Should I buy this cooler setup?

I have done one extract and I have enough in bulk for several more brews. However, I just saw a CL ad for a mash and lauter tun cooler setup and I would like to do AG in the future. They are 5 gallon igloo coolers and they come with ball valves, a perforated stainless steel bottom, and a bucket lid with a sparge manifold. The seller says it's enough for 11lb grain bill and wants $40. Should I go with this or is it better to do a setup with a 10 gallon cooler? I was thinking that being able to do 10 gallons would save more money in the long run, but I don't know if this 5 gallon setup is a good deal.

 

Wait and buy a 10 gal.

 

My recommendation also.

I have a 10 gallon tun and have nearly maxed it out a couple of times for a 9-10% alcohol brew. If you want high ABV brews the 5 gallon one will leave you wanting.

added: If you want to stick with low ABV and/or less than 5 gallon batches, it seems a good deal. One ball valve itself it about $25

 

It will not be big enough for an 11 lb grain bill.

 

Totally agree with this sentiment - with one exception:

Someone's shopping in the wrong place if they think a ball valve reasonably costs $25.

 

I guess that is a little off... Depending.... A bulkhead adapter, attachment to false bottom or screen, tubing etc.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/bronze-cooler-valve-kit-w-barb

 

So all advice considered, it seems to make more sense to me to start out with a one-vessel setup - 10 gallon round cooler and BIAB. That way I would not be as limited by what I can brew, plus have more options to expand on in the future.

 

If I'm understanding you correctly, two five gallon coolers, an HLT and a MLT outfitted for fly sparging for $40 is a deal.

Mashing at 1 qt/lb a five gallon cooler should hold 16-20 lbs, and work for fly sparging.

While I would suggest a larger cooler and batch sparging, two 5 gal coolers outfitted for fly sparging for $40 seems priced right, and should make almost any 5 gallon batch IF fly sparging, no?

All that said, I would consider skipping the multiple coolers and look for a 20 gallon pot to BIAB 10 gallon batches....my honest opinion and shameless plug lol. Good luck with your decision, AG does not need to be complicated at all.

 

Yeah, that's pretty fair. I'd still lean towards Bargain Fittings or Brewers Hardware - you can get an all-stainless bulkhead, with a stainless 3-piece ball valve and connectors for a couple bucks less than that kit at NB you linked to - and save a couple more bucks if you just want to go with the 2-piece.

 

10 gallon cooler at Home Depot costs about $45 brand new. everything else you need to make it into an MLT about $25-30 if you shop around and buy the right things. Do yourself a favor and get the 10 gallon cooler. You'll save space and it will be what you wished you did later. There's a reason this dude is selling it, it was probably a pain in the ars since you either need a pump or another tier to gravity feed during sparging.

Also, don't buy things off the internet and pay for shipping if you don't have to. You can look at what they're selling you and part it out at Home Depot or ACE or a local hardware store. Obviously this is my opinion and I really like hardware stores and pretending like I know what I'm doing so take it FWIW.

 

I prefer to use an Igloo 52 quart rectangular cooler. They cost about $20. Add in the parts to convert it and you will be less money than a 10 gallin Rubbermaid cooler.

 

I use 2 kettles, a 10G and a 15G. Plus a $3 used rectangular cooler from the recycling yard for mashing in via BIAB.
BIAB in the cooler couldn't be easier, and great efficiency with batch sparging. I'm really in no hurry at all to move away from BIAB.
If doing a 5G batch then I boil in the 10G kettle and use the 15G kettle for heating sparge water. Or the other way around for 10G batches. Don't have ball valves or any of that flash stuff on my kettles. If I had more $$$ to work with I'd go for better gear but on a budget this is a great flexible setup.

 

One additional suggestion, that's already been at least hinted at above: if you plan to make BIG beers, consider going with an even larger, rectangular cooler. I recently just about maxed out by 10 gallon cooler doing a 1.085ish barley wine. I've also brewed with buddies a time or two where the 10 gallon MLT forced us to either brew at a lower gravity or brew only enough for us to each take 3-4 gallons. Make sure to consider as closely as you can what you plan to do with the MLT and then size it accordingly.

 

Igloo coolers are superior at holding the heat than the Rubbermaids so that's a consideration. Still, $40 is a pretty good deal and is not much sunk money to figure out what you like and don't like about that setup. It's like buying a brewing kit up front. You'll probably replace it all by the time you're 10 beers in but you will do it knowing what you want. If you buy "the best" up front, you may spend a lot of money only to want to go a different direction.

Also, if you are going to be making 5 gallon batches of normal beer, that cooler is just the right size. You don't want to be making 5 gallon batches of 1.050 beer in a 10 gallon (or more) cooler. The headspace will allow your mash to cool down real quick - much more so than the difference between a Rubbermaid and an Igloo.

Food for thought.

 

I didn't find this to be the case. I looked and found some of the parts hard to find. I would have to have bought 6 rubber washers (wanted silicon) when I only needed 2. Never found SS washers with the right hole diameter.

I did use a water heater supply line for the braid.

 

I would say the setup for sale is a good deal,but I think you will prefer a 10 gal or larger in the future. I would. Wait for a 10 gal to come up for sale or just build one when your ready.

 

My $.02 is to purchase this setup, it's only $40 and you can start using it for AG immediately. If/when you decide to get a bigger setup you'll have that one as a cheap backup. Plus you can use the 5 gal to do fly sparging if you want

 

Question for those of you using these types of systems: Will the fittings from this system fit a 10G system? because if they will then its probably worth buying just to piece out for parts when upgrading. If you get your ball valves, a perforated stainless steel bottom, and a bucket lid with a sparge manifold that are reusable it has to be worth the 40 right? Then just replace the coolers themselves and sell them off for 5 or 10 bucks each and recoup part of your cost.

 

I had similar problem finding the stainless steel washer but that's fine it's the only thing I needed to order off the internet. And I find with o-rings that I can never really have enough of those so I have a box of em. I just like to advocate going and picking things out yourself because its what I like to do and it connects you a bit more with what you're building which helps in the inevitable trouble shooting.

 

You'd need a different sized false bottom - but a guy could sell that one here for a fair price.

 

Sorry to nit pick, but a domed FB would likely work with either a 5 or a 10, for batch sparging and likely fly as well.

 

It will work, in that it will fit and will run wort. It will not however span the entire bottom of the cooler as desired/designed. Some folks would be fine with it I'm sure. If I was going to the trouble of buying a new 10g Igloo I'd probably get a false bottom that fit it properly.

(Insert argument about efficiency vs cost of grain here.)

 

I don't do the false bottom, I use a brew bag. But to kick a dead horse, a 5 gallon cooler is way to small. I run a 10 gallon cooler, for 5 gallon batches, and just did an 12 lb grain bill without issues, and it was nice. 6 gallons of water. can't do that with a 5 gallon cooler.

loving the valve compare. $12.50 form aliexpress for everything from bulkhead to valve to nipple, shipped, arrives in less than 14 days, with gaskets.

Check Lowes for the cooler, they have one sku on clearance. was around $25.00 (depends on area). Also, the brew bag is fantastic, works perfect for me.. (I am not doing bnib, basically it's my false bottom...)

 

The ability to run wort is all that really matters for batch sparging.

I guess I'm guilty of trying to cater my answers to the $$ budget of the OP. Likely someone shopping used equipment would be happy to know they may not NEED to purchase a new FB if moving to a 10 gal beverage cooler.

I would not buy a FB, as I have always preferred a braid and batch sparging. Just seems like easier to clean with no parts to install every batch. Just rinse well between uses with an occasional cleaning.

Ymmv

 

Fair enough.

 

Sorry double post

 

I literally considered suggesting to buy it for parts. Depending on what the false bottom and valves are it MIGHT be worth it. Cheap Home Depot hose that gets stuck sparges all the time isn't worth it. Using a FAT hot water hose and a two or three piece stainless ball valve and it's worth buying for parts.
YES they're interchangeable with 5 and 10 gallon. I doubt iglo makes a different sized spigot/fill valve/whatever you call the white thing. Worst case you spend a couple bucks buying a brass valve and sell the cooler for $10 after taking good parts off it.
Two five gallon coolers will be fine to start brewing all grain with but shortly you'll want to brew bigger beers and have to adjust brewing unless you're good with the current limits being permanent.