Cheap & Easy 10 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion

[IPAAAA]

I do 10 gal batches in mine. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-big-your-mash-tun-needs-123585/

Great thread...thank you.

Sorry I missed so much. I had a really thin mash when I filled mine up. I also left out that it was my mash out water that got me to the brim of the cooler. Sorry for that.

Also, to address something that wasn't pointed towards me...When I mashed all that grain I brought most of my grain to temp in a pot over a burner from 130 to 157, which when added to the cooler I only lost about 2 degrees and it didn't lost more than 1/2 a degree over the 90 minute mash (it was really warm that day).

I am trying to keep my steps as simple as possible so I guess I will just play with the temp and see how it works with different amounts.

 

[DrawTap88]

Simpler is better...but keep that method in the back of your mind if you're getting bad efficiency and not hitting your numbers.

 

[WxDaddy]

This thread and all the good info from the original poster is just priceless. Thank you.

Question...could I safely use silicone sealing gel on the outside part of the assembly? Just wasn't sure if it's temperature safe and would have no adverse impact on the wort if there was a minor leak.

 

[DrawTap88]

This thread and all the good info from the original poster is just priceless. Thank you.

Question...could I safely use silicone sealing gel on the outside part of the assembly? Just wasn't sure if it's temperature safe and would have no adverse impact on the wort if there was a minor leak.

Perfectly fine and safe to do on the outside. If it were on the inside you'd have to find a gel rated for the heat and still be food grade, but on the outside of the cooler you'll be safe.

Question for you. Are you doing this because it's leaking? If it is leaking you should stop the leak from the inside with an o-ring, or something, to keep any wort out of the insulation which will then start to stink to high heaven.

 

[Ben_Persitz]

I'm stuck..there seems to be no rubber seal on the inside and my parts aren't fitting..

Using a 5 gallon igloo cooler.

 

[klyph]

A picture's worth a thousand words.

 

[Ben_Persitz]

Going to exchange for a Rubbermaid.

 

[Ben_Persitz]

The problem I had is that the Igloo cooler I had did not have a rubber seal that goes through the cooler like the rubbermaids do. In fact, it had no seal at all really, the spout is used to seal as weird as that sounds. The hole was also a different size, so none of my parts fit snugly.

I got the rubbermaid cooler and it was still leaking a bit after I got everything secure. At that point I realized I had spent about $71 for the cooler, and all the hardware.

My LHBS sells an 8 gallon mash tun with false bottom for $69.99. Guess who returned everything to home depot and bought that son of a bitch! lol

 

[Ben_Persitz]

Okay--I'm going to try and rebuild this thing with a handy friend.

I'm worried that my plastic bucket won't hold temps and I really want to get one of these done. Wish me luck!

 

[BendBrewer]

Okay--I'm going to try and rebuild this thing with a handy friend.

I'm worried that my plastic bucket won't hold temps and I really want to get one of these done. Wish me luck!

FYI, I built mine at my desk at work in about 15 minutes.

 

[Ben_Persitz]

FYI, I built mine at my desk at work in about 15 minutes.

I know. I'm retarded lol. I got mine together it just kept leaking.

If anyone lives in Portland and wants to build one for me I'd be willing to buy you some beer!

 

[BendBrewer]

The key is extra flat washers for the outside of the cooler. I used 5 I think.

 

[cheez]

Instead of using the o-ring seals supplied in the valve kits, I used a silicon baby bottle nipple. I cut the nipple portion off about 1/4" or so above the flange portion and it creates a perfect seal. As a bonus, the 1/4" portion of the remaining nipple fits into the stock Rubbermaid hole perfectly like it was meant to be.

 

[Ben_Persitz]

So hey if I want to put a bazooka screen on mine instead of the braid, I just need to convert from 3/8 nipple to 1/2 inch female on the inside right?

 

[cheez]

I have the bazooka tube and 1/2" female coupling on the inside of mine

 

[BierSnob]

I used a CPVC manifold in mine. $2.50 for 10 feet of 1/2 inch pipe $1.75 for 3 T junctures. $2.00 for 4 elbows. .55 for a threaded end. I don't remembeer the cost of the 1/2 to 3/8 brass nipple. Bought some high temp silicone tubing from the HBS. works like a charm. and cost less than the steel braid.

 

[Ben_Persitz]

Mine isnt leaking!!!!!!!! Wooooo!

 

[BendBrewer]

Mine isnt leaking!!!!!!!! Wooooo!

Atta boy! Gotta ask, how long did it take you?

 

[Ben_Persitz]

Atta boy! Gotta ask, how long did it take you?

About ten minutes.

I think the reason mine leaked before is I didn't have enough washers.

I got 3 5/8 stainless flat washers for the inside, and 3 5/8 zinc for the outside.

Last time I only had one on the inside and two on the outside.

PLUS--last time I was using 16 mm metric, because I couldn't find 5/8 inch stainless.

 

[johnnybrew]

Gang - I have been using my 10 gal cooler with a false bottom for a while now. Works great. But, I wanted to note in here that I thought, when I built it, that I would be able to do 10 gal mashes in the tun. I did a 10 gal batch last week and had about 26# of grain that required about 8 gals of strike water. There was no way in hell it was gonna all fit in there. So, I split up my grain and did two separate mashes; combined; and, then boiled together. Just something to keep in mind if you plan to mash more than a 5 gal batch. I may end up moving over to a larger rectangular cooler or add a third keg to my setup. If I do, my 10 gal MLT w/ false bottom will be up for grabs. Will let y'all know if/when I do. Cheers.

 

[BendBrewer]

Gang - I have been using my 10 gal cooler with a false bottom for a while now. Works great. But, I wanted to note in here that I thought, when I built it, that I would be able to do 10 gal mashes in the tun. I did a 10 gal batch last week and had about 26# of grain that required about 8 gals of strike water. There was no way in hell it was gonna all fit in there. So, I split up my grain and did two separate mashes; combined; and, then boiled together. Just something to keep in mind if you plan to mash more than a 5 gal batch. I may end up moving over to a larger rectangular cooler or add a third keg to my setup. If I do, my 10 gal MLT w/ false bottom will be up for grabs. Will let y'all know if/when I do. Cheers.

Start using 1 qt of water per pound of grain to mash. A thick mash is your friend and a large amount of sparge water is his hot sister.

 

[johnnybrew]

Start using 1 qt of water per pound of grain to mash. A thick mash is your friend and a large amount of sparge water is his hot sister.

I love that analogy!

Even with a lower ratio I would be striking 26 lbs of grain with 6.5 gallons of water. I don't think it will fit in there! (that's what he said)

 

[BendBrewer]

Yeah, I think you MIGHT be able to get all of that in there. I did a 25.5 pound batch with a little over 6 gallons of water this weekend and I still had a little room to work with.

 

[johnnybrew]

Yeah, I think you MIGHT be able to get all of that in there. I did a 25.5 pound batch with a little over 6 gallons of water this weekend and I still had a little room to work with.

No ****? What's on the bottom of your tun? False bottom or braid? I suspect no issues with a stuck sparge?

 

[starrfish]

Gang - I have been using my 10 gal cooler with a false bottom for a while now. Works great. But, I wanted to note in here that I thought, when I built it, that I would be able to do 10 gal mashes in the tun. I did a 10 gal batch last week and had about 26# of grain that required about 8 gals of strike water. There was no way in hell it was gonna all fit in there. So, I split up my grain and did two separate mashes; combined; and, then boiled together. Just something to keep in mind if you plan to mash more than a 5 gal batch. I may end up moving over to a larger rectangular cooler or add a third keg to my setup. If I do, my 10 gal MLT w/ false bottom will be up for grabs. Will let y'all know if/when I do. Cheers.

Sent a PM.

 

[johnnybrew]

LOL - HBT bleeped out my expletive!

 

[Ben_Persitz]

I'm getting a bazooka screen for mine this weekend. I think I might give away some growlers of my dead guy.

 

[BendBrewer]

I have a Bazooka screen in my kettle. I don't think I would use it as is in a mash tun. I would think it would lead to a lot of stuck sparges. Hell, that thing clogs up in my kettle at times.

A copper manifold is a piece of cake to build and cheap. Got a hacksaw?

 

[BendBrewer]

I use a copper manifold in mine. Started with a braid but am much happier with the manifold.

And no, no stuck sparges. Drain slowly.

 

[Ben_Persitz]

You think a bazooka screen would lead to stuck sparges? Really? It's just a stainless steel braid in essence isn't it?

I'm just going to be batch sparging. Think it would still be a problem?

Edit: Yes I do have a hacksaw. A ****ty one that I got for $4.99 at ace