Hey there everyone. I've been gone for a while, just wanted to check in a show you my lovely new (and my first ever) mash-lauter tun! Just got this put together yesterday, and have yet to brew with it.
It is a 10 gallon Rubbermaid drink cooler fitted with a ball valve and bazooka screeen for lautering (see my gallery for a view of the screen and the ball valve). So excited to get some AG brews underway (first up, a Northern English Brown Ale). I have thus far been doing my AG mashing in a brewpot on an electric range, but have had some difficultly keeping my mash temps stable. So I broke down and went down to Home Depot, bought myself the cooler, and took it into my local brewshop and got all the components I needed. Threw it together, tested for leaks, and viola! My wonderful new MLT.
One question: How should I go about preheating this before adding my water at mashing temp and then my grains? I have read that some people simply add a cup or two of boiling water to the MLT a few minutes before adding the water (at temp) and the grain in order to insure that no heat is lost heating the cooler. Is this the best way to do it, or would something else be better?
Glad to be back everyone
It is a 10 gallon Rubbermaid drink cooler fitted with a ball valve and bazooka screeen for lautering (see my gallery for a view of the screen and the ball valve). So excited to get some AG brews underway (first up, a Northern English Brown Ale). I have thus far been doing my AG mashing in a brewpot on an electric range, but have had some difficultly keeping my mash temps stable. So I broke down and went down to Home Depot, bought myself the cooler, and took it into my local brewshop and got all the components I needed. Threw it together, tested for leaks, and viola! My wonderful new MLT.
One question: How should I go about preheating this before adding my water at mashing temp and then my grains? I have read that some people simply add a cup or two of boiling water to the MLT a few minutes before adding the water (at temp) and the grain in order to insure that no heat is lost heating the cooler. Is this the best way to do it, or would something else be better?
Glad to be back everyone