Mini Mash Tun set-up question

So i've been doing partial mash for all my recopies for the past year or so, but mashing in the brew pot is always just such a mess. My strainer can never hold by grain bill over the pot for sparging so i have to come up with some clever concoction to do a sparge. Latest was putting the strainer in the giant restaurant pot, which we bought when we first started brewing thinking we needed a giant pot, and spouring that back into the brew pot. Works but its a mess and a hassle.

So, I was reading an article on byo.com about using a small 2-3 gallon cooler for a mini mash, but it doesn't really go into detail about how to set it up. My grain bag is large enough for one of the coolers so i wouldn't need a false bottom, but I was wondering if I would need to install a valve or if the spigot already on the cooler would be fine.

I was looking at this guy: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rubberma...Cooler-FG153004MODRD/202315022#specifications as a potential candidate. If you have a better suggestion within that price range (willing to go to 20$) i'm all ears. Thanks guys and Brew On!!

It is worth adding one so that you don't have to hold the button down. I built the 2 gallon one. Where are you located?

Staten Island. I might be able to get one from the hardware stores around here, we've got lowes, home depot and freight tools around the corner

This is my 2 Gal. Coleman Stacker mash tun. $9.99 on sale at Walmart with $7 in parts from HD.

^ what sort of fittings and hose are those? Could really use something like that in my cooler as well.

Why not do a BIAB for a partial mash. In fact, you could easily mash in that giant kettle and then dunk sparge in the smaller kettle and pour back into the big one.

I know you say it's a hassle and messy, but for PM brewing it should be pretty easy. I have done several full-batch ALL GRAIN brews on my stove using BIAB and it works fine. (Yes, it *can* be messy if I'm stupid and careless when sparging, but I blame the beer!)

A small cooler mash tun, as has been shown is also an ideal device for this if you want to build it. But, I think that if you are going through the trouble of building something like that, why not spend just a little bit more and buy a 10 gallon cooler and do All Grain brewing? Something to think about. You're already mashing in a cooler, why not save a few bucks and brew with grain?

Yeah I agree with that sentiment. Why do mini or partial mashes when going all grain is pretty much the same amount of work? There's no downside to having a larger cooler other than a little extra temperature loss while mashing due to the dead space in the cooler. Then you can brew larger batches, heavier beers, and spend less money since you're all grain.

I agree with Homercidal. If you are going to the trouble to make a mash tun why not go with a large cooler and do traditional all grain brewing. It seems a waste to make a hybrid BIAB/traditional rig. Plus if you did all grain you could eliminate the expensive extract from the process.

When I do mini mash I use my 5 gallon pot, mash for the hour by putting the pot in the oven that is heated to mash temperature. It holds the temperature well.

I then drain the mash, squeeze the bag, NO SPARGE. Do the boil adding the extract and hops, then finish with top up water. I use a glass top stove when doing this process so I don't want to do a full volume boil.

Jim311 said:

^ what sort of fittings and hose are those? Could really use something like that in my cooler as well.

Click to expand...

Brass PEX barbs (1/2") with a Brass T and ball valve. The hose is from a washing machine supply hose.

For clarity, I have the cooler for small batch AG brews. My first produced ~7 bottles of beer.

This MLT is the perfect size for that and for my needs. YMMV but I prefer these "micro" batches as it is easier for me to do everything in my kitchen and on the burner of my gas grill.

Derek1985 said:

For clarity, I have the cooler for small batch AG brews. My first produced ~7 bottles of beer.

This MLT is the perfect size for that and for my needs. YMMV but I prefer these "micro" batches as it is easier for me to do everything in my kitchen and on the burner of my gas grill.

Click to expand...

All that effort for 7 bottles??? That might get me enough for 2 days.....

Derek1985 said:

Brass PEX barbs (1/2") with a Brass T and ball valve. The hose is from a washing machine supply hose.

Click to expand...

How does the supply hose work if it's supposed to hold pressure? Did you modify it somehow?

kh54s10 said:

All that effort for 7 bottles??? That might get me enough for 2 days.....

Click to expand...

It is much less effort than a larger brew. Less time to boil, to cool, to mash, to drain, to clean, etc. My first batch, from start to finish (not counting the time for preparing my starter the night before), was < 2 hours. Actually, due to the fact that I cleaned while boiling and prepped while mashing, was really only about 100 minutes.

Jim311 said:

How does the supply hose work if it's supposed to hold pressure? Did you modify it somehow?

Click to expand...

I'm not sure I understand. I just removed the stainless braid from the supply hose and hose clamped it to the PEX barbs.

Derek1985 said:

For clarity, I have the cooler for small batch AG brews. My first produced ~7 bottles of beer.

This MLT is the perfect size for that and for my needs. YMMV but I prefer these "micro" batches as it is easier for me to do everything in my kitchen and on the burner of my gas grill.

Click to expand...

Good points. I've done smaller batches myself, and it's somewhat quicker and easier, but I don't really do less than 2.5 gallons. Most of my equipment is set for 2.5 or 5 gallons, and it just seems like a waste of time when you only get less than 2 6-packs.

But if you're into experimenting, then it's a great way to do it.

Derek1985 said:

I'm not sure I understand. I just removed the stainless braid from the supply hose and hose clamped it to the PEX barbs.

Click to expand...

Thanks you answered my question.

I've used it 5 times now. 4 times for test mashes in preparation for my first AG batch and 1 time for an actual batch.

Great flow and holds temps well, especially considering it is not really meant for hot liquids.

Derek1985 said:

It is much less effort than a larger brew. Less time to boil, to cool, to mash, to drain, to clean, etc. My first batch, from start to finish (not counting the time for preparing my starter the night before), was < 2 hours. Actually, due to the fact that I cleaned while boiling and prepped while mashing, was really only about 100 minutes.

Click to expand...

I am not sure what method you are using. The boil should be the same in most cases. It will cool more quickly, the mash should be the same, drain is quicker - maybe a minute or so, cleaning would be quicker by a minute or so.

You are not using a traditional 3 vessel brew.

If you are experimenting this is great. If you are making beer to drink for a longer period of time... Just 7 bottles????

Plus, if you brew something really tasty, it will be gone really fast and you'll be sad

kh54s10 said:

I am not sure what method you are using. The boil should be the same in most cases. It will cool more quickly, the mash should be the same, drain is quicker - maybe a minute or so, cleaning would be quicker by a minute or so.

You are not using a traditional 3 vessel brew.

If you are experimenting this is great. If you are making beer to drink for a longer period of time... Just 7 bottles????

Click to expand...

I don't really have a need for a lot of beer. I'm not brewing for quantity. I like to brew to experiment. Ultimately store bought beer is what you want for quantity.

Derek1985 said:

I don't really have a need for a lot of beer. I'm not brewing for quantity. I like to brew to experiment. Ultimately store bought beer is what you want for quantity.

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Glad the TINY batch brewing works for you.

When I experiment I do 3 gallon batches. Store bought is only for when I deplete my homebrew supply or want to try a new style before brewing it.

Different strokes. You gotta do what works for you!

I would love to just go all grain but I don't have the equipment or the room for the equipment, currently, for full wort boils. The mini mash tun would be within my budget and give me a taste of all grain that can accommodate my situation.

That being said, I like your set-up Derek. I got my cooler and tomorrow going to head out to HD to get the pieces for my ball valve. I'm curious... how does that hose work for the mash? Does the wort seep into that for draining? (hope that doesn't sound stupid but from the pic i don't see how else the wort drains). When i get it all set-up i'll post some pics for you guys to show ya how I did. Thanks for all the advice and Brew On!!

McCoonigan said:

I would love to just go all grain but I don't have the equipment or the room for the equipment, currently, for full wort boils. The mini mash tun would be within my budget and give me a taste of all grain that can accommodate my situation.

That being said, I like your set-up Derek. I got my cooler and tomorrow going to head out to HD to get the pieces for my ball valve. I'm curious... how does that hose work for the mash? Does the wort seep into that for draining? (hope that doesn't sound stupid but from the pic i don't see how else the wort drains). When i get it all set-up i'll post some pics for you guys to show ya how I did. Thanks for all the advice and Brew On!!

Click to expand...

Drains excellent. Batch sparges are quick and easy with very little grain making it through. Openings in the braid are big enough for a good drain but small enough to keep out much of the grain material.

Has worked like a charm for 6 test mashes and one full batch.