Cheers guys, I've been using my 10 Gal Igloo cooler as my mash tun for a few years now. It was what I started all grain brewing with and it's been great! The cooler itself is a typical 10G cooler from Lowes. The false bottom is this from homebrewing.org. My brewing equipment always goes in stages and typically piece by piece. I do my best to make sure my purchases are well thought out and compliment the direction I want to go towards. Price isn't always an issue, but I do want to make smart decisions that will last a lifetime. I want to get to the point where I can mash fairly big beers (1.080 max) and yield 12 or so gallons post boil.
I have 3 kettles:
1x10G Bayou Classic (I wish I would have bought bigger from the start, I don't use this much).
1x15G SS Brewtech (typically my BK)
1x20G SS Brewtech (typically don't use, or use as HLT).
I've been weighing all the options:
- Keep using the Igloo cooler
- Upgrade one of the kettles with a false bottom and use my Riptide to recirculate (heat using burner when needed)
- Look into the eKettles (but dont have 20a circuit in my garage)
- Stainless insulated MLT (I wish SS made a 15G InfuSsion).
- HERMS/RIMS.
I typically fly sparge, it that makes a difference. Essentially I'd like to see what other people have done when they came to this crossroad. What do you think?
I have 3 kettles:
1x10G Bayou Classic (I wish I would have bought bigger from the start, I don't use this much).
1x15G SS Brewtech (typically my BK)
1x20G SS Brewtech (typically don't use, or use as HLT).
I've been weighing all the options:
- Keep using the Igloo cooler
- Upgrade one of the kettles with a false bottom and use my Riptide to recirculate (heat using burner when needed)
- Look into the eKettles (but dont have 20a circuit in my garage)
- Stainless insulated MLT (I wish SS made a 15G InfuSsion).
- HERMS/RIMS.
I typically fly sparge, it that makes a difference. Essentially I'd like to see what other people have done when they came to this crossroad. What do you think?