Best Mash Tun

[humann_brewing]

I am looking for a cooler to use as a mash tun and was wondering what would be the best option within a reasonable dollar amount.

I was thinking a recantgle cooler with a CPVC manifold, but then read that the braided manifold are a really good option.

In a perfect world, what is the best option of cooler and draining tool (false bottom, braided, copper or CPVC mainifold etc.?

I searched for topics on this but just found people that had something in mind and looking for advice. I am starting from scratch and asking what would be the best and go from there.

 

[fat x nub]

You are going to get a bunch of different opinions. I use a rectangular cooler and a CPVC manifold and it works just fine. The braided manifolds work also....whichever is easy for you to get and put together is the best option.

 

[talleymonster]

John Palmer claims that a false bottom is the best method, but that a manifold or braid can also get great results.

 

[FSR402]

First you need to figure out what you want to do with it and then build it.
If you want to direct-fire the tun then a converted keg with a false bottom may be the best for you.
If you don't want that then look at the coolers.
If you only ever want to do 5 gallon batches a 5 gallon round cooler with a braid would work fine, or you could use a false bottom or a manifold. All will work well.
If you want to do BIG 5 gallon batches and maybe some small (low gravity) 10 gallon batches the 10 gallon round coolers would work well.
If you want to do 10 gallon batches and a few 5 gallons then look more to the 48qt rectangular cooler.
If you want to do big 10 gallon and 5 gallon or even 20 gallon batches then look larger like the 80- 160qt rectangular coolers.
With the larger rectangular coolers your best option would be a mainifold, either CPVC or copper.

I use an 80qt rectangular cooler and a copper mainifold, I mainly brew 10 gallon batchs and a few 5 gallons here and there. It works well for me 85-90% efficiency.
Also with that size tun I'm able to go larger then just a 10 gallon brew I could easily do 20 - 25 gallons.

 

[D-Boss]

I use a coleman rectagular cooler ( even though some say not to use them, i just wrap a sleeping bag around it and it holds the heat ok) and a copper manifold and I think it kicks ass, just make plenty of slots in even increments. Never had a stuck sparge except when i had a crappy valve on the outside.

 

[Bobby_M]

Given a batch sparge, the easiest is a stainless braid.

 

[rabidgerbil]

Given a batch sparge, the easiest is a stainless braid.

Pardon my squirrely ignorance, but what does the sparging method have to do with anything? I am only in the process of putting my gear together for all grain, so I have no experience in the matter, and I am truly curious. The whole point of the manifold, or false bottom, or braid, is to get the liquid that is in the mash tun over to the valve so that it can drain out. Why would the method by which you add that water to the mash tun matter at all?

 

[T-Hops]

The basic reason that the method of sparging is important is because of channeling. If you are batch sparging then you do not have to worry about channeling. If you are using a stainless braid you will have to batch sparge to receive good mash efficiency. If you are using a false bottom or a manifold you can choose between either batch or fly sparging and receive good efficiency. Manifolds and false bottoms are better at reducing channeling which is only important with fly sparging.

 

[ThickHead]

Pardon my squirrely ignorance, but what does the sparging method have to do with anything? I am only in the process of putting my gear together for all grain, so I have no experience in the matter, and I am truly curious. The whole point of the manifold, or false bottom, or braid, is to get the liquid that is in the mash tun over to the valve so that it can drain out. Why would the method by which you add that water to the mash tun matter at all?

Perhaps...As FSR402 points out, preferred sparging method (as well as additional variables) may indeed play a role in determing what the "best" MLT is terms of material, function and how you set up your overall pocess. An example would be if your preference is to Batch Sparge and/or direct fire your MLT, something in a stainless steel variety with a false bottom application may be the "best" choice. Everything will play a role, including your preference in relation to your experience over time.

 

[humann_brewing]

Wow, thanks everyone for their input. There are a lot of pros and cons for each and it sounds like there is not a clear winner in any sense.

I have been eying a 52 qt rectangle cooler that is a 5 day cooler and supposedly has more insulation for $30. It also has the water channel leading to the spigot. Not sure if that will help with the draining or not. If I went with the rectangle, I think I would go with a manifold, not sure between the copper or CPVC since I am not a master solderer or anything.

The round 5/10 bev containers seems like a more expensive route as the false bottoms are more, but sounds like it may be a more efficient way of sparging.

Who knows maybe I will get both and I could turn the rectangle one into the circle one into the sparge water holder and fly sparge to the rectangle one!!!

 

[JVD_X]

my only issue with braided manifold is that under suction (like from my pump) the braid can collapse. This is what happened to my mashing last week. I ended up having to fish it out and plump it a little to continue. That was with a 14" x 1/2" braid being sucked at 2 gpm.

Obviously 2gpm is too much but it only happened because I forgot to first close my valve before starting the pump! Regardless.. It is a factor that should be considered.

 

[FSR402]

If you go with a manifold either copper or CPVC don't solder or glue it together, just press it together. It makes it easier to take apart to clean.

 

[Ecnerwal]

my only issue with braided manifold is that under suction (like from my pump) the braid can collapse. This is what happened to my mashing last week. I ended up having to fish it out and plump it a little to continue. That was with a 14" x 1/2" braid being sucked at 2 gpm.

Obviously 2gpm is too much but it only happened because I forgot to first close my valve before starting the pump! Regardless.. It is a factor that should be considered.

You can put a piece of tubing with larger holes inside - in fact, you can probably put the tubing that was in it back in it, after poking it full of holes.

 

[Bobby_M]

Don't pump out so fast. Simple.

Fly sparging requires that the wort is pulled out evenly over the entire bottom of the grainbed where this is totally irrelevant with batch sparging. I've used the same braid for about 15 batches with no problems and no stuck sparges. Even if you had to replace it every 20 batches, we're talking about $4.

 

[humann_brewing]

I think I have all but decided on a 5 gallon rubbermaid bev container and a steel false bottom. seems like this may not be the cheapest setup, but easy and effective.

The only thing is if the 5 gallon size is enough. I don't see myself doing batches bigger than 5 gallons as this time since my brew kettle is a 30 qt turkey fryer and my keg is 5 gallons, but maybe in the future I could do slightly bigger batches (6/7 gallons) to bottle a few too for the portability sake.

Anyways, is the 5 gallon size good for 5 gallon batches or should I be looking at the 10 gallon size?

 

[Ecnerwal]

The 4th post in this thread covers it pretty well....

A big (high-gravity) 5 gallon batch may require more than 5 gallons of mash tun. So go 10 if you want that flexibility, or go 5 and buy some DME for the high-gravity brews.

 

[T-Hops]

I don't have any experience with the rectangular coolers. I have used a round 5 gallon cooler with a cpvc manifold for the past few years. I do fly sparge, but that is just what I have always done and not because I think it is better. I have had no problems with grain bills up to 13.5 lbs. With that much grain you can make a 7% beer. You are probably safe brewing 80% of the beer styles with a 5 gallon cooler. If you are into IIPAs, Barleywines or Belgium beers a 5 gallon cooler is not going to cut it.

 

[ajf]

I think I have all but decided on a 5 gallon rubbermaid bev container and a steel false bottom. seems like this may not be the cheapest setup, but easy and effective.

The only thing is if the 5 gallon size is enough. I don't see myself doing batches bigger than 5 gallons as this time since my brew kettle is a 30 qt turkey fryer and my keg is 5 gallons, but maybe in the future I could do slightly bigger batches (6/7 gallons) to bottle a few too for the portability sake.

Anyways, is the 5 gallon size good for 5 gallon batches or should I be looking at the 10 gallon size?

I have a 5g round cooler with false bottom. With that, I can get about 12.5 - 13# grain when mashing at 1 qt / lb, and can get gravities of up to 1.075. But to get a 5g batch with a gravity over about 1.050, I need to fly sparge or go for 3 or 4 batches with a batch sparge because there isn't enough capacity to hold all the sparge water for a 2 batch sparge.
I recently bought a 10g round cooler. With the extra volume batch sparging in that is much easier, but I find that my efficiency has dropped by about 10% when fly sparging. This is possibly because of the shallower grain bed, and possibly because with the extra thermal mass of the larger cooler and large amount of empty space, I can't get the grain bed temperature up high enough for an effective sparge.

-a.

 

[BrewBeemer]

my only issue with braided manifold is that under suction (like from my pump) the braid can collapse. This is what happened to my mashing last week. I ended up having to fish it out and plump it a little to continue. That was with a 14" x 1/2" braid being sucked at 2 gpm.

Obviously 2gpm is too much but it only happened because I forgot to first close my valve before starting the pump! Regardless.. It is a factor that should be considered.

Add a stainless steel compression not tension type spring inside your braid to hold it full and round preventing any future collapsing problems.

 

[Sherpa FE]

If you go with a manifold either copper or CPVC don't solder or glue it together, just press it together. It makes it easier to take apart to clean.

Is there a glue that you can use to glue CPVC that wont give off flavors?
I have been looking but wasnt sure if I had missed something.

 

[humann_brewing]

I have a 5g round cooler with false bottom. With that, I can get about 12.5 - 13# grain when mashing at 1 qt / lb, and can get gravities of up to 1.075. But to get a 5g batch with a gravity over about 1.050, I need to fly sparge or go for 3 or 4 batches with a batch sparge because there isn't enough capacity to hold all the sparge water for a 2 batch sparge.
I recently bought a 10g round cooler. With the extra volume batch sparging in that is much easier, but I find that my efficiency has dropped by about 10% when fly sparging. This is possibly because of the shallower grain bed, and possibly because with the extra thermal mass of the larger cooler and large amount of empty space, I can't get the grain bed temperature up high enough for an effective sparge.

-a.

So if your efficiency has gone down with fly sparging with the 10g, is your efficiency good with batch sparging in the 10g size?

I just don't want to buy the 5g size and have to then later get the 10g. In reality, is there any cons to the 10g over the 5g.

 

[CBBaron]

Is there a glue that you can use to glue CPVC that wont give off flavors?
I have been looking but wasnt sure if I had missed something.

CPVC is used for hot water supply in many homes so you should be able to use the plumbing glue without any problems. However as noted if you don't glue it makes it much easier to disassemble for cleaning.

I use a beverage cooler with SS braid. This is a cheap option that is very easy to install with minimal problems. I started with a 5gal cooler and added a 10gal cooler for larger beers. I would suggest just getting the 10gal cooler from the start.

Craig

 

[CBBaron]

I think you will lose a little efficiency with a 10g cooler vs a 5g cooler due to the larger dead space. That means for each sparge you are leaving more of the richer wort in the MLT to be diluted with the next sparge or just left at the end. I would not expect this to cause more than a 5% drop.

Craig

 

[humann_brewing]

The 4th post in this thread covers it pretty well....

A big (high-gravity) 5 gallon batch may require more than 5 gallons of mash tun. So go 10 if you want that flexibility, or go 5 and buy some DME for the high-gravity brews.

Yeah, I think my mind has been changed to the 10g size. I am looking to do this recipe from EdWort
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f67/bee-cave-brewery-robust-porter-56768/

Here are the grains

11# 2 Row
1# Chocolate Malt
1# Crystal 40
4 oz. Black Patent
1 oz. Black Roasted Barley
8 oz. Flaked Barley

So we are talking almost 14#s, so the 10g is a good idea I guess.

Thanks for all the help and I can't wait to let you know how it goes.

Now, does anyone know where I could get the best deal on the rubbermaid 10g round bev cooler? Northern Brewer says their false bottom works with the rubbermaid, I am guessing it would work with others, but who knows.

 

[blacklab]

I have the 10 gallon rubbermaid classic. Doesn't even lose a degree over an hour of mashing. However, whatever cooler you choose will probably work fine.

I spent the extra $ and purchased a pre-made bullet screen kit from my LHBS. I've never had a stuck sparge, ever, and it's super easy to clean. The bullet screen is rigid so you don't have issues with the mash squishing it. I usually vorlauf about 2 quarts and then it's wide open into the pot.

My two cents.

 

[humann_brewing]

I think you will lose a little efficiency with a 10g cooler vs a 5g cooler due to the larger dead space. That means for each sparge you are leaving more of the richer wort in the MLT to be diluted with the next sparge or just left at the end. I would not expect this to cause more than a 5% drop.

Craig

Is the efficiency drop from dead space caused from not being able to hold the mash temp for the whole 60 minutes? If so, couldn't I combat this by either insulating the outside with say a sleeping bag and insulate the dead space inside with styrofoam or something?

If that is not the reason, what is and how could I reverse the effect?

 

[humann_brewing]

Wow, I guess another problem is that it is very hard to find the 10g version of the rubbermaid round cooler, no luck at walmart, kmart, lowes, home depot, or target.

It is also about triple the price of the 5g, usually a price per unit goes down as you get more of something, but not in this case.

Any ideas of a local place that would sell these so I don't have to pay outrageous shipping for one.

 

[gwood]

Wow, I guess another problem is that it is very hard to find the 10g version of the rubbermaid round cooler, no luck at walmart, kmart, lowes, home depot, or target.

It is also about triple the price of the 5g, usually a price per unit goes down as you get more of something, but not in this case.

Any ideas of a local place that would sell these so I don't have to pay outrageous shipping for one.

You hit all the places I'd look at. What about a sporting goods store? I've seen the 10gals at places like this although I've yet to check prices.

 

[Sherpa FE]

CPVC is used for hot water supply in many homes so you should be able to use the plumbing glue without any problems. However as noted if you don't glue it makes it much easier to disassemble for cleaning.
Craig

Craig,
I am using a 70 QT Coleman cooler, and have the CPVC manifild, I was just looking to glue the end pieces so I dont have to assemble 30 little pieces every time I brew, just 10 would be good. LOL

I am just worried about glues having a smell to them that would leach into the mash water during the mash process.

 

[humann_brewing]

You hit all the places I'd look at. What about a sporting goods store? I've seen the 10gals at places like this although I've yet to check prices.

Yeah, sounds like I was a week too late. The home depot guy said they were on sale last week to sell them out for the year.