48 qt vs. 70 qt mash-ton

48 qt is $21.00 and the 70 Qt is $39.00
The question is I already have a 15 gal boil kettle.
But still do 5 gallon batches. So every once in awhile I would like to be able to to do a 10 gal batch so is 48 qt. cooler big enough ? Or would I be limited to smaller gravity beers in the 48 qt. ?

 

Really useful chart by BobbyM in this thread: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-big-your-mash-tun-needs-123585/

It depends on what you think you'll need and your system, but I'd lean toward the smaller. Less dead space should mean less heat loss. With my setup I sometimes batch sparge and sometimes fly sparge, more deadspace here lets me get all my sparge water added to the tun and focus on something else while it runs off, but I think the benefit of temp maintenance outweighs this.

 

I do all 10 gallon batches with a 48qt mash ton. Have done up to 1.080 gravities.

 

Wow. Ok great guess I will go with the 48 and save save some money. I expected everyone to lean towards the bigger one but. Good deal !!! Thanks.

Cheers and beers !!!

 

Soooo did you do the 48? and if you had it to do over again... would you do the 70? I'm fixing to do the 70 coleman extreme and am wondering how things worked out for you?
Cheers!

 

And great chart link explains it great don't know I thought I needed a 70qt. A 48 qt will do fine up to 10 gallons of a 1.060 beer is great.

 

Huh?

 

1.060 beer? What's that?

 

I just picked up the 48. So haven't used it yet. But there is a brew or two I like to brew that's about 1.080. I'll be able to do them but just limit to 5 or 6 gallons. Also I only need one keg. plus would hate tie up two kegs to age 2 months for a big beer anyway. Hope that helped

Cheers and beeeers. !!!!

 

That's the measurement of fermentables in your wort. The higher the number the bigger it and essentially the higher ABV % which 1.060 beer depending on you final gravity ( after its done fermenting ) could be up too 6% ABV

Cheers and beers

 

I'm sorry! I was being a smart ass when I asked about the " what is 1.060 beer". Was my feeble attempt to play like 1.060 was itty bitty, but it's really not. I've got a ten gallon igloo cooler I mash with, I'm thinking about going to a 70 qt Coleman. So I guess that was why I asked the original question. I already know that my ten gallon cooler is to small for a lot of beers in ten gallon batches. I've had to fortify many of them with extract during the boil to bump the ABV up where it needs to be.
Sorry for being a jackass! Thanks for the help