MLT for 2.5 gal experiments

[Ravenshead]

Okay, my pipeline is in pretty good shape for now so I'd like to experiment on some brews I'm not familiar with. In fact, I've never even tasted a commercial version of the brews in question --pumpkin ale and saison. As such, I'd like to do a couple 2.5-ish experimental batches. I'm worried that my MLT may be too big for the job.

It's a standard 48 qt rectangular cooler with a copper manifold. I have several sheets of foam board to fill the extra head space to maintain temp temps. I'm just not sure if I'll have enough of a grain bed to filter the mash.

I'm looking at 5.5 lbs of grain for the pumpkin (sans pumpkin and rice hulls) and about 7 lbs for the Saison.

Can I use my standard MLT?

 

[COLObrewer]

I don't see why not, unless you have problems draining with your current manifold. I say brew on!

 

[brewstaedt]

I just brewed a 2.5 gal batch using a 10 gal rubbermaid MLT. Didn't use anything to reduce headspace, and it held my mash temp. just fine. Didn't seem to have more husk than a normal 5 gal batch during vorlauf.

 

[badmajon]

Personally I say get a 5 gallon cooler from lowes and mash in a paint strainer bag (just do no-sparge and lift the grains out of the wort), they sell them for like 25-30 bucks. The reason being is that foam board will invariably flake off and you'll get that crap in your beer. It's a mess... been there done that.

 

[Ravenshead]

I'll just use what I have then. I'd rather not have to store yet another specialized piece of equipment.

badmajon,
I haven't had much trouble with pieces flaking off. The ones that do float on top and get filtered out along with the rest of the husks. I used to lose about 4-5 degrees and hour, now it's about 1.