Best Cooler for MLT

[kickrjason]

I am planning on getting a cooler in the VERY near future to go all grain. My 30th Birthday is in a couple weeks. With that being said which is the best? I want it large enough to do 10 gal or 5gal high gravity batches eventually.

Tell me and or show me what works best for you all!!

 

[sendkyleanemail]

The round 10 gallon Rubbermaid coolers from Home Depot/Lowes are very common. They work well and false bottoms made to fit them are easy to find. They usually cost about 30-40 bucks new. I love mine.

You can add some insulation to the lid by drilling a hole in it and shooting some Great Stuff (expanding foam) into it.

 

[Nateo]

I have a 10 gallon beverage igloo cooler, the big orange kind. I got it at lowes. It's usually too big for what I need, but I occasionally fill it almost to the top. I mostly do 5 gallon batches, but used to do more 10 gallons batches.

I would be concerned with getting a rectangle. I feel like on my 5 gallon, normal strength batches the grain bed is too thin to get decent mash straining. In a rectangle cooler it would only be worse.

 

[erikpete18]

I'm also looking to get an MT here in the near future and am trying to figure out which way to go. Like the other two, I'm leaning towards the 10 gal igloo/rubbermaid coolers. If you check out the mashtun sticky, it should give you enough to do 1.118 5gal batches and 1.06 10gal batches, which sounds like what you're aiming for. Now I've just got to decide if I want to go false bottom or braid.

 

[ryclo]

I use a mash/boil screen in my 10 gal igloo cooler and it has only let me down once (high gravity too much flour in my crush). http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/mash-boil-screen.html simple and cheap!

 

[buzzkill]

the best one is the one you can find at a good price. I got a 10gal round igloo and it was given to me for free. was like new.. best cooler ever, free.

 

[Nateo]

I use a kettle screen too. I have to vorlauf about 2L or so until the running are clear. With a finer braid it took about half that, but the kettle screens are a lot more sturdy. I broke my water heater braid with my mash paddle.

 

[conpewter]

I have both a round and rectangular mash tun. I prefer the round bevarage cooler, spigot goes on easier and it is easier to move around. Grain bed depth is nice too if you fly sparge.

 

[goosegrease]

Homebrewfinds had a 10 gal igloo, 39.00, shipped yesterday. I forget where from. It shipped anywhere CONUS free.

 

[kickrjason]

ok so among the round brands is there any one thats better built/insulated then the other?

 

[cram]

The 10 gallon igloo industrial models are hard to beat...a quick search on Amazon shows one for $56 with free shipping but you might do even better than that.

 

[maida7]

If your fly sparging the tall narrow coolers are better. If you batch sparge the shape will not have a big effect. I think 10 gallon MT is plenty big for 5 gallon batches. For 10 gallon batches a larger 15 gallon MT will give you more flexibility to do big beers.

If your going rectangle the greenish Coleman extreme coolers are well insulated.

 

[kickrjason]

ok well i dont plan on fly sparging. it seems like the capacity you can get in a rectangle cooler far exceeds the capacity you can get in a round beverage design.

was thinking of this one. price cant be beat for the size.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G64I1A/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Nateo]

I think the geometry also affects how quickly and easily your grain bed sets, regardless of sparge type. I know in my round cooler, my mash sets much easier the deeper the bed is, and requires less vorlaufing to run clear.

 

[chefcurt]

I have the 62 qt Coleman Extreme and even though it looses almost no heat during an hour mash, it's a little too big for 5 gallon batches. I use it for 10 gallon batches only. (I have yet to do a high gravity 5 gallon batch which then I would consider it.) I keep a separate smaller 5 gallon igloo cooler for the 5 gallon batches it works great too.

 

[kickrjason]

So if I want one that's good for both sizes I should go with round. The igloo that homebrew finds had wasn't the yellow and red model. Is the yellow/red the "industrial" one?

 

[maida7]

I have the 70 qt and it is great for 10 gallon recipes with batch sparging. I would not use it for 5 gallon beers. I don't think 1 MT will be good for both sizes. A 10 gallon MT will be good for 5 gallon beers. 10 gallon beers will be easier in a 15 gallon MT.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Sorry to report that there really is no "best" cooler, they all work well IMHO if preheated. Some are better than others in certain circumstances. For regular 5 gallon batches, a 20 - 30 qt is best IMHO, double that for 10 gal batches. A 10 gal Igloo beverage cooler is a good all around cooler for the goals you have stated, FWIW.

As said above...a 70 qt is silly large for 5 gallon batches IMHO, to put it in proportion, over three times what you need.

 

[rico567]

Sorry to report that there really is no "best" cooler, they all work well IMHO if preheated. Some are better than others in certain circumstances. For regular 5 gallon batches, a 20 - 30 qt is best IMHO, double that for 10 gal batches. A 10 gal Igloo beverage cooler is a good all around cooler for the goals you have stated, FWIW.

As said above...a 70 qt is silly large for 5 gallon batches IMHO, to put it in proportion, over three times what you need.

As always, good advice from "wilserbrewer." I use the Rubbermaid / Home Depot "big orange" 10 gal. cooler with the Bargain Fittings conversion kit for the last 3.5 years, and it's been great. I found a thread that counseled preheating early on, and I think this is good advice. I put 3 gal of 170F water (I would not risk hotter) in my cooler early in the day, then about two hours later I mash in. By that time the preheat water is about 144-146F, depending on the season, and I will then pour out the preheat water, throw in the grain and about 5 gal of strike water, anywhere from 160 - 165F, depending on the mash temperature I'm shooting for.
I also injected the lid with the "Great Stuff" spray insulation, and I throw a furniture pad over the cooler/MLT during the mash. This setup will only lose 2-3F during a 60 min. mash, and that doesn't matter a bit. This arrangement has been almost boringly successful for me, no stuck sparges, etc.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

My Coleman does great for me. I know its at least 12 gal(48qt). Pre heat with 175 deg strike water for 10-15 mins then mash in. Ive never had it get stuck.

 

[jdauria]

I recently purchased a 10 gallon Igloo to replace a 5 gallon Rubbermaid to use as my mash tun. The Igloo is the orange one not the yellow industrial one. I am having a problem finding a false bottom for it because the bottom inside dimensions are 12.5x12x19.13, so a 12 inch false bottom will be too small by a half an inch?

So am I out of luck on a false bottom? Should have gotten a Rubbermaid!

 

[maida7]

I recently purchased a 10 gallon Igloo to replace a 5 gallon Rubbermaid to use as my mash tun. The Igloo is the orange one not the yellow industrial one. I am having a problem finding a false bottom for it because the bottom inside dimensions are 12.5x12x19.13, so a 12 inch false bottom will be too small by a half an inch?

So am I out of luck on a false bottom? Should have gotten a Rubbermaid!

I would think a 12" dome shaped one would work good.

If you batch sparge a simple hose braid would be a cheap solution. For fly sparge I think a false bottom will be best.

 

[jdauria]

I would think a 12" dome shaped one would work good.

If you batch sparge a simple hose braid would be a cheap solution. For fly sparge I think a false bottom will be best.

I do fly sparge. Northern Brewer told me the 12' dome shaped one that they sell would not work for the Igloo. I guess I will have to just take my cooler to a local brew shop and see if their false bottom fits the cooler. Would hate to spend the money online and they have to chase a refund. Either that or sell my unused Igloo on Craigslist and buy a Rubbermaid.

 

[ryclo]

Why not try batch sparging?

 

[jdauria]

Why not try batch sparging?

I might just try that. I used to batch sparge with a 48 quart cooler with a SS braid and had horrendous efficiency. Was only getting 55-60% mash efficiency. Then when I switched to the two 5 gallon cooler fly sparge method I was averaging around 83% efficiency.

 

[rico567]

I might just try that. I used to batch sparge with a 48 quart cooler with a SS braid and had horrendous efficiency. Was only getting 55-60% mash efficiency. Then when I switched to the two 5 gallon cooler fly sparge method I was averaging around 83% efficiency.

I don't calculate efficiencies, but batch sparging (which is all I've ever done) in my Rubbermaid / Home Depot 10 gal. cooler ALWAYS lets me hit my correct OG number......so with those results, I'm not about to spend all the time required for fly sparging.

 

[ryclo]

Same here, did you follow denny conns guide when batch sparging??