30$ 5 gallon MLT

All parts from Home Depot.
1- 3/4" to 1/2" female adapter 3.50
1- 1/2" copper end cap- .75
1- 8 3/8" 1/2" copper pipe- 1.00
1- 5 gallon Rubbermaid cooler- 19.99
1- bottling bucket spigot- 5.00

Remove drink dispensing spigot, replace with bottling bucket spigot.
Cut pipe no more than half way through every 1/2" alternating top to bottom. Clean well, place cap on pipe, place pipe in female adapter, screw onto bottling bucket spigot.

 

That's pretty damn nifty. Nice job.

 

NOOB here. What is that for? I assume it is for bottling.

 

It is a mash tun used to mash grains for all-grain brewing.

 

Oh. Ok.

Could I use the cooler for fermenting if I plugged the spiggot and drilled a hole in the lid for an airlock/vent?

Bill

 

Don't see why not, it's food grade, but why not just use an ale pail?

Besides, fermentation is exothermic, and most new brewers have trouble keeping their fermenting beer COLD enough, (like, sub 70 degrees). With a cooler, the heat management would be even more extreme, unless you are fermenting in your garage. (Even then, in SC, not that cold). I think you'd have a lot of troubles keeping your beer below 70F in a cooler during active fermentation, get an ale pail.

 

Ok. Thanks for the info. That is a cool project.

Bill

 

Hope this works for you. I tried one of these bottling bucket spigots on my mash tun, and it leaked badly when I was vorlaufing and transferring to the BK. I ended up going with brass nipple/ball valve. Good luck.

 

It works great for me. No leaks. Yet any way- I have only used it 3 times. Was looking at the stainless braid and it seemed to flimsy.

 

You done good.
If you ever need to make a new manifold, try making the cuts on the bottom side only and no more than 1/3 of the way through. You will get a better siphoning action and leave less wort in the "dead space" at the bottom of your MLT.

 

Good idea.

 

curious why some people use copper....personally ive worked with it in my job before and i hate the residue it leaves on my hands and wouldnt that have an effect on the wort

 

Copper has its benefits for many people. It's easily worked with for those with the tools in their garage. Easy to cut, easy to solder, and typically cheaper than stainless. While it may have a residue at first, if you clean it well before use with soap and water you should be fine.

I've never had a problem with my copper wort chiller.