Which cooler should I use for my Mash Tun/HLT?

[Chavi]

After years of brewing partial mash, I am FINALLY moving to all grain. I just finished getting my electronic brewing controller built and have almost everything I need. I have 2 coolers which will serve as my MLT and HLT. One cooler is a 10 gallon circular drinking cooler and the other one is a square 62 quart coleman xtreme cooler. Which do you think would be best to use as the Mash Tun? Thanks in advance!

 

[Yooper]

After years of brewing partial mash, I am FINALLY moving to all grain. I just finished getting my electronic brewing controller built and have almost everything I need. I have 2 coolers which will serve as my MLT and HLT. One cooler is a 10 gallon circular drinking cooler and the other one is a square 62 quart coleman xtreme cooler. Which do you think would be best to use as the Mash Tun? Thanks in advance!

How are you circulating the water in the HLT? That's how I'd decide which to use for each purpose. If you're stirring the HLT with a stirrer, or recirculating by a pump, etc, that can help you decide which vessel would be more appropriate for which. Also, how you sparge plays a role. If you're fly sparging, you'd probably want the round cooler with a false bottom for the MLT.

 

[Chavi]

I will be circulating the HLT with a stirrer and batch spaging for now.

 

[Yooper]

I will be circulating the HLT with a stirrer and batch spaging for now.

In that case, you'd probably find it easier to use the round cooler for the HLT and the rectangular one for the MLT. It might be hard to stir a rectangular HLT.

 

[Chavi]

Good point, I hadn't considered that. Thank you for the info yooper!