Can I use this as a MLT??

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mlg5039

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EDIT: Added mashing pics bottom of page.

I came into possesion of one of those drink coolers you see full of energy drinks in convinience stores. It is insulated, sturdy, has a tight fitting lid, clean, and on wheels. The inside measures 18" wide and 20" deep. Should hold over 18 gallons. The inside has steps a few inches off the bottom to make a false bottom on and it's already got a drain plumbed into it.


I will post some pics later when I get home. What do you crafty people think?

Mike
 
I wouldn't do boiling water.... people have warped/cracked/destroyed their cooler mash tuns using boiling water. Try 160-170f. That'll be hot enough to tell you if it will work well without danger of melting it.
 
Pictures.

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Amp Cooler

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Insides. You can see the drain hole in the bottom and the ledges for a false bottom.

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I took the bottom off of it and rigged up a real valve and plumbing that can handle the heat. As well, I shot in an extra can of expanding foam I had at work. So far this has cost me $0.00. If it works, I'll set it up with nicer things.


:mug:
 
I've got one of those too but never thought about using it as a mash tun....hummm. I did use it last winter though along with some towels, a heating pad, and a ranco temp controller to keep a glass carboy at ale fermenting temps. Worked great for that.
 
I wanted to try a ghetto all grain batch to see if this is even worth developing into something. If not, it makes a pretty decent fermenting chamber for a 5 gal bucket.


Anyone have a good idea about how to make a false bottom cheaply and quickly? It needs to be roughly 18" in diameter.
 
the bottom of a roughneck garbage can(cut to 18")??? but I don think it would be rigid enough for that big of a grain load(or cheap enough)maybe you could support it with a grill grate
 
I must have missed the reason for the expanding foam, why did you put that crud in with your wort? :confused:
 
I've got one of those and it came with a sort of false bottom to let the water drain. The first day I left it out in the sun with nothing inside it melted the plastic "false bottom" to the inside of the cooler. I don't know if I'd trust it at 170° after seeing what happened to mine from just sitting in the sun.
 
Well, after testing it with some 180* water I mashed in it yesterday. Here are some pics.

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It dropped from 154 to 152 over the period of 70 minutes.

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I placed a vegetable steamer home-made false bottom over the drain hole. Collected 6.5 gallons of wort. Ended up with just over 5 after the boil with a OG of 1.063, and efficiency of 79%. Not bad for my first time ghetto AG.
 
Now you've got me interested. And curious just how hot my patio gets in the sun.

After seeing what happened to the inside of mine just sitting in the sun, I was sure that 180° water would warp that thing beyond recognition. Being that I've only got a 5g mash tun until my order comes in (6 weeks it looks like), I may have to give this a try.
 
had my doubts about it, but it held up fine. No warping at all. I did beef up the drain hose and finish filling the gaps inside with foam insulation though. The drain plumbing that was originally in there was kinda wimpy.
 
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