5.5 gal batch in 10 gallon igloo cooler heat loss?

[ekjohns]

Im going to get either a 5 gallon or 10 gallon round igloo cooler to do mostly 5.5 gal batches. I dont see me moving into 10 gal for several years when I get out of small apartments. So if I use the 10 gallon now will i have to worry about heat loss or should I just get a 5 gallon?

 

[Mustangj]

You won't have to worry about to much heat loss with the 10 gal.

Go with the 10 gal cooler.

 

[iparks81]

I use the 10 gal cooler for 5.5 gal batches ...hardly any heat loss at all. maybe 1-2 deg in 90 min.

 

[RogueVassar]

I agree with the above poster. I have only used my 10 gallon cooler for 5 gallon batches and have yet to lose more than a degree.

If you decide to do a big beer, you could need all 10 gallons...

 

[motobrewer]

10 gal! you do not want a 5 gallon mash tun. i know, i have one.

 

[Hammy71]

I wrap my 10 gallon round cooler MLT with a blanket during the mash. I'm shopping for an electric blanket to use during those cold winter days. Last winter I had to add a small amount of boiling water to keep the mash at temp half way through....but only during the winter.

 

[Nuggethead]

My ten gallon rubbermaid works great on 5.5 gallon batches. Holds temps for the whole hour and may lose 1 degree in that time. I use Beer Smith to calculate strike and infusions and my temps are usually spot on. I have a 5 gallon Rubbermaid and have never used it, don't see the need. Its also easier to stir in sparge water in a 10 gallon if you batch sparge.

 

[Limited Visibility]

I would suggest going with the 10 gallon cooler because if you try and make a "big beer" you are going to need the extra space for all those grains because a 5 gallon cooler can hold around 12lbs of grain.

 

[Yooper]

Don't bother with a 5 gallon MLT for 5 gallon batches! About the "biggest" beer you could easily do is 1.055 with that size cooler. If you get a 5 gallon, you'll be wishing you had a 10 gallon. I went back and forth before I invested in my 10 gallon cooler, because I had NO intentions of ever doing 10 gallon batches. I still rarely do 10 gallon batches, but I do have the option for "smaller" beers.

You won't lose any more heat than you would in a 5 gallon cooler, if you preheat the mash tun.

 

[OLDBREW]

Unless someone gave you a 5 gallon cooler, it is just a waist of time and money

 

[rico567]

I definitely support going with a 10 gal. cooler minimum for a 5 gallon batch, unless you know you're only going to be making beers with a moderate amount of malt, say 8-10 pounds of fermentables total.
The last batch I did was the Founder's Breakfast Stout clone listed in the Recipes section, and it maxed out my 10 gal. Rubbermaid / HD "Big Orange" cooler. My 21 # mash was within 1.5" of the top.

 

[swoody]

Just pre-heat it with some 175ish degree water and you can either let it cool to your dough in temp or empty and add your mash water at the proper temp.

 

[RogueVassar]

I just did a 7.5 lb grain batch yesterday w/my 10 gallon MT and it worked great. I had trouble at the beginning because that little water cooled down more than I thought it would when I put it in the cooler but I do that before the grain so it wasn't much of an issue and could correct before the mash. With stirring a few times in the hour it was still within a degree of what I started at.

Good luck with it!