Stainless Steel MLT

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vsiddhartha

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I've been brewing AG now for 5 years using a Coleman Xtreme cooler with a bazooka screen as my MLT. I would like to switch to a stainless steel MLT. What are my options? I typically brew 5 to 10 gallon batches, single infusion, batch sparge, with the occasional decoction.

I was thinking about using a Sanke keg, but have 4 concerns: inconvenient dimensions (tall and narrow), lots of deadspace, volume-limited (some bigger 10-gal batch mashes may not fit), no insulation.

Note: This is cross-posted on NB...thought I would tap the experts here as well. Thanks.
 
vsiddhartha said:
I was thinking about using a Sanke keg, but have 4 concerns: inconvenient dimensions (tall and narrow), lots of deadspace, volume-limited (some bigger 10-gal batch mashes may not fit), no insulation.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about a sanke (commercial beer keg) or a corny (homebrew keg)?
 
vsiddhartha said:
Sanke. 15.5-gallon commercial beer keg with the top cut out. I currently use them for my HLT and kettle.
Click to expand...

Ok. I got confused by your "tall and narrow" comment. I would not describe a 15.5 gallon sanke as "tall and narrow". In fact, it's pretty similar to the round 10 gallon cooler I have been using for several years, except that it's wider on the inside than the cooler is.

Deadspace can be handled with a proper dip-tube in the thing, but I do have a false bottom in my current MLT and I plan to just move that into the sanke. There will not be a lot of space under it that I can't suck out through the diptube and ball valve.

I am just about to convert such a sanke into an MLT. I usually do 5 gallon batches, sometimes I do 10 gallon batches, and the 10 gallon cooler I currently use has been able to make some 1.060+ 10 gallon batches, so a 15.5 gallon shouldn't have any problem with some high octane 10 gallons, I wouldn't think.

Insulation wise, you can wrap some reflectix insulation around the outside or a water heater blanket. Some folks have used some kind of foam from MaMaster-Carr. I use a HERMS system, so I am not so concerned about the insulation aspect, but I'm still going to wrap it with reflectix.
 
Also, on the dead-space issue, you can cut the bottom off the Sanke and utilize the spear opening as a bottom drain. By hooking up a tri-clamp fitting to it, and using a false bottom, you have 0 dead space in the MLT.
 
Walker said:
Ok. I got confused by your "tall and narrow" comment. I would not describe a 15.5 gallon sanke as "tall and narrow". In fact, it's pretty similar to the round 10 gallon cooler I have been using for several years, except that it's wider on the inside than the cooler is.

Deadspace can be handled with a proper dip-tube in the thing, but I do have a false bottom in my current MLT and I plan to just move that into the sanke. There will not be a lot of space under it that I can't suck out through the diptube and ball valve.

I am just about to convert such a sanke into an MLT. I usually do 5 gallon batches, sometimes I do 10 gallon batches, and the 10 gallon cooler I currently use has been able to make some 1.060+ 10 gallon batches, so a 15.5 gallon shouldn't have any problem with some high octane 10 gallons, I wouldn't think.

Insulation wise, you can wrap some reflectix insulation around the outside or a water heater blanket. Some folks have used some kind of foam from MaMaster-Carr. I use a HERMS system, so I am not so concerned about the insulation aspect, but I'm still going to wrap it with reflectix.
Click to expand...
Good ideas on the insulation front. By "tall and narrow" I meant relative to the rectangular cooler I currently use. I was thinking doughing in and breaking up balls would be harder in the Sanke due to it being taller and narrower than a rectangular cooler. Also, the way my runnings go now toward the end, I'm not sure I could keep a flooded suction on the dip tube to prevent losing the siphon and leaving a bunch of wort in the MLT.
 
Ace_Club said:
Also, on the dead-space issue, you can cut the bottom off the Sanke and utilize the spear opening as a bottom drain. By hooking up a tri-clamp fitting to it, and using a false bottom, you have 0 dead space in the MLT.
Click to expand...
Tell me more...have you done this, and did you need to make a stand for the keg to elevate it?
 
vsiddhartha said:
Tell me more...have you done this, and did you need to make a stand for the keg to elevate it?
Click to expand...

I have not done this. I am currently using a Coleman Xtreme 70 qt. with a SS braid.

I seriously considered doing this when I read this thread. The idea is the same for a bottom-drain MLT. I liked the idea of 0 dead-space in the MLT.

The reason I did not go this route is that I am pretty sure I will go to a single-tier, direct-fire MLT system at some point in the future. Having a bottom-drain MLT would not allow direct-firing of the MLT with a propane burner.
 

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