1st all grain batch

[dodeebryan]

I will be doing my first all grain batch soon. Trying to get all equipment lined up. Mash tun... I have a 120 qt igloo cooler in my barn is like to use since I already own it. Is it too large for a 5 gallon batch? Will I have significant heat loss due to the empty space above the grain bed and below the lid?

 

[Varmintman]

I have a large cooler that I used for big batches and then tried it for smaller ones. I fought to keep the mash temp up for the hour and then would get stuck sparges because the grain bed was not deep enough. I gave up and got a smaller cooler and all my problems went away

 

[dodeebryan]

Thanks for quick response. What about a 5-10 gal round cooler. Better idea. For 5 gallon batches. I do plan on doing larger batches in near future. Just want to get my feet wet in all grain before going a little bigger

 

[kombat]

Or you could just brew bigger batches ....

 

[Varmintman]

Thanks for quick response. What about a 5-10 gal round cooler. Better idea. For 5 gallon batches. I do plan on doing larger batches in near future. Just want to get my feet wet in all grain before going a little bigger

Depends on how big a beer you want to brew. I would go for the ten gallon round one and then get a bit of that blue foam and cut it into a circle to drop on top of the grain bed to keep it warm. But if you are only planning smaller gravity batches then a 5 gallon one would work just fine.

For me I try and keep the grain bill around 9 pounds which gives me a low alcohol beer. A small cooler works better for me because the grain bed is deeper and the sparges cleaner and do not stick.

Just remember that you need to find what works for you. There are a ton of different ways to get to the end and finding the one that works best for you is half the fun

 

[dodeebryan]

Ok good info. Will be making a Sierra Nevada clone Has around 11-12 lbs of grain. If you use 9 lbs and call that a smaller beer. Where does this fall on the big-small beer scale?

 

[Varmintman]

Well depending on how much strike water you use. Most folks use between a quart and a quarter to a quart and a half strike water per pound of grain. With the added mass of the grain I would think that would be the limit on a 5 gallon mash tun.

I use 9 pounds of grain for a 6 gallon batch and end up with a starting gravity of around 1.040 or so. Depending on the yeast and mash temp that equals roughly 3.5 to 4% abv. I love to drink beer but hate ending up on my lips drunk so I brew a light beer.

To be honest I do not know how big my cooler is right now but I am guessing it is a 5 gallon rectangular one. I know with the grain and water I have to fill it to the brim 2 to get enough wort for a 6 gallon batch by batch sparging.

That is another thing you will learn as well. Every set up is different and you will learn what works best in yours. I do not measure water any more because I KNOW where I have to be in the cooler and boil pot to get my 6 gallons.

Heck man I think the best thing to do would be find someone who is a AG brewer and watch them brew a batch. You can see what they do and what works for them and most important get a good idea on what you want to do. Some folks swear by fly sparging and others batch sparging. Some brew in a bag as well. All threw are AG but completely different

 

[chuckda4th]

I haven't tried it myself, but I've heard of people filling the empty space in their mash tuns with styrofoam/blankets to help slow the heat loss.

Worth a shot if you don't want to invest in a new cooler.

 

[MollyHatchet]

Good question, don't mean to hi-jack the thread, but I am about to go all grain, and put together a 70 qt Coleman Extreme cooler, but will only start out with 5 gallon batches. I was wondering if heat loss, or stuck sparges will be an issue? I went with that larger cooler with the anticipation of mostly brewing 10 gallon in the future.