thanks.

I have been using the Coleman xtreme 70 qt cooler as a mash tun for about a year and a half now. I love it. I have the ability to make huge abv 5 gallon batches with ease and can probably do 10 gallon batches as well. I do have to say though that I have not done a 10 gallon batch yet though, so I can't give you a full proof answer on that. I have had 26 lbs of grain and mash water in there at a time though.

There is a fair amount of headspace when doing low abv 5 gallon batches. A lot of people think that it won't hold the heat well enough, because of that, but that's bologna. Throw some tin foil over that mash. I barely lose more than a degree when mashing for an hour.

I love my Coleman xtreme.

MedicMang said:

I have been using the Coleman xtreme 70 qt cooler as a mash tun for about a year and a half now. I love it. I have the ability to make huge abv 5 gallon batches with ease and can probably do 10 gallon batches as well. I do have to say though that I have not done a 10 gallon batch yet though, so I can't give you a full proof answer on that. I have had 26 lbs of grain and mash water in there at a time though.

There is a fair amount of headspace when doing low abv 5 gallon batches. A lot of people think that it won't hold the heat well enough, because of that, but that's bologna. Throw some tin foil over that mash. I barely lose more than a degree when mashing for an hour.

I love my Coleman xtreme.

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Got the same one. I put a blanket on it and it does just fine. I've done #28 in it for a 10 gal batch, with 1.5 qt/lb. Almost 1.5' didn't quite fit.

The one that's large enough and on sale.