Cooler vs. Keggle for Mash Tun

After seeing that the 50 qt ice cubes are $20 a target I got to thinking... (famous last words)


Here's where I am- I have three keggles, two thermometers, two false bottoms three ball valves. I have yet to do an AG (I have two more extract kits on the shelf to brew) I am cheap and wanting to get into kegging. I am wondering if it is worth selling one of my keggles to set up a cooler based mash tun. (I realize that I could insulate the keggle to hold temps better)

I still do not have a full grasp on step infusions but think they could be done in a cooler with a copper coil or steam right? Along this line of thinking is that I would not losing a lot of flexibility in my brewing. The reason driving this move would be money- I think that I could make ~80 bucks to put towards other brew gear if I sold my keggle and burner and got a cooler. Am I wrong?

Brew something first, and see how you like the keggle as MLT.

If you don't, then just go buy a cooler and make an MLT. Personally, I wouldn't part with the keggle in any case, until you're absolutely certain you like the cooler MLT.

This is a bit of a struggle for anyone with the ability to setup a keg based MLT. I've made plenty of good beer with single infusion cooler mashing. It's so friggin easy to hit your temp and walk away for an hour. Unless you're automating your temp control on the keg MLT, even insulating isn't going to hold the temps so accurately. I'm literally two weeks away from my first use of a keg MLT and I already fear it's going to need way more babysitting than it's worth. I won't jump to that conclusion until I try it though.

Of course the benefits are potentially:
1. Heating strike right in the MLT so no transfer before dough in.
2. No preheating.
3. Step mashing.
4. Mash out.

Of course, you could do 3 and 4 using a cooler and either a HERMS or additional infusions but it's not ideal.

I started with a cooler, then added a pump and heating element in a heat exchanger to recirculate and control temps. So far it is working great.

I'd say that with a kettle MLT you should plan to recirculate and heat as needed using propane or electric, the cooler would allow you to possibly set it and forget it for an hour. With coolers, the wall thickness and insulative properties varies from 1 cooler to the next. The thicker the wall, the better heat retention obviously.

Linc

I think coolers are definitely better at heat retention, based on my experience with keggles and from what I've read here (never used a cooler). However, if the keg is insulated well, I think it can be fairly comparable to a cooler. I think kegs as mash tuns add a lot of flexiblility to all-grain brewing. Plus I'm just uncomfortable with cooking in plastic for that long. I have my keggle pretty well insulated and brewed on Saturday in 50F weather. I lost maybe 2 degrees in an hour.

I started with a Gott cooler and quickly got fed up with the lack of volume for the grain bills I brew.

I built myself a direct heated (propane burner) recirculating keg MLT and I wouldn't part with it. Brewing in the garage in the middle of winter, ambient air at 32*F, I lost a mere 5 degrees over 1 hour in an un-insulated keg MLT. I attribute that loss through un-insulated hoses. I have since been able to maintain temps through burner control and furthermore I can step mash if I choose.

Because I recirculate the mash continuously I realized a 10 point increase in efficiency, gained an additional 5 gallons of volume for grain bills, and I no longer have to worry about the vorlauf. Another benifit to the recirculatory method is that even with the burner blasting away the wort does not scorch.

Sure, try the cooler if you want but do not give up your keg if you don't have to. You never know, you may decide to go to a rims or herms setup someday and wish you hadn't let go of that keg.

I say keep the kegs, and also buy the cooler. Try both! You can always sell the keg if you don't want to keep it, and you can always use the cooler to transport your brews. Hell, I even saw a thread on here where someone turned a cooler into a portable kegerator....

But then again, I do get in trouble from my wife on a daily basis because I'm always buying something for the brewery.

Bobby_M said:

I've made plenty of good beer with single infusion cooler mashing. It's so friggin easy to hit your temp and walk away for an hour.

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+1 Yep, the cooler MLT and single infusion mash has taken all the complication out of All Grain brewering.

It's all I do for now and beers are turning out fantastic.

GilaMinumBeer said:

I started with a Gott cooler and quickly got fed up with the lack of volume for the grain bills I brew.

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Yeah, I went and got a 70 qt. Coleman Extreme and it handles 30# grain bills with room to spare. It's fantastic for 10 gallon big beers.

I have to say if Ed Wort is backing the cooler I am all for it!

I am almost done getting my AG equipment together...I am stoked!
I think I will miss doing my step mashes. Yes even doing Partial mash I step mashed my grains.