My igloo mash tun

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mbeattie

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Here are some pics of the mash tun I just built. What do you think?

Is the stainless steel braid too long? Should I cut it in half or just leave it alone? Any other suggestions?

mashtun.jpg


insidetun.jpg
 
I have that same exact cooler--used it many times. You won't lose a single degree during a mash. That cooler rocks.

You are limited to about 14 lbs. of grain if you mash thin.

The braid might affect your efficiency. I used a loop, I put t-fitting inside and clamped the braided hose to the openings, and I never got much better than 70% efficiency. You can always add more grain to compensate for the efficiency, its cheap.
 
I would be concerned that the end of the loop is sitting against the right side wall. I would think that would make it easier for liquor to go straight down the side and into the braid, thus hurting your efficiency.

Just my .02
 
Well, I just cut the braid in half.

Maybe I could get another cooler, use the other half of the braid in that and then attach them together with a T to a valve.... haha
 
Dude said:
The braid might affect your efficiency. .

Im a extract brewer so i dont understand. What do you mean by efficiency? And why would the braided ss line affect it?
 
AHammer16 said:
Im a extract brewer so i dont understand. What do you mean by efficiency? And why would the braided ss line affect it?

Efficiency is the percentage of fermentable sugars you collect from the grain vs the maximum possible under lab conditions that you should be able to collect. Around 80% is considered pretty good.

Take a look at this:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-5.html

He's saying that by having the braid so close to the edge, water from the top will slide down the smooth surface of the cooler instead of going through the grains and therefore it wont wash the grain of the sugars which means that the output will be more water and less sugar.
 
That is the exact one I started with, but I put Phil's in there... or at least attempted. Looks real good though, certainly easier then trying to fish a false bottom unter fittings.
 
mbeattie said:
Efficiency is the percentage of fermentable sugars you collect from the grain vs the maximum possible under lab conditions that you should be able to collect. Around 80% is considered pretty good.

Take a look at this:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section2/chapter12-5.html

He's saying that by having the braid so close to the edge, water from the top will slide down the smooth surface of the cooler instead of going through the grains and therefore it wont wash the grain of the sugars which means that the output will be more water and less sugar.

Ahh. Beginning to understand, thanks.
 
stldrum said:
Did you get a deal on the cooler? How much do they cost?

Walmart sells them for $19.99. No deal (other then a good deal:) I have seen them online for MUCH more). They also have Rubermaid for $18.
 
I have a igloo ice cube 48qt I just rigged up but have not used yet - this weekend.

so you guys are saying to cut the braid SS short of the back wall and not let it wrap aroud the back side? it is only about 3-4 inches touching the back wall. in the grand scheme of the braided line will that really make much difference if at all?

just curious
 
jldesign said:
I have a igloo ice cube 48qt I just rigged up but have not used yet - this weekend.

Yeah I was looking at these... Walmart again ($15), but I thought I read here that you need a good grain bed... since I can only do partials now I thought it would be too roomy in there. Ouside of that it looks really good:)
 
Another dumb question from an extract brewer - is all of the liquor supposed to go into the end of the braided hose or is the hose made of braid only and some of it goes through the braid?

I know this is dumb but I admit it.
 
eddalex said:
Another dumb question from an extract brewer - is all of the liquor supposed to go into the end of the braided hose or is the hose made of braid only and some of it goes through the braid?

I know this is dumb but I admit it.


Think of the braided hose as a strainer and you'll get the idea. Its on the bottom of a "something"... cooler.. keg... container of some sort. All the grain is in this container with the braided hose on the bottom. So you have to ge the liquid from this container with all the grain in it to your brewpot. This "strainer" is feed to a hole on the bottom that is attached to either plumbing or tubbing which is in turn goes to the brewpot. Once it gets to the brewpot then things are pretty much like you and I do with extract brewing (usuallly though we are dealing with 2 or 3 gals as aposed to an AG who usually deals with a full boil ... or anywhere from 5 to 10ish gals).

You dont have to have a braided hose either. The system I am making is a false bottom system. Many people have manifolds made of copper tubbing with slots along it. They all do the same thing... strain the wort so you get get it to the brewpot.
 
Looks like you used just a rubber stopper to seal the tap hole. Is it good enough? No leaks? Did you glue it in?
 
I am happy with extract/grain right now but I know down the road I will be doing all grain, its cool to see others techniques and the more I learn the less difficult all grain brewing seems to be.
 
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