Right size cooler for Mash Tun?

Sorry if this has been covered a million times before, but I've seen a fair amount of conflicting info. I've brewed a few batches w/ extract & specialty, and I'm excited to take the step to AG.

What size cooler should I keep my eye out for when prepping to make my first mash tun, given the following:
1) I'm doing 5 gallon batches now, and have some small beers that I like with an OG as low as 1.040 or thereabouts.
2) I'm also considering doing 10 gallon batches in the future, and will certainly want to do higher gravity 5 gal, and maybe 10 gal, batches.

I'm worried about getting a cooler that's too big to make a good grain bed for my 5 gal smaller beers, but I'm also worried about getting one that's too small to do 10 gal batches.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

Now if only I wasn't at work, so I could RDWHAHB.

It's only been covered a billtion times

If you are doing All-Grain 5 gallon batches already, get a 10 gallon round cooler. This will be fine for 5 gallon AG batches and good for 10 gallon batches as well.

If you batch sparge, grain bed depth doesn't matter. As a comparison, my 48qt (that's 12 gallons for conversionally challenged) is just big enough to do a 1.060 gravity 10 gallon batch.

10-gallon round rubbermaid cooler from HD is around $40.

That's part of my ugly inventory. Smaller footprint makes it easy to squeeze onto a platform.



Even if you get the 5-gallon rubbermaid, it won't go to waste. I use my 5 gallon now as a prechiller.

Huh. And you can really do a mash for a medium gravity (say 1.060) 10 gallon batch in a 10 gallon cooler, assuming a single infusion? That's great to know.

Thanks for the info, all.

Yup, it's a single infusion mash, but you'll drain out about 4 gallons before you even start sparging.

A 5 gal cooler can hold 10-12 # grain max. Double it for a 10 gal one.
Like BM said though, you can always use the 5 gal one for other things if you decide to go bigger later (HLT, prechiller, etc.).

..................It's only been covered a billtion times ....
Yep, or maybe even a googol times

I recently switched to AG by upgrading my 2-gallon round cooler (which I used for partial mashing) to a 5-gallon round cooler. It didn't take long before I realized that a lot of the recipes I want to brew are just too high-gravity for a 5-gallon MLT - there's nothing wrong with session beers but I really wanted to start toying with belgians, IIPA's, RIS's, etc without having to use any extract. If I were you I would definitely go for something bigger than 5 gallons - 10-gallon round coolers like BierMuncher's seem to be very popular.

Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed."

"OH NO!" the President exclaims. "That's terrible!"

His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the President sits, head in hands.

Finally, the President looks up and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"

Seriously, with the great deal on the 10 gallon Rubbermaid at HD right now, it's an easy decision. Go for it.

raceskier said:

Donald Rumsfeld is giving the president his daily briefing. He concludes by saying: "Yesterday, 3 Brazilian soldiers were killed."

"OH NO!" the President exclaims. "That's terrible!"

His staff sits stunned at this display of emotion, nervously watching as the President sits, head in hands.

Finally, the President looks up and asks, "How many is a brazillion?"

Click to expand...

Don't laugh, this actually happened.

I have the 10 gal rubbermaid from Home Depot, and love it. However, my first 10 gal batch last weekend called for 27lbs of grain, and there was just no way this was going to happen and allow me to stir at all. I used a 12, or 14 gal rectangular cooler we have for camping instead, and it worked really well!

If you are concerned about grain bed depth, get one of those Cube coolers that seem to be so popular now for beverages.

I have a 7.5 gallon cooler that is adequate, but probably would struggle with barleywines. If I could do it again (and I may) I'd get the 10 gallon. I think HD at $40 is cheaper than what I bought mine at years ago.

I went through this same dilemma less than a year ago and really leaned towards the 5 gallon. But everyone on this forum talked me out of it and I went with the 10 gallon. I'm so glad! I use it for small beers and bigger beers and never maxed it out. I might even go to 10 gallon batches, which is something I never even considered a year ago. I think if you just want to buy once, you'd be happy with the 10 gallon round Gott (Rubbermaid) cooler.

Thanks, all. I appreciate the info.
I also appreciate realizing that I'm dumb. To wit: I've got a 60 qt Ice Cube cooler I bought to keep my primary fermenter cool -- should work very well pulling double duty as a mash tun, and I can skip buying another cooler (for now, at least.) Thanks Bobby_M for correcting me re: the importance of grain bed depth with batch sparging. Helps simplify things for sure!

Best,
Evan.

I use an 82qt cooler and it works great for anything I want to brew.

thaz a big honkin' cooler, FSR402!

I maxed out my 52 quart cooler on a 10 gallon batch this past weekend. I'm at work and I can't recall the grain bill, but it was big enough that I had to do a quintuple infusion sparge.

Madtown Brew said:

A 5 gal cooler can hold 10-12 # grain max. Double it for a 10 gal one.
Like BM said though, you can always use the 5 gal one for other things if you decide to go bigger later (HLT, prechiller, etc.).

Click to expand...

I've done 14 lbs in my 5 gallon cooler to get an OG of 1.070.

Fingers said:

thaz a big honkin' cooler, FSR402!

I maxed out my 52 quart cooler on a 10 gallon batch this past weekend. I'm at work and I can't recall the grain bill, but it was big enough that I had to do a quintuple infusion sparge.

Click to expand...

My largest grain bill has been 27# and it did not even fill it up half way. And with my 3/4 ID manifold I can drain it in less then 1 minute. I hit 79% ef on that batch.

Coleman 52 Qt Xtreme Cooler $29.99 plus some shipping. at KMart

I am leaning toward a cooler this size because I want to do an RIS with 18.25lbs or grain and I am assuming in a gal cooler that would be rather tight if not down right impossible.

Well, now that I know depth isn't important, and the 10 gallon round ones are on sale, I'm gonna have to go with one of those; my apartment really is waaay to small for one of those big rectangular ones, and to me the extra $10 is worth it. But to each his own!