60 qt igloo ice cube MLT

did a search but all the topics regarding this cooler were somewhat old...

picked it up today for $26 at wal-mart being i couldn't find anything at the size and narrower dimensions for any cheaper.

wondering who uses/has used this cooler for an MLT; and what everyone thinks. noticed the pre-installed spigot is at an angle and think i've managed to to maybe leave half a quart at the bottom. just might have to get a larger nipple to make it more water-tight.

also posted this in DIY, i will keep my eyes on both.

any response is well appreciated

 

I had one on my last brewery and liked it a lot. I removed the wheels and used the axle to make a tippy-dump style MLT. My stand was a Gorilla Rack boltless rack system.

Rather than deal with the odd angles, i just drilled a new hole through the side for the valve. I just left the drain in place and never messed with it.

 

Derrin - I love the tippy idea! thanks!!

 

I use this cooler as my MLT & find that it does not maintain mash temp. very well even when pre-heated. Anyone else have this issue?

 

Agreed. I use a 60qt as well. I have had no problem holding mash temp for my 10 gal batch, but as soon as i went to a 5gal batch, I had all sorts of cooling issues over the hr mash the first time i tried it. The second 5 gal batch mashed in it got a layer of tin foil on top of the grains. That really helped maintain temps for a smaller mash volume.

a 60 qt cooler, no matter the shape, has a heck of a lot of deadspace when mashing for a 5 gal batch. I'm sure that's the issue.

 

I have a similar igloo cooler that I tried to use for an HLT. These things are poorly insulated and you'll be struggling to maintain mash temperature without some insulation.

 

think i might return it and pay the premium for a rubbermaid 10 gallon...

BUMMER!

 

My last 5gal batch (brewed yesterday) was mashed in the Igloo (60qt). I preheated it and added a layer of plastic wrap over the mash after dough in. I lost only 2 degrees over the 65min mash as oppsed to the double digit losses I experienced before.

 

With Igloo I think you should probably stay with their MaxiCold stuff. It will hold temps, the rest can be iffy.

 

just in case anyone else still has problems with their igloo holding temps, here's what i did to mine and it works like a charm now. haven't lost a degree in the last two 5 gallon AG batches. i know it would cost the same to just buy a nicer cooler, but i had a gift certificate from lowe's, so I just thought the reflective insulation was worth a try. plus, i'd already done all the drilling, made the manifold, etc on the cooler and didn't want to go through it again... anyway, here's a shot of it:



i also use a fitted piece of 1" foamboard insulation to sit atop the mash to help hold the heat in. i used only that before, it helped, but it all clicked once i added the reflective insulation.

 

I've been using this cooler for awhile - no extra insulation but I'm not seeing any significant losses during mash in 5 gallon batches - although it does take about 10 minutes after mash in for the temperatures to equalize.

 

I looked at the Igloo 48 qt. Ice Cube at Target ($21+tax), and it was cheap enough, but from thumping it, I could detect NO insulation in either the walls or the lid. Also, it had NO drain. I passed on that one (never saw a 60 qt....) and drove a half-mile to Home Depot and bought the Rubbermaid HD-logoed 10 gal. cylindrical cooler for $42 tax included. The lid didn't have any insulation (which is understandable, since they are coolers, and cold doesn't rise like heat does), so I drilled some holes on the underside and insulated the lid with that Great Stuff (stuff) in a can. Before I insulated the lid, I'd cover it with a blanket, which would get pretty warm, indicating a good amount of heat escaping during the mash. We'll see what happens now; I haven't brewed since I insulated the lid. With the blanket, I'd lose 3-4 degrees in an hour; not too bad. I'm also using a block of foam to insulate the brass spigot.

Now that you've purchased the cooler, you might want to try the spray can insulation dodge to help it hold the heat better.....

 

thanks for mentioning that, spraying in foam was one of the first things i did with it.

 

I'm in a 60Q as well, but a larger rectangle. I recently scored a 5G igloo I plan on using for my lower to mid gravity 5G batches, reserving the bigger one for the 10G/Hightest 5G batches. It just seemed easier than having to wrestle with a 4" grain bed...

 

I use the 60Q Ice Cube. The biggest problem with it is the hollow lid, and the dead space above the grain. The hollow lid is fine for storing cold items, but is terrible for hot items.

On my last brew session, I wrapped the inside of the lid with aluminum foil, and cut a piece of styrofoam insulation to fit just above the mash. I virtually lowered the lid to about one or two inches above the mash.

With the improvements, my temperature loss was less than two degrees. Much better than the seven degree loss I was getting before.

I have since made a lid out of styro insulation. It will be at least three weeks before I get to try it out.

 

I sprayed "stuff" in the lid on mine and I cover it with my 20*F rated sleeping bag. I lose maybe 1 degree in a 60 minute mash on a 5 gal batch, and 9 degrees in an overnight (7 hr) mash. I love it.