Help me with my cooler choice

[trailblazer]

I just got paid today and want to get a cooler to go all grain. My work sells a rubber maid 5 gallon round cooler and a rubbermaid 10 gallon square marine cooler. Im going to be batch sparging so does it matter what size i get? I would prefer the smaller 5 gallon one because of its size but can i do a five gallon batch in that thing? maybee i could cut the recipee in half and do two batch sparges but that would take forever and by the time i got finished boiling the wort id be drunk. what do you guys think? any expieriance would be helpfull.

 

[chuggs]

I've got the 5 gal rubbermaid round drink cooler...it works fine for 5 gal batches...so long as your grain bill isn't something enormous. If you're going for the 4.5 -5.5 % abv beers...then you'll do fine. But if you're trying to make a BarleyWine with a very high original gravity...then you'll need more room for the grains. I use a rectantular 40 qt cooler for 10 gal batches or higher gravity beers.

Enjoy!

 

[Buffman]

Get the bigger one. A 5-gallon cooler will limit your brews to lower-gravity beers. If you're batch sparging, cooler shape is inconsequential.

 

[s3n8]

go for the 10 gallon square, otherwise you will be limited to relatively small gravity brews (maybe ok by you). I have a 10 gallon cooler. I tried to do a 10 gallon batch, and overflowed it.

 

[wilserbrewer]

I've used a 28 qt rectangular. Kind of a tweener b/w a 5 and ten galllon cooler and a nice size for a 5 gallon batch. I prefer the rectangular coolers for batch sparging.

 

[frogfree]

go with the 10 gallon cooler. You'll be happier with it.

 

[carnevoodoo]

go with the 10 gallon cooler. You'll be happier with it.

+1
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[zman]

Go for the Coleman Xtreme 70 qt. I do both big beers and small and this cooler can do it all

 

[pksmitty]

I'm looking into coolers too. Opinions on 50 qt Igloo Ice Cube??? Only $20 @ Target. Seems big enough for any 5 gallon and all but the biggest 10 gallon batches.

 

[adx]

I'm looking into coolers too. Opinions on 50 qt Igloo Ice Cube??? Only $20 @ Target. Seems big enough for any 5 gallon and all but the biggest 10 gallon batches.

A couple people have used that. Some say it's fine, some say it can't keep temps.

Currently I use a 5 gallon round Igloo that I got for a steal. I also have a 40 qt rectangulare that I'm slowly turning into a tun. I'm always hesitant to use it since I have my processes dialed in on the 5 gallon.

 

[artguy]

I'm looking into coolers too. Opinions on 50 qt Igloo Ice Cube??? Only $20 @ Target. Seems big enough for any 5 gallon and all but the biggest 10 gallon batches.

I was looking at that one online as well (great price for the size!), but I can't tell whether it has a spigot/drain or not. Do you know?

 

[Pappers_]

I've got the 5 gal rubbermaid round drink cooler...it works fine for 5 gal batches...so long as your grain bill isn't something enormous. If you're going for the 4.5 -5.5 % abv beers...then you'll do fine. But if you're trying to make a BarleyWine with a very high original gravity...then you'll need more room for the grains. I use a rectantular 40 qt cooler for 10 gal batches or higher gravity beers.

Enjoy!

What he said!

 

[Jkane101]

Go for the Coleman Xtreme 70 qt. I do both big beers and small and this cooler can do it all

After ALOT of research this is what I just orderded, and received. Go to Walmart online...I think the cooler was around 38 bucks and the shipping was a flat $4.

 

[trailblazer]

yesterday i ened up getting the 40 qourt igloo marine that says it can hold ice at 90 degrees for five days. i put a ball valve on it and a stainless braid that goes around the whole inside on a tee. total cost was 55$. doesnt leak a drop.

 

[trailblazer]

i still have enough braid to do another one and a bunch more hose clamps. maybee ill buy more tee fittings and make it have crosses in the middle?

 

[pksmitty]

I was looking at that one online as well (great price for the size!), but I can't tell whether it has a spigot/drain or not. Do you know?

I don't think it has a drain, but it's easy enough to drill one. I believe it has the groove in the bottom that leads to where a drain would be.

Do the rectangular coolers have too much area for 5 gallon batches? Would the grain bed be deep enough to filter? I've seen some people say that isn't important for batch sparging. Why is that? I thought the grain bed needed to be several inches thick to help keep the grain out of the manifold.