Cooler MLT

[mgo737]

So I've decided that I can actually construct a MLT myself. My question is this, can your MLT actually be too big? I was thinking of buying this 62 quart cooler from Amazon. I plan to do standard 5 gallon brews, though will be brewing mainly high OG brews. I will be using the the braided stainless steel supply hose...

Thanks everyone for answering my newbie posts...

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000G68GP4/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[RayInUT]

Just don't buy the 60 quart blue Igloo IceCube. I have one that is going in the trash because it sucks. It lets the heat out and even wrapped in a sleeping bag it sucks. I'm going to replace it with one of the "Extreme" coolers. I've never mashed in one before but I've used them to hold ice during the middle of the summer in Utah with 100 degree temperatures and the ice lasted for days.

 

[Evan]

i have a pretty big mlt, forget teh acutal quart size. just make sure to pre-heat your MLT before you start. i ususally heat some water up to 180-ish, put it in. leave it there as i pull up the rest of my AG stuff from the basement, crush the grain, eat some breakfast. it usually sits for over an hour or more.

i have noticed on smaller beers i'll lose some heat during an hour or 1.5 hour long mash. but putting something heavy on top and adding a thick old blanket helps.

 

[Evan]

Just don't buy the 60 quart blue Igloo IceCube. I have one that is going in the trash because it sucks. It let's the heat out and even wrapped in a sleeping bag it sucks. I'm going to replace it with one of the "Extreme" coolers. I've never mashed in one before but I've used them to hold ice during the middle of the summer in Utah with 100 degree temperatures and the ice lasted for days.

thats what mine is, i really like it.

 

[RayInUT]

thats what mine is, i really like it.

I got mine on sale at Target and I'm wondering if they were on sale because they were defective. Mine has "hot spots" all over the place that you can feel on the outside while mashing. I don't think it was insulated properly and there might be voids in the walls of the cooler. I lost twenty degrees last night doing an overnight mash and that was WITH the cooler being wrapped in a Marmot 750 fill count down sleeping bag. If you you like what you have, great! Mine sucks. You can feel the heat coming out of it like crazy.

 

[BeerPressure]

I've got a 70 quart coleman xtreme that I use. I've brewed a couple 5 gal batches with about 10-12 LBS grain and it still held the temps well throughout the mash. just preheat the tun.

 

[chemist308]

I use a 40 and it seems to work good with decent efficiency. Whatever you do, I very highly recommend you find something that claims the ability hold ice 5 days in 90 degree heat. My cooler is a cheap rubbermaid and I'm about to kick it to the curb over it's inability to hold temperatures well. And, it seems once it starts dropping there's nothing I can to do to get it back.

You'll find the 'extreme' coolers that claim they can do that are much thicker. The standard cooler conversion kits at your LHBS may not fit. If you go that route, I also recommend taking the valve out and taking it with you to the hardware store, so you're sure the assembly you put together will fit perfectly.

And +1 for the bazooka screen!

 

[Duckfoot]

My question is this, can your MLT actually be too big? I was thinking of buying this 62 quart cooler from Amazon.

Amazon.com: Coleman 62-Quart Xtreme Wheeled Cooler (Blue): Sports & Outdoors

Check your local K-mart / Sears for this cooler... From what I have found they are the cheapest around for the Colemans....

Here....

I have been thinking of getting the 52qt one myself...

 

[BeerPressure]

I recommend using this as a guide: Xtreme Cooler Mash Tun - Lustreking Brewing