crappy cooler mash tun, help!!

[edecambra]

I got a free cooler from Dicks sports and made tun out of it but the damn thing looses more heat than my Aluminum kettle. It is the 20 dollar rectangular type. What type of coolers do you all find to be better at retaining heat, that don't cost 60+ bucks.

 

[mux]

get this
10-Gallon Water Cooler Orange Jug-FG1610HDORAN at The Home Depot

and this
COOLER bulkhead kit

 

[mux]

Or being that you live in Florida, only brew in the summer- and just mash outside.

 

[edecambra]

Ha! I like the idea of having more space than 10 gallons, as I often do no sparge brewing, I know everyone uses those round gott coolers though, must be for a reason.....

 

[mux]

try this. if you need more than 30 gallons a cooler is probably not going to work for you.
Coleman Xtreme 120 Quart Cooler - Walmart.com

 

[weirdboy]

I have used a 60qt Igloo Ice Cube for several years. Holds temp well.

 

[Mike_M]

I also use an Igloo Ice Cube as my MLT. My mash temps are very stable, even brewing outside in ~30℉ weather. Mine is the 48 qt size, which can be had for about $25.

 

[edecambra]

I might just look for this ice cube cooler then, 25 bucks is cheap enough. Maybe I'm just impatient too, as I've brewed only once with this new cooler, I'll give it another go and see if it is still loosing too much heat, and see what I can get on C-list too.

Thanks for your suggestions everyone,

 

[ETCS]

I have a 15 Gallon Coleman Extreme. Brewed last weekend. It was 15 degrees in the garage and I lost a degree over an hour. Great Cooler.

 

[Kmcogar]

I just bought a 50quart Coleman xtreme at Walmart for $30 plus tax. I thought it was a fair deal. I can't wait to use it. Oh and I've heard these work well

 

[res291que]

Try this on for size, bought a $2 cooler at a yard sale and it kept dropping temp of my mash, so I used some reflective bubble wrap and now it holds great. Last brew lost less than 2 degrees in over an hour.

 

[hmmmbeer]

Also, make sure you are getting the cooler to temp before mashing, I noticed a huge difference from when I heat the cooler up first and when i dont... both in the first part of the temp adjustment and when I'm holding the mash at temp. That reflective bubble wrap is a good one too.

 

[wilserbrewer]

PREHEAT the cooler! Even the cheapest of coolers hold heat fairly well if thoroughly preheated. Also give the mash a few minutes to stabilize after doughing in.