First AG batch in my new 10 gal cooler

[Mac951]

First real sized AG batch anyway, here is my recipe:

12.75 Rahr 2-row
0.75 Munich 10°L
0.5 lb Crystal 10°L
0.5 lb Crystal 20 °L
0.25 Crystal 40°L

Pre-heated tun with 1.5 gal boiling water (that is 202F here @ 5k ft)
removed pre-heat water, and added grains, then doughed in with
strike water 163°F 5.5 gal

Mashed for 90 minutes. (temp 152°F and let drop as time passed)
Sparge 3.5 gal 180°F water and let set for 15 minutes

Collected first wort, and added 0.4oz of Perle pellet (8.7%AA) for FWH
Collected full volume of wort, and brought to boil

1.5 oz Horizon (8.5%AA) for 60 mins
1 oz Centennial 12% for 20 mins
1 oz Simco 12.2% for 5 mins
1 oz Amarillo 9.3% at flame-out (10 minutes before cooling)

Cooled to 70°F and fermented with US-05.

I was surprised to see that with this batch coming in at 1.063 for the 5.5 gallons in the fermenter, that I was using 2/3 volume on the 10-gallon cooler. I also learned that I lost some heat probably due to cold mash rake, and I need to stir and check temps more often. I did once through this batch, which I know I should have done more.

-Mac

 

[kilted_brews]

I attempted my first AG batch yesterday in a 10 gal round cooler...sounds like you had better results. I calculated my strike water but still came out low and had to add boiling water to bring the temp up to 152F. I also boiled my wort in a new larger kettle (12.5 gal) on a propane burner and lost more volume than I calculated I would. Live and learn right?

 

[Mac951]

I attempted my first AG batch yesterday in a 10 gal round cooler...sounds like you had better results. I calculated my strike water but still came out low and had to add boiling water to bring the temp up to 152F. I also boiled my wort in a new larger kettle (12.5 gal) on a propane burner and lost more volume than I calculated I would. Live and learn right?

Imagine my surprise when I did an Extract based recipe on my 10 gal kettle and propane, only to learn that 20% loss in one hour is what to expect in the desert...

Well, at least your beer will be bigger.

-Mac

 

[kilted_brews]

True. There's always a silver lining. What type of cooler did you use for your mlt? I ask because the 10 gal rubbermaid drinking water mlt I made and used didn't hold heat well. Even with the lid on I dropped 6 degrees f in 30 min. I even preheated the mlt with boiling water before placing the strike water and grain in.

 

[old_tx_kbb]

Interesting...I've never lost more than 2 degrees in my 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler even with a 90 minute mash.

Was the lid tight?

 

[kilted_brews]

As tight as it would go. I noticed while cleaning it that even with lid screwed on tight that water would leak out if I inverted it. I'm sure that's not good for maintaining mash temps.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

I just did my first AG batch in a rectangular cooler tun last week and had the same problem with temp loss even with pre-heating. After adding some boiling water to bring the temp back up, it held for the rest of the mash. Next time I will pre-heat with hotter water (used 150f last time) and will cover with a blanket to help insulate better and hope for better results.

 

[mdfairbairn]

Interesting...I've never lost more than 2 degrees in my 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler even with a 90 minute mash.

Ditto ... Of course I only have 2 AG batches under my belt!

 

[D_Ranged_Eskimo]

Just did my 3rd ag batch (10 g batch with 23 # of grain and 7.5 g of strike water) and hit my temps right on the dot.

Do you have brewing software? I've been using Beersmith and the mash in temp number worked great to hit my target mash temp. It may make it easier and help with time, but I heated my water about 5-6 degrees higher than mash in temp, tossed it in the cooler with the lid on, and let it sit for 15 minutes to pre heat the MLT. It worked great. After 15 minutes, the strike water was down to my desired mash in temp.

Hope this helps (oh, and Bobby_M didn't lie on his sizing your mash tun chart. That thing was full to the brim with 23 # of grain and 7.5 gallons of water in it!)

 

[kilted_brews]

Do you have brewing software? I've been using Beersmith and the mash in temp number worked great to hit my target mash temp. It may make it easier and help with time, but I heated my water about 5-6 degrees higher than mash in temp, tossed it in the cooler with the lid on, and let it sit for 15 minutes to pre heat the MLT. It worked great. After 15 minutes, the strike water was down to my desired mash in temp.

I am using Beersmith also. I realized that I didn't change the default pre-mash temperature for the grain (72F) prior to doing the mash. I had my grains in the basement so they were closer to 59F. Missing the mash temp was definitely my mistake but I'm going to have to do another mash or two before I know whether my process or the MLT is to blame for the severe temperature loss I had.

 

[Northcalais40]

Bear in mind that as your cooler takes a while to cool off when hot, it also takes some time to preheat. Temper it with hot water for a good long time. It may seem more preheated than it is.

 

[kilted_brews]

Great point. I think next time I will also slowly tilt and roll the MLT on it's axis to focus on preheating more than just the bottom of the tun. Thanks for the input!

 

[zeekage]

Also I've heard not to put any water in there over 180f at the max. If you do the plastic lining on the inside will warp badly. Ive done 3 brews so far in my 10 gal rubbermaid cooler. I put a few heavy towels on top of the lid and lose a degree or 2 max over 60 minutes.

next on the list is to use some minimum expanding foam and fill the lid with it. That will help a great deal. I was surprised how warm the towels were at the end of the mash so they're definitely doing some good on the lid.

I also preheat it with about 5 gallons of the hottest tap water I can get and leave it in there for an hour at least before draining it and adding strike water.

Brew on!

 

[ScottSingleton]

+1 to adding foam in the lids and to pre-heating your tuns. Even with that I still lose about 3-4 degrees over an hour. I just go with it

 

[tuskenraider]

I bought the more costly yellow 10 gal. Igloo cooler and just dump the strike water in it at about 5° warmer than calculated. I then let it sit for 5 min. with the lid on it and it's about down to the strike temp. It's held the mash temp through my first three batches just sitting on the counter.

 

[oakbarn]

We have been using Brewmath ( Iphone App) We used to use hotter than calculated and then added cold water to get to temp. We did find that it is much easier to lower than raise temperature. We now go exactly with the calculated volume and temp from Brew Math. It is right on. We make any adjustments PRIOR to introducing grain. We have moved on to a Stout Mash Tun and use a counterflow chiller as part of a HERMS. We did not get much heat loss when using Igloo cooler. We did about 30 batches and the only problem we had was leaking Wort from the outlet after many uses. We did about five batches then took the fittings apart and boiled them. Crud! After that, we took apart and cleaned every time. I really like the Stout Mash Tun as it is easy to clean and does not leak. You must use a RIMS or HERMS because of the heat loss however.

 

[Mac951]

I have an igloo 10-gallon.

For those that don't know, either rubber-maid or igloo, the lid is not an air tight seal from the factory. If it was, the drinks would not flow out of the out valve as a vacuum would be made on in the cooler. (or it would glug) I found my igloo to have some air paths around the lid, so I use a towel over it to help.

I lost some temp along the way ~6 degrees over 90 minutes, but it could be the cold mash rake I used each time, or that I just didn't wait long enough after strike to check it for a more stable temp?

I ended at 143, and I'll see how it ferments. (so far is going great).

The wort was a little cloudy, but once it boiled, it became clear (hot-break?)
My assistant and I were also amazed at the cold-break that formed in interesting patterns around the immersion chiller...

-Mac