60qt Ice Cube at Walmart

[bigben]

Picked myself up a 60 qt ice cube at walmart tonight for 21.67!! Woot! Gonna use this for my MLT.

Now can anyone guide me as to how I can make a manifold for this? I dont think I can use a braid because the spigot is on an angle. Please correct me of I'm wrong, but I think the best way to go is with a manifold.

Does anyone have pics or a list of parts or anything like that? Oh I'm most likely going to use CPVC due to cost and I have no way to weld.

Thanks!

 

[BierMuncher]

Go here.8 9 10

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

Picked myself up a 60 qt ice cube at walmart tonight for 21.67!! Woot! Gonna use this for my MLT.

Now can anyone guide me as to how I can make a manifold for this? I dont think I can use a braid because the spigot is on an angle. Please correct me of I'm wrong, but I think the best way to go is with a manifold.

Does anyone have pics or a list of parts or anything like that? Oh I'm most likely going to use CPVC due to cost and I have no way to weld.

Thanks!

Got the same one... I use the braid and it works fine... however i used a copper water heater supply line to keep the braid on the lowest part and keep it from floating... I get 75% (78% earlier today) with it batch sparging... I used the rubber gasket from my bottling bucket spigot to create a water proof seal between that and a threaded brass/copper piece, from there i soldered a 45* copper angle to it and then attached (through fittings) a brass ball valve... I don't lose much, if any, fluid to the cooler, just the grains.

I'll get some pics later, it's not pretty but it works. (Note: mainly not pretty because i sucked at soldering and had to improvise other ways to ensure it was soldered, and i broke the supply line because i'm an idiot, but it works very well...)

 

[bigben]

so are you telling me to get a 10 gallon round cooler?

Ive read flyguys tutorial and stuff but I dont think it'll work with the ice cube that I got. Its got wheels and the spigot is on a 45 degree angle on the I side.

On a side note, is this cooler just too big for 5 gallon batches?? I'll be batch sparging.

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

so are you telling me to get a 10 gallon young cooler?

Ive read flyguys tutorial and stuff but I dont think it'll work with the ice cube that I got. Its got wheels and the spigot is on a 45 degree angle on the I side.

On a side note, is this cooler just too big for 5 gallon batches?? I'll be batch sparging.

It's not too big at all... However make sure you preheat well... What i do is say the temp you need to strike at is 153*F and you need to water to be 163*F (1.6qt/lb) I take it all the way up to 175* close the lid and let it sit for a good 10 minutes... I come back and check the temp, it should be around 165*F, then i dough in... I've hit my temps every time and they stay constant after a good pre-heat...

 

[bigben]

It's not too big at all... However make sure you preheat well... What i do is say the temp you need to strike at is 153*F and you need to water to be 163*F (1.6qt/lb) I take it all the way up to 175* close the lid and let it sit for a good 10 minutes... I come back and check the temp, it should be around 165*F, then i dough in... I've hit my temps every time and they stay constant after a good pre-heat...

cool, thanks for the info. So do you do 5 gallon batches in your 60 qt?

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

cool, thanks for the info. So do you do 5 gallon batches in your 60 qt?

yessir i do... actually 6 gallons (or try to, i have a lot of sediment) but same difference... and my recipes are usually in the 1.051 - 1.074 range, so we're talking 9.5 - 15 lbs of grains...

 

[bigben]

man I dont know. I might just take it back. I have a 38 qt rectangular cooler without a spigot. Maybe I will just build a manifold for that and run a tube over the side...

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

man I dont know. I might just take it back. I have a 38 qt rectangular cooler without a spigot. Maybe I will just build a manifold for that and run a tube over the side...

nah, the spigot comes in handy plus you let gravity do all the work this way...

 

[landhoney]

I think mine is the same, blue/square'ish/white lid with and extendable handle like carry-on luggage? I built a copper manifold for mine with a 90 degree bend on the inside(out from the 45 degree wall) and then adjusted the angle on the connecting copper "T" so that the manifold is level with the bottom(no difficult/extreme cutting needed), I just lean the cooler over at the end and loose very little liquid. The 45 degree spigot wall is not the best, but if you make the manifold well its not a problem at all.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I think Yuri has an icecube as well...check his gallery.

 

[fatelvis]

I use the same 60 qrt cooler for my mlt. I didn't like the 45 angle on the back of it, so I drilled a new hole on the front of the cooler and put a ball valve in it. I used gorilla glue to seal the back drain plug up. I've only used it once so far, but it worked great. I only lost about 2 degrees when I did a 60 minute mash. I also used a ss braid and had no clogging what so ever.

 

[bigben]

I think Yuri has an icecube as well...check his gallery.

I saw yuri's mlt, but he does 15 gallon batches also. I'm worried that this is too big for my 5 gallon batches.

 

[bigben]

well, I didn't feel comfortable with the 60qt ice cube with the crooked spigot and the sheer size....so I took it back.

Got a 48qt Rectangular Victory cooler for $15.

Now I gotta remember to carry my homedepot gift card with me so I can get the plumbing

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

well, I didn't feel comfortable with the 60qt ice cube with the crooked spigot and the sheer size....so I took it back.

Got a 48qt Rectangular Victory cooler for $15.

Now I gotta remember to carry my homedepot gift card with me so I can get the plumbing

It's whatever you're comfortable brewing with... the other isn't too large to use.... the 48 qt is big enough for 5 gallons and should be big enough for some 10 gallon batches...

 

[bigben]

It's whatever you're comfortable brewing with... the other isn't too large to use.... the 48 qt is big enough for 5 gallons and should be big enough for some 10 gallon batches...

Thanks for all the info. I just don't have any confidence in my manifold making skills...this cooler should be much easier

 

[aekdbbop]

so the ice cube is ok for 5gal batches?

 

[Bobby_M]

Bottom line with big rectangular coolers is that they work for batch sparging but don't try fly sparging because the grain bed is going to be be flat and wide. Also expect that your grain absorbtion/deadspace will be a little more vs. a tall skinny MLT. In any case, I've done plenty of small (1.040) 5 gallon beers in a 48qt.

 

[aekdbbop]

yeah either i am going to get that 10 gal rubbermade round cooler from HD, or try and insulate the one i have...

 

[DeadYetiBrew]

so the ice cube is ok for 5gal batches?

Yes it works....

 

[Funkenjaeger]

So I guess this is a bit late since you already took it back, but I have one of the 60qt ones myself, with the angled spigot, and am planning to convert it just like this:
http://www.stlbrews.org/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=222