I am considering going to all grain from partial mash brewing. I've seen all the videos on how to make a mash tun from coolers. However, I have a question regarding the mashing process. When you put your initial water in the cooler at your strike temperature, then throw in your grains, do you just cover the cooler for the duration of the mashing process and let the insulating properties of the cooler maintain your temperature for the hour? If this is the case, then it sure beats having to do partial mashes on a stove top and constantly having to make sure the temperatures are steady.
Considering going to all grain brewing
- Thread starter urg8rb8
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Ideally that's all you do. There can be temperature loss, though. In which case you add boiling water or pull off some wort for a decoction boil that you add back in effort to raise your mash temp.
If you over shoot temps, you stir with lid off or add ice cubes.
If you over shoot temps, you stir with lid off or add ice cubes.
Gameface
Well-Known Member
That's how I did it. At first I'd open the cooler several times, check temps and stir it up, but eventually it was a set it and forget it thing.
chickypad
lupulin shift victim
Also just a tip for your partial mashes, if you heat your oven to 170 then turn it off and put the pot in there it should hold temp perfectly. I do this for my 2.5-3 gal all grain batches which are probably similar in size to your partial mashes. I used to use a 3 gal cooler but I found this much simpler.
chickypad
lupulin shift victim
This link might help. You want to think about the size of the beers you brew (in terms of OG) and also if you might ever want to move up to 10 gal batches.
This is how big your Mash Tun needs to be.
Edit: I should say Bobby's examples are based on traditional tuns and mash ratios. If you want to go full volume mash BIAB you generally want a pot at least twice the size of your batch size.
This is how big your Mash Tun needs to be.
Edit: I should say Bobby's examples are based on traditional tuns and mash ratios. If you want to go full volume mash BIAB you generally want a pot at least twice the size of your batch size.
mgortel
Well-Known Member
10 gallon.....and if you get a good cooler temp wont drop much at all in hour....for me it is sometimes imeasureable...or only a degree
I just looked at the ingredients of an all grain version of the partial mash I just brewed and it uses 11.75 lbs of grain (1.092 OG). At 1.25 quarts per lb of grain means I would need 5 gallons of water. Sounds like I would need a 10 gallon cooler right?
That was going to be my next question. If I get a 10 gallon cooler but don't brew a big beer, does the extra head space in the cooler effect the rate of the dropped temp? Is Igloo or Rubbermaid considered a good cooler?
mgortel
Well-Known Member
Extra head space wont make any difference that you can tell...the heat transfer rate from the airspace to the cooler walls and to outside is very low compared to the heat transfer from the liquid to the cooler wall....so no worries there.....unless you had like a immensely over sized cooler....which a 10 gallon is not. My cooler has a poorly insulated/thin lid....so I place a folded towel on top to help insulate the lid. I will be doing what I suggest below very soon.....
Igloo definitely a good one....a lot of people use the 10 gallon Igloo water coolers with a false bottom and stainless steel valve....easy to convert. Can buy the conversion kit online (Williams Brewing has a nice set....even can get temp probe)......you can also buy the whole thing with Igloo Cooler if you want....or try to find cooler locally for less $
Igloo definitely a good one....a lot of people use the 10 gallon Igloo water coolers with a false bottom and stainless steel valve....easy to convert. Can buy the conversion kit online (Williams Brewing has a nice set....even can get temp probe)......you can also buy the whole thing with Igloo Cooler if you want....or try to find cooler locally for less $
I've found that simply draping a blanket over the top of the cooler mash tun significantly helps maintain a steady temp. I rarely lose more than one degree by doing this, even in the winter! Most of the time, doing this will keep a steady temp for the duration of the mash.
McKnuckle
Well-Known Member
Yes you absolutely can do that. It is one of my go-to methods. It makes wort collection easy, and you can gravity drain and/or squeeze the bag to collect as much wort as possible. Some call this MIAB; acronym should be obvious.
I think I will start off doing MIAB for the next brew and see how it goes. I have a 16% barleywine that is a partial mash. 
. All I need for now is a cooler. I don't want use a stove top because if I accidentally crystallize the malt, it's going to taste like syrup!
. All I need for now is a cooler. I don't want use a stove top because if I accidentally crystallize the malt, it's going to taste like syrup!
If you're gonna MIAB in a cooler, you might as well do full BIAB and skip the whole transferring of wort from the cooler MT step. Assuming you have a 10 g kettle, of course.
When you BIAB, you can wrap the kettle in a blanket to slow heat loss, or direct fire the kettle to bump temps back up. Using a mesh bag allows you crush your grain much finer than for traditional 3 vessel.
With a very fine grid, and 2+ qt/lb mash thickness typical of BIAB, conversion can be complete in 30 minutes or less. So it's easier to hold temps over a shorter mash.
I do 6 g batches using Stovetop BIAB and usually have no trouble maintaining mash temps within a degree or so by direct fire with no insulation. No scorched bags either.
When you BIAB, you can wrap the kettle in a blanket to slow heat loss, or direct fire the kettle to bump temps back up. Using a mesh bag allows you crush your grain much finer than for traditional 3 vessel.
With a very fine grid, and 2+ qt/lb mash thickness typical of BIAB, conversion can be complete in 30 minutes or less. So it's easier to hold temps over a shorter mash.
I do 6 g batches using Stovetop BIAB and usually have no trouble maintaining mash temps within a degree or so by direct fire with no insulation. No scorched bags either.
NO!
You need to add the water hotter than your strike temp by 10-15 degrees, then let that preheat your cooler and cool to strike temp. A little stirring will cool it down as needed.
If you try and add it at strike temp it will cool in the process and be too low.
Thanks for the clarification. I had my terms backwards. Whats the term used to indicate the +10F temp higher than the strike temp?
Hmmm. Thanks. I'll consider this.
this may help you
http://www.brew365.com/mash_sparge_water_calculator.php
I use a bag in my cooler
all the best
S_M
That's awfully ambitious for a first all grain. You might be setting yourself up for a big disappointment. Since you are using equipment that you haven't dialed in yet, you are likely to have efficiency issues, and possibly mash temp control issues. A huge brew like that will only make any efficiency issues even worse.
You would be better off targeting your first few brews on your new equipment to OG's less than 1.060. Once you are happy with the results you are getting, then you can attempt a huge beer, and have a much better chance of success.
Brew on
That's awfully ambitious for a first all grain. You might be setting yourself up for a big disappointment. Since you are using equipment that you haven't dialed in yet, you are likely to have efficiency issues, and possibly mash temp control issues. A huge brew like that will only make any efficiency issues even worse.
You would be better off targeting your first few brews on your new equipment to OG's less than 1.060. Once you are happy with the results you are getting, then you can attempt a huge beer, and have a much better chance of success.
Brew on
Yeah, you're right. I was a little in over my head. If I were to mash the grains too hot, I'd end up with a syrup drink.
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