Cheap & Easy 10 Gallon Rubbermaid MLT Conversion

[bottlebomber]

very nice input, thanks.

The other thing I REALLY like about this system is, lautering is almost optional. The first couple ounces have some chaff but that's it. With a false bottom you have at least a couple quarts. I forget to lauter all the time, and very little comes through

 

[TrainSafe]

Add one more FlyGuy MLT to the list. Thanks everyone for the tips. I can't wait to use this later in the week. I've been doing BIAB but this might be the ticket.

 

[funkapottomous]

I got the parts for this build but my cooler was dinged up on the front and wouldn't make a good seal, so I ended up having to go buy some silicone to seal it up with. That DAP 100% silicone is food safe and rated for 400 degrees F so I'm not worried about it.

So basically I just ended up using the ball valve, nipple, two barb ends, and a washer. I've never done anything with plumbing and this is my first "build" so I'm just crossing my fingers hoping it will work when it's done.

 

[KLAAYHAUS]

I got the parts for this build but my cooler was dinged up on the front and wouldn't make a good seal, so I ended up having to go buy some silicone to seal it up with. That DAP 100% silicone is food safe and rated for 400 degrees F so I'm not worried about it.

So basically I just ended up using the ball valve, nipple, two barb ends, and a washer. I've never done anything with plumbing and this is my first "build" so I'm just crossing my fingers hoping it will work when it's done.

I'm sure it will be fine. I built this and brewed my first AG three weeks ago. I tested it and no leaks, then on brew day it had a real slow drip for about 5 mins and then it stopped. I do think I am going to take it apart and add that other o-ring that was recommended before brewing the next batch.

 

[archer75]

I'm curious what kinds of beers I can make in 10gal batches, with fly sparging in a 10gal rubbermaid?

I don't know that i'll ever want to make a barelywine but certainly stouts and porters.

I'm new to all grain and doing a lot of research now before building my mash tun.

 

[MikeG]

I'm curious what kinds of beers I can make in 10gal batches, with fly sparging in a 10gal rubbermaid?

I don't know that i'll ever want to make a barelywine but certainly stouts and porters.

I'm new to all grain and doing a lot of research now before building my mash tun.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/how-big-your-mash-tun-needs-123585/

 

[Srceenplay]

So with this cooler and my 8 gallon pot I can start AG? Don't have to have anything else.

 

[bottlebomber]

I'm curious what kinds of beers I can make in 10gal batches, with fly sparging in a 10gal rubbermaid?

I don't know that i'll ever want to make a barelywine but certainly stouts and porters.

I'm new to all grain and doing a lot of research now before building my mash tun.

You can pretty much brew anything. If it really came down to it you could make a batch of wort, denature it, and then use it as you would use strike/sparge water for super high gravity batches

So with this cooler and my 8 gallon pot I can start AG? Don't have to have anything else.

Yep, your good to go. You don't actually need a 3rd vessel, you can just heat your sparge and strike water in your boil kettle, drain it into a bucket, and transfer the preboil wort back into the HLT/BK once its been emptied. I've been doing it, and it works great. You can make as good of beer as anyone with this system.

 

[archer75]

Checking the chart and reading various recipes it seems with a 10gal round cooler you can make any type of beer in 5gal batches and most beers in 10gal batches. Seems to start reaching a limit in 10gal batches when it comes to barley wines and some bocks. But I don't see myself needing those in 10gal batches.

I was looking at this setup as inspiration but planning on building my own.
http://www.homebrewstuff.com/brewin...ers/5-gallon-mash-tun-with-hlt-parts-kit.html

As it has the sparge built in the lid and you can just plug in a HLT into the lid of the mash tun, adjust the valves and let it go. Looks simple to operate and should be pretty efficient I would think. Would a false bottom be more efficient than a SS braid?

 

[KLAAYHAUS]

The SS braid works quite well for me and is pretty cheap. I batch sparge so the sparge pipe under the lid isn't necessary for me. I think you are better off building the 10 gal. cooler rather than buying that decked out 5 gal rig. In order to prevent "dough balls" and save $, I bought a paint stirrer from Home Depot that I attach to my drill. It does a great job of stirring the mash and the fins are rubber so it won't scratch the inside of your cooler. It was only about $7, you just do not want to get crazy with it or you could oxidize your brew.

 

[archer75]

The SS braid works quite well for me and is pretty cheap. I batch sparge so the sparge pipe under the lid isn't necessary for me. I think you are better off building the 10 gal. cooler rather than buying that decked out 5 gal rig. In order to prevent "dough balls" and save $, I bought a paint stirrer from Home Depot that I attach to my drill. It does a great job of stirring the mash and the fins are rubber so it won't scratch the inside of your cooler. It was only about $7, you just do not want to get crazy with it or you could oxidize your brew.

Oh, I fully intend to build my own 10gal. Was just using that as inspiration. I was thinking with the sparge built into the lid like that I can fly sparge and get better efficiency.

 

[bottlebomber]

Oh, I fully intend to build my own 10gal. Was just using that as inspiration. I was thinking with the sparge built into the lid like that I can fly sparge and get better efficiency.

You can get better efficiency by fly sparging, but it also takes a really long time to drain your MT, and you have to be there the whole time in the event you have a stuck sparge. For the possible but not guaranteed 5% increase in efficiency, I'm not sure its worth it

 

[archer75]

You can get better efficiency by fly sparging, but it also takes a really long time to drain your MT, and you have to be there the whole time in the event you have a stuck sparge. For the possible but not guaranteed 5% increase in efficiency, I'm not sure its worth it

That's what i'm wondering. I've been reading many threads on batch vs fly sparging and am still as confused as when I started. People who batch say they get poor efficiency or say they do just as well as fly sparging.
I think if I go batch sparging i'll just convert a rectangle cooler. But I just can't make up my mind and there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus.

 

[KLAAYHAUS]

That's what i'm wondering. I've been reading many threads on batch vs fly sparging and am still as confused as when I started. People who batch say they get poor efficiency or say they do just as well as fly sparging.
I think if I go batch sparging i'll just convert a rectangle cooler. But I just can't make up my mind and there doesn't seem to be a clear consensus.

I was dealing with the same questions you are wondering about and my buddy shared the link below which really helped me decide. Plus, if you start by batch sparging and want to change to fly, you just add on to your set up. So it is actually cheaper to try batch first and then you can always adapt into fly if you want. Read this document and you will be able to make up your mind.

http://www.suebob.com/brew/Bobby_Mallgrainprimer.pdf

 

[bottlebomber]

I like batch sparging in this cooler. I drain the cooler, do a quick rinse with sparge water to rinse off the rich wort, then I do a nice hot batch sparge. (You don't have to worry about not going over 170 degrees, you will not get tannin extraction, tannin extraction is a brewing bogeyman more related to mash PH than temperature) and get EXCELLENT efficiency. The other reason I like the cooler is, a 5 gallon bucket lid fits perfectly inside the cooler over the grain bed, and I can press it or weight it and squeeze another 3 or 4 quarts of wort out of my grain (squeezing grains resulting in tannin extraction is a myth as far as I've seen). Plus for some reason I prefer the aesthetics of the round cooler over a rectangular one. But you'll really have to just make a move on something yourself to decide.

 

[DEWSBREW]

Suscribed

 

[HansF]

I have just about everything to do this build....in all stainless. My question is: will this -

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...ment/stirring-straining/mash-boil-screen.html

work just as well or better?

 

[theveganbrewer]

I have just about everything to do this build....in all stainless. My question is: will this -

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...ment/stirring-straining/mash-boil-screen.html

work just as well or better?

Yes, but it's more than double the price of the SS hose solution. Either or.

 

[HansF]

Yes, but it's more than double the price of the SS hose solution. Either or.

I saved a bunch on rest of the project so I'll splurge on the strainer.

 

[KLAAYHAUS]

I have just about everything to do this build....in all stainless. My question is: will this -

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...ment/stirring-straining/mash-boil-screen.html

work just as well or better?

The only caution I would give is that there is no weight at the end of that screen. If you make the homemade version, you can put the weight in it. I'm not sure if it matters that much, but my friend told me to make sure to use the weight because he left it out of his first one and said it floated up in the mash.

 

[DEWSBREW]

Thanks to FLYGUY and all others who have posted info in this thread, I found all my parts at my local ACE and the cooler from H.D. Went together easy and no leaks!!!!!!
My days of BIAB are over and I am hoping for more efficiency after I get this dialed in after a couple of batches.

 

[Cacaman]

Wal-Mart has a 10 gallon Igloo for $40. This one will work just as well right?

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Igloo-Beverage-Jug-Orange-and-White-10-Gallon/14550424

 

[CGVT]

I have an older Igloo cooler. It works fine. I don't think the seal for the shank is the same as the rubbermaids, though. I put an o ring on the inside under the washer and made sure that I had enough fender washers on the outside to tighten it enough to get a good seal. I haven't had any problems. If I was looking to make one now, I would grab the $40 Igloo. That's a great price.

 

[Cacaman]

I have an older Igloo cooler. It works fine. I don't think the seal for the shank is the same as the rubbermaids, though. I put an o ring on the inside under the washer and made sure that I had enough fender washers on the outside to tighten it enough to get a good seal. I haven't had any problems. If I was looking to make one now, I would grab the $40 Igloo. That's a great price.

I think I will tomorrow. Did you use the SS hose clamps or vinyl tubing?

 

[CGVT]

To connect the braid on the inside and put the plug in the end of it I used wire ties. My braid collapsed once (right where it attached to the nipple) and I had to dump my grist into another pot and take the braid off to cut the collapsed part out. The wire ties made that pretty easy to do. When I reattached the braid, I wire tied it over the entire fitting, flush with the cooler wall, not just over the nipple. I think that makes it less inclined to collapse again...

 

[akimbo78]

i am having a problem with the assembly and leaking. HD was out of coolers so i got one from lowes. it is a round rubbermaid. the o ring that came with the cooler seems to be my problem. it gives the whole assembly too much flexibility and i have yet to be able to assemble it with no leaking.

 

[bottlebomber]

i am having a problem with the assembly and leaking. HD was out of coolers so i got one from lowes. it is a round rubbermaid. the o ring that came with the cooler seems to be my problem. it gives the whole assembly too much flexibility and i have yet to be able to assemble it with no leaking.

Its going to be flexible. Make sure you have the larger diameter side of the factory seal facing the cooler wall. Put an extra washer on the outside to take up slack.

 

[akimbo78]

Its going to be flexible. Make sure you have the larger diameter side of the factory seal facing the cooler wall. Put an extra washer on the outside to take up slack.

thats what i have. the leaking to me is a bigger problem, so i added another o ring on the inside to no avail. i think that just adds more space between the cooler wall and first washer (i added more trying to get it tighter).

 

[CGVT]

Put a large o ring under the stainless washer on the inside of the cooler(between the washer and the cooler wall). Add a couple extra fender washers to the outside. Crank down hard to tighten your fittings to pull the washer tight to the O ring on the inside. That should seal it up. It may have to flatten the inside of the cooler just a bit to get a good seal... My garage sale cooler was damaged and I fiberglassed it up to fix some cracks so the factory seal didn't fit and there was actually some play where the shaft went through the cooler. I just made sure that I pulled the inside fitting as tight as I could to get a good seal with the O ring. I haven't had any problems.

 

[sheeshomatic]

I just built my 10 gallon version of this (after having been using the 5 gallon version of it). I don't forsee myself making larger than 5 gallon batches any time soon, but I recently made a big (1.08+) baltic porter and really taxed the mashing capacity of the 5 gallon and made a nice mess. The 5 gallon will now serve as my HLT for my sparge.

THAT said - the reason I'm posting is two-fold.

1.) A LOT of people seem to be having trouble finding 5/8" washers in SS.

Get THESE from Home Depot - you need one of each kit:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...P_PARENT_ID&storeId=10051&Ntpr=1&ddkey=Search

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...P_PARENT_ID&storeId=10051&Ntpr=1&ddkey=Search

The stainless go on the inside, the zinc on the outside. You will need to sort of adjust where the nipple sits, but you want less of it inside than out, so you have enough clearance for the ball valve. It still only needs 1 SS washer inside and 3 zincs outside.

2.) I bought this hose for my SS braid kind of by accident:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...925582&cj=true&cm_mmc=CJ-_-3925582-_-10368321

I actually shopped online, had everything put together for me and I picked it up at my HD and didn't have to hunt for anything. Perfect shopping experience. When I got home, I found this GIANT supply line. Well, turns out to be a great thing. You can absolutely shrink it to the size of the nipple and hose clamp it on neatly by simply stretching it a bit. And it is MUCH stronger than the 1/2 inch braid. I don't know if it will be possible to have this collapse like I've seen reports of on the 1/2 inch.

Thanks again Flyguy.