10 gallon igloo

[frozengator]

Ok I think I will make the jump to AG this spring. I am going to get a plastic drink cooler for my mash tun. My question is, if I get a 10 gallon one and do a 5 gallon batch how good does the larger cooler keep temps on smaller batches? Or should I buy a 5 gallon one first?

 

[glugglug]

5 gallon won't be big enough.

 

[myndflyte]

Get at least a 10 gallon. If you want space to brew big beers, go for one of the rectangular ones. But you'll need at least a 10 gallon cooler for a 5 gallon batch.

 

[MagicRat]

I use a 10 gallon Igloo and stir the mash every 15 minutes and take a temperature reading. I've been amazed that my mash temp at 60 minutes has never been more than 1 or 2 degrees lower than at mash-in.
I preheat the tun with about a gallon of strike temperature water. I have found that when I mash outdoors, I seem to lose more temperature (12-14F) from the strike water than when I conduct the mash indoors (10-12F). This is despite the fact that I live in Florida and am often brewing outdoors in 90F+ heat. Just an observation I've made and have learned to take into consideration.
Good luck!

 

[madscientist451]

I use a 5 gallon cooler and mash 5 gallon batches in it but there are limitations.
I just did a brew last night and with 11.5 lbs of grains and 4 gallons of strike water is was pretty full.
I do a lot of experimental 3-4 gallon batches and it works fine for that. 5 gallon batches work OK until you want to go to higher gravity brews.
If I reduce the water/grain ratio to 1 qt/lb, I can mash about 14.5 lbs and not spill when I stir it. That's not an ideal situation, but it can be done. The 5 gallon cooler is less money, and maybe is a little easier to rinse out using the kitchen sink, but the 10 gallon cooler is really the better choice as it gives you more options.
I just added a spigot, a stainless steel 90 degree elbow pointed down and a BIAB bag and it works fine.

 

[porterpounder]

Get the 10 gallon. Depending on batch size your options are much greater and it holds temps just fine half full if that is the case for your batch.

 

[frozengator]

Get the 10 gallon. Depending on batch size your options are much greater and it holds temps just fine half full if that is the case for your batch.

Thats more of what I was wondering

 

[motosapiens]

i was concerned about the same thing. I preheat the cooler by heating the strike water 6 or so degrees above the strike temp, dump it in the cooler, cover it and let it be for 5 mins. i'm usually pretty darned close to strike temp after that, but if it's a degree or two high i just stir for a minute or so. I always check the temp before I sparge, and I am not able to discern any temperature loss in a half-full cooler after 1 hour. It might be 1 degree less, but it might not.

 

[Wildcat_Brewing]

If you batch sparge a rectangular cooler works great, go with 10 gallon round if fly sparging.

 

[jerbrew]

I've been doing 5 gallon batches in my 10 gal igloo for a few years with just a braided house batch sparging. As long as you preheat the MT you're golden. I usually add about 180 degree water put the lid on and wait 10 minutes then go about setting up other stuff. I then take the lid off wait till I get to my strike temp ( stirring and a bit of ice) add grains, stir, and put the lid on. I installed a thermometer I can't remember the name of so I don't have to take the lid off. My temp is stable. Maybe 1 degree over an hour. Only way I'd replace it would be to go to electric and larger batches.

 

[Spartan1979]

I almost always do 5 gallon batches in a 10 gallon water cooler. My cooler is 20+ years old. Don't bother with a 5 gallon cooler.

 

[KeninMN]

I use a 5 gallon cooler and mash 5 gallon batches in it but there are limitations.
I just did a brew last night and with 11.5 lbs of grains and 4 gallons of strike water is was pretty full.
I do a lot of experimental 3-4 gallon batches and it works fine for that. 5 gallon batches work OK until you want to go to higher gravity brews.
If I reduce the water/grain ratio to 1 qt/lb, I can mash about 14.5 lbs and not spill when I stir it. That's not an ideal situation, but it can be done. The 5 gallon cooler is less money, and being and maybe is a little easier to rinse out using the kitchen sink, but the 10 gallon cooler is really the better choice as it gives you more options.
I just added a spigot, a stainless steel 90 degree elbow pointed down and a BIAB bag and it works fine.

I started all grain brewing by mashing in a bag in a 5-gallon cooler because I got the cooler for $12 at Menards and a mesh bag from Northern Brewer for $5 instead of buying the Fermentors Favorite Essential All Grain Brewing Starter Kit for $199. According to The Green Bay Rackers https://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml you can mash approximately 12.7 lbs of grain at a mash thickness of 1.25 qt/lb in a 5-gallon cooler, but I've done over 13 lbs before. It's tight, and if you don't do multiple sparges your efficiency sucks, which is why I eventually bought a 10 gallon round Rubbermaid cooler from Home Depot when they went on sale for $44. I still use the 5-gallon cooler for lower to moderate ABV beers because if you minimize head space you also minimize heat loss over the mash time. Plus it's lighter and less cumbersome when lifting it and placing it on my patio cart/brewing stand prior to draining into the boil kettle.

 

[ChocolateMaltyBalls]

When I used to mash in a 10 gallon igloo beverage cooler I would put a put a piece of foil on the top of the mash, it helped hold mash temp a lot better than you'd think. Also definitely preheat, and skip the 5gallon cooler you'll eventually upgrade anyway.

 

[dsaavedra]

I use a 10 gallon igloo cooler for 5 gallon batches, my mashes typically fill the cooler slightly over halfway. What I do is heat my strike water 10 or 12 degrees above my target, dump it all in the cooler and wait 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the cooler is pre-heated and the water inside is close to my desired strike temperature (if it's not on target, add ice water or boiling water to adjust).

The center of my mash doesn't even lose a tenth of a degree after a 60 minute rest according to my digital thermometer. The mash near the edges of may be 1-2 degrees cooler than dough-in.

 

[martiniw2olives]

And buy a false bottom, you won't regret.

 

[redarmy990]

if you have a sams club membership there igloo 10 gallon cooler is selling foraround $48, online offer only in my area