Warped mash tun

[subourbonite]

I built a mash tun using FlyGuy's instructions, and brewed my first all-grain batch on Monday. Had a few problems, including the cap coming out of the end of the braid, but the beer is fermenting away now. After emptying and cleaning the mash tun, I noticed that the inside of the plastic cooler is warping away from the outside, causing a bubble on one side. Is this normal? If not, is there any way to fix it, or should I return the Rubbermaid cooler and get a different one (or is there another kind of cooler I should be using?)

 

[Professor Frink]

My cooler does the same thing, but I've done at least 10 all-grain brews and it hasn't gotten any worse. I think the coolers are rated for cold and not heat, but as long as the plastic isn't melting, which it shouldn't at mash temp, I think you're ok.

 

[bradsul]

I had some warping in my HLT the first time I used it. It hasn't gotten any worse since then (about 20 batches now) so I haven't bothered worrying about it.

 

[subourbonite]

Great, thanks for the responses, guys. That puts my mind at ease for my next batch this weekend.

I'm sure this is asked on a regular basis, but does anyone have any low-to-medium gravity (1.030 - 1.050) recipe suggestions for a second AG batch? I was thinking about maybe doing a blonde ale of some sort. It took me 12 lbs of grain to hit 5.25 gallons of 1.048 on my first batch, and I'm hoping to improve my efficiency, but am trying to keep the gravity down so that it's easier to add some base malt to compensate for my poor efficiency (and hopefully get the efficiency up).

 

[Bobby_M]

You didn't put boiling water in there did you? I totally mangled my cooler that way. Ever since I've limited the temp to 180, I've been OK.

 

[subourbonite]

You didn't put boiling water in there did you? I totally mangled my cooler that way. Ever since I've limited the temp to 180, I've been OK.

No, the warmest water I put in was 168F for lautering. My strike water was 164F for a target mash temp of 152F (I was excited to hit it dead on!).

 

[bradsul]

Poke through the recipe database and you'll find some I'm sure. I know there is at least one in the English pale ale section that is around 1.040.

 

[Professor Frink]

If you like an English Bitter, I recently made one that was real good:

Grain/Extract/Sugar

% Amount Name Origin Potential SRM
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
54.5 6.00 lbs. Maris Otter Great Britain 1.038 3
9.1 1.00 lbs. Pale Malt(2-row) Great Britain 1.038 3
4.5 0.50 lbs. Crystal 40L America 1.034 40
31.8 3.50 lbs. Munich Malt Belgium 1.038 8

Potential represented as SG per pound per gallon.


Hops

Amount Name Form Alpha IBU Boil Time
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.50 oz. Challenger Pellet 8.00 19.3 60 min.
0.50 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 4.75 10.3 45 min.
0.50 oz. Challenger Pellet 8.00 9.8 30 min.
0.50 oz. Goldings - E.K. Pellet 4.75 3.1 15 min.
0.25 oz. Cascade Pellet 5.75 1.2 5 min.


Yeast
-----

WYeast 1968 London Extra Special Bitter

The SG was 1.047, it fermented out real quickly. Single infusion with mash temp at 153 is good for this one. You can cut out the pale malt and a little munich to lower the SG if you want.

 

[BierMuncher]

Great, thanks for the responses, guys. That puts my mind at ease for my next batch this weekend.

I'm sure this is asked on a regular basis, but does anyone have any low-to-medium gravity (1.030 - 1.050) recipe suggestions for a second AG batch? I was thinking about maybe doing a blonde ale of some sort. It took me 12 lbs of grain to hit 5.25 gallons of 1.048 on my first batch, and I'm hoping to improve my efficiency, but am trying to keep the gravity down so that it's easier to add some base malt to compensate for my poor efficiency (and hopefully get the efficiency up).

Check out my SWMBO Slayer Belgian Blonde recipe.

Fantastically smooth, crisp and very drinkable. Non hop beer drinkers really like it and it’s gotten good reviews from the HBT crowd who’ve brewed it.

 

[desertbronze]

My cooler warped the first time I used it. Still working well after 30 batches. RDWHAHB

 

[Muss]

MMM that SWMBO slayer looks nice!

Edwort's haus pale ale is awesome and a really easy AG.

 

[Professor Frink]

I just brewed Ed Wort's AG Haus Pale Ale last night. It's bubbling away, I can't wait for this one!