first time with a cooler mash tun

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Have you checked your dead space (where water doesn't flow out)? Mine is 2 quarts. That makes a difference in my total water calculations (I batch sparge).
 
djsethall said:
Recipe looks good. What are your mash temps/schedule?
Click to expand...

here is what that hopville software says to do .. it doesn't say anything about sparging, but I know I am supposed to ... the temp to sparge should probably be 170 ish I think ??? ... thoughts ???

Saccharification Rest infusion of 3.38 gal at 166 °F to reach 154 °F for 60 mins
Mash-out infusion of 1.12 gal at boil to reach 167 °F for 15 mins
 
cadarnell said:
do you mean the space in the cooler after the water an grain is in it?
Click to expand...

No, after each of your runnings you'll probably have a little wort left behind in your mash tun...that is the dead space. I usually have around a 1/4 gallon leftover in my round 5 gallon Rubbermaid mash tun. You can "precalculate" it by draining some water before mashing and see how much water is left behind. Factor it in for both runnings.
 
Kidder said:
No, after each of your runnings you'll probably have a little wort left behind in your mash tun...that is the dead space. I usually have around a 1/4 gallon leftover in my round 5 gallon Rubbermaid mash tun. You can "precalculate" it by draining some water before mashing and see how much water is left behind. Factor it in for both runnings.
Click to expand...

ohhhh ... yea ... I did that, but i didnt measure the exact amout .. I will thanks ...
 
Do you have to preheat your mash tun if you put your tun and grain's current temperature into Beersmith?
 
I use ProMash and do not preheat my cooler mash tun. I just plug in my grain temp and heat strike water the temp it says. I always hit my strike temp within a degree or so.
 
My 48qt igloo had a major issue with heat loss. The lid of the cooler was hollow. My mash temperature dropped about 8 degrees after an hour because of this. The solution was to drill some holes in the top of the lid and spray some insulating foam in it.
 
joebme said:
My 48qt igloo had a major issue with heat loss. The lid of the cooler was hollow. My mash temperature dropped about 8 degrees after an hour because of this. The solution was to drill some holes in the top of the lid and spray some insulating foam in it.
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well .... I havent tested it yet ... I figure I'm just going to give it a go and see what happens ... I know I am going to wrap it up pretty good with some blankets and I'll pay special attention to the top ... thanks for the info :mug:
 
If you got beersmith, just click the "adjust temp for equipment" and use the equipment tab to choose the most similar system. Or edit your own system into beersmith and you'll know everytime. Anyways, if you click that box, it will make the necessary adjustments. I just ran your recipe throu beersmith. at a 68% efficiency, you will get a max of 1.044. If it attenuates to 1.010, you'll get a 5.03% beer. Just shy of an American IPA by bjcp standards. No worries though. I love this. Kiind feels like brewing my first batch!!!:mug:
 
I preheat my tun, usually much longer than required. I'll usually boil some water, dump it, seal it, then drive to the brewshop to get the stuff I need. If I already have everything, it's coffee, feet up, SportsCenter.

I use a Coeman Xtreme and hold mash temps really well. I use beersmith and usually up the strike temp by 1-2 degrees, and nail my temp dead-on, occasionally I miss a degree high. I will tell you it's WAY easier to adjust down than up. Adjusting down is toss in a couple ice cubes and stir it with the lid open. Up requires more water, boiling, worrying about water-to-grain, etc.

Good luck!
 
I had a weird issue with my MLT this weekend. Second AG done in it. Preheated it with 175 strike, and when it got down to 170 i added my grains. I was shooting for a 156 mash. It pulled down to about 160 with the grains, so i stirred for about 10 mins with my thermo in the tun (rubbermaid 10gal). when the temp said 157 i sealed her up. Of course, like a noob, i didnt check the temp 10 mins in, and when i opened the MLT @ 0 mins, my thermo inside said 160! WTF happened?

i figured the thermo was correct also, because i undershot my target OG by about .010, due to much less fermentables because of the high mash temp.
 
ok ... im done with the mash and sparge and my pre boil gravity was 1052 ... i think that's great? ... right ?? ... i am going to boil 5 gal down to 4 ... what will I end up with ...???? thanks !!
 
Grav 1 x vol 1 = Grav 2 x vol 2

(52 x 5)/4=65

1.065


I think that should work with preboil numbers. I know it does for post boil.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk
 
primer said:
Grav 1 x vol 1 = Grav 2 x vol 2

(52 x 5)/4=65

1.065


I think that should work with preboil numbers. I know it does for post boil.

Sent from my iPhone using HB Talk
Click to expand...

I ended up at 1063 so that was very close ... over shot the recipe, but I didn't wat to top off so I just let it go, as I nailed my final volume of wort :ban: ... by my calculations I got 76% ef. with my new mash tun ... I'm very happy with that ... cheers and thanks all !!!
 
Kidder said:
No, after each of your runnings you'll probably have a little wort left behind in your mash tun...that is the dead space. I usually have around a 1/4 gallon leftover in my round 5 gallon Rubbermaid mash tun. You can "precalculate" it by draining some water before mashing and see how much water is left behind. Factor it in for both runnings.
Click to expand...

You only need to factor it in once - whats left behind the first time takes up all of the dead space and you'll drain 100% of your sparge water thereafter.

BTW - losing 1/4 gallon in a round 5 gallon rubbermaid is excessive. I'd seriously consider changing your equipment. I use a CPVC manifold and only leave behind a cup at most.
 
here's a pic of it working ... I love this all grain brewing ... I'm drinking a spotted cow clone right now that taste fantastic ... and I did it all grain on my stove top ... I much prefer the cooler to the stove top ... it was way better for efficency and overall ease of use ... plus I only have about 42.00 in the mash tun so that will pay for itself after a few batches ... beer is GOOD !!!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?a...2&set=a.502154727341.282208.595697341&theater
 
Nice! Did you use a kit for the cooler conversion from somewhere or piece it together yourself?
 
cricky101 said:
Nice! Did you use a kit for the cooler conversion from somewhere or piece it together yourself?
Click to expand...

I bought this piece from my local HBS ... http://www.learntobrew.com/store/item/37v1p/-_Parts_Fittings/Brewers_Edge_Kettle_Screen.html

a ball valve, two stainless steel washers and that was it ... I also used the rubber washer that came with the cooler ... I put a washer on the end of the kettle screen over the threads, put it thru the hole added the rubber washer and another washer on the outside .. attached the ball valve and screwed the whole thing down to just pretty snug .. worked like a charm .. no leaks and great conversion on my first try

.. http://boredomisdead.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/applauding.gif?w=300&h=225

that was my response .. lol .. good luck !!
 

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