CL Find: 10 Gallon Coffee container for a Mash Tun?

Hello All;

Looking to move to All grain brewing and upgrade from my converted 3 gallon cooler.

Anyone see any issues with using something like this?



http://catalog.carlislefsp.com/catering/cateraideins~1/XT1000001.html

Don't know if what is listed on CL is the exact same as above but should be pretty similar.

Only reason I could see is the price $385 ouch! for 30-50 bucks you could build yourself a nice one out of a cooler.

Brew-boy said:

Only reason I could see is the price $385 ouch! for 30-50 bucks you could build yourself a nice one out of a cooler.

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Agreed.

Its listed for 50 on Craigs list, so I bet someone rented it and forgot to return it and now wants it out of their basement.

I wanted to go with a 10 Gallon Gatorade/Rubbermaid cooler but those would be stupid expensive to ship to Canada (havent found any locally)

I don't know if you have anything like the Igloo Ice Cube coolers available where you are, but around here you can pick up the 48qt version for under $20 and it makes a fine MLT. You will have to drill a hole in the bulkhead, but there's a ready-made spot for a drain hole in the cooler so it's about as easy as possible.

Prices up here are kinda stupid for Coolers.

My 3 Gallon I paid 30$ for...
A 5 Gallon Round Igloo ... 39$

I've put in an offer for it, as it seems like it would work well for a MLT..

Only thing I would wonder is if it smells like coffee/stained with coffee or some similar liquid.

If it is I guess I can only use it for beer with a hint of coffee

I would not think that the polyurethane its made from would stain... and baking powder might help with the smell...

I'm picking it up tonight providing the roads dont ice over...

it'll work fine for a mash tun or hlt, if a mt you'll have to build a manifold for it or use a braid.


i thought when i clicked that it would be a coffee urn, i use a 100cup/4g one for my hlt.

eriktlupus said:

it'll work fine for a mash tun or hlt, if a mt you'll have to build a manifold for it or use a braid.


i thought when i clicked that it would be a coffee urn, i use a 100cup/4g one for my hlt.

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I'll be taking the braid off of my 3 gallon mash tun.

At least you know it's meant for hot liquids.

Yup.

This way i wont have to worry about cracking a cooler...

And in theory should be well insulated..

I'd use one of those in a hearbeat. They hold heat for hours.

If you can go check it for scratches/nastys I'd say go for it.

A gallon of vinegar in 9 of hot water will clean most of the coffee smell out. A box of baking soda after you drain and rinse will get rid of the rest.

B

If the inside has nooks and not straight sides you might have some trouble stirring in those areas. You might want to use some kind of flat stick to get those parts of the coffee tun. Otherwise a nice find.

samc said:

If the inside has nooks and not straight sides you might have some trouble stirring in those areas. You might want to use some kind of flat stick to get those parts of the coffee tun. Otherwise a nice find.

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The sides are straight down no wierd nooks or crannies.

Slight plastic smell on the inside, can't smell any coffee.

Can't wait to get a ball valve on it and start mashing!

Here is the actual product: http://www.kclcutsheets.com/PDF/CB\UC250-UC500-UC1000cutsheet.pdf

Its a damn good find.







Gonna be a beeeeeeeyotch to carry around full...

yeah, but it has handles!

That's awesome!!! You may be on to something here!!!!

(We'll all be scouring craigslist for them now.)

CrazyJames said:

Prices up here are kinda stupid for Coolers.

My 3 Gallon I paid 30$ for...
A 5 Gallon Round Igloo ... 39$

I've put in an offer for it, as it seems like it would work well for a MLT..

Click to expand...

At those prices I would buy off the Internet. Lots of places offer free shipping this time of year along with great prices. The cooler you bought off of Craigslist looks like it should well though.

I've been looking at those at the restaurant supply store and coveting them for a while now. Nice find!

Lots of places online offer free shipping in the US.

International is a different beast.