Homemaking a Mash Tun! Tips and Pictures?

[D-AB]

I'm interested in making a mash tun similar to this, I'm thinking around the 5 gal mark. I also like the idea of a built in thermometer as well.

So any suggestions, tips or advice when building/ using would be a great help! And please if you have pictures of your own, sometimes seeing something makes more sense then explaining it. Pictures are worth a thousand words!

Also feel free to take pride and show off your homemade mash tuns, it may spark some ideas or interests from others!

Cheers and happy brewing!
D-AB

 

[MichaelBrock]

This topic has been done in pretty good detail. Start with this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

 

[bellam87]

This is my ten gallon mash tun. The only downside to the thermometer is that you have to be very careful not to hit the probe when stirring.

 

[D-AB]

Okay, awesome! Thanks!

bellam87 - Was it difficult to get the thermometer in!? And if you don't mind me asking how exactly did you go about it ?

 

[bellam87]

I bought the weldless thermometer kit from bargainfittings.com. Use a 3.25" holesaw and cut through the outer shell of the cooler. The pilot bit will go through the inner shell making a pilot hole for your .875" hole you will need on the inner shell. Then just remove the insulation and install the thermometer. Of course those measurements are for the 3" face thermometers on their website.

 

[jkendal]

I'm interested in making a mash tun similar to this, I'm thinking around the 5 gal mark. I also like the idea of a built in thermometer as well.

So any suggestions, tips or advice when building/ using would be a great help! And please if you have pictures of your own, sometimes seeing something makes more sense then explaining it. Pictures are worth a thousand words!

Also feel free to take pride and show off your homemade mash tuns, it may spark some ideas or interests from others!

Cheers and happy brewing!
D-AB

I started with a 5-gal. like the one in your pic, but soon discovered that it didn't have enough space to brew anything above 1.050, so I got a 50 quart igloo maxCold rectangular cooler. It has enough space for 10 gallon batches of anything 1.060 or below and 5 gallon batches of just about any strength BIG beer. It insulates so well that no matter what I'm mashing I rarely lose temp when I'm mashing for 10 gal. and I only lose a degree or two when I'm mashing 5 gal. At the time I bought it, the weather was getting colder so I got it on clearance for like $40.

 

[tre9er]

Get a 10g. cooler unless you can guarantee you'll NEVER want to make IIPA, Stout, or anything imperial (high ABV).

 

[bellam87]

get a 10g. Cooler unless you can guarantee you'll never want to make iipa, stout, or anything imperial (high abv).

+1

 

[CaliforniaBurrito]

I have this mash tun. I believe your picture is from the dealers eBay shop. If so, then it's the same one. The quality of the tun is awesome, ball valve, false bottom, thermometer, and fly sparge system build in to the lid.

I think I priced out making this exact set up and it was $30-40 dollars cheaper than buying it from the seller. Figured buying it was worth the time it would take to install.

I'm all for DIY but when it's not my fortay then I leave it to the pros.

 

[kh54s10]

I made mine from the 10 gallon Rubbermaid cooler from Home Depot.

I priced out all the parts necessary as near as I could find them and for only a few dollars more I bought the cooler valve assembly from Northern Brewer. They have all the right parts and they fit together without having to fiddle and adjust. For me installation was a cinch. YMMV.

 

[downtown3641]

Get a 10g. cooler unless you can guarantee you'll NEVER want to make IIPA, Stout, or anything imperial (high ABV).

+1

I was going to respond with the same advice. Chances are, despite what certain tenured posters on this site will tell you, you'll likely want to brew five gallons or a larger beer at some point. Why spend the time building a smaller mash tun if you're eventually going to upgrade?

 

[GarageDweller]

Go big from the start! Get the biggest Mash Tun you can and grow into it. For a few more bucks investment you can double your output. doit

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

you have to be very careful not to hit the probe when stirring.

That's what she said?

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

you have to be very careful not to hit the probe when stirring.

That's what she said?

 

[D-AB]

Thanks for all the advice and help! And yeah, I might as well go big or go home! I will shop around and get a solid price on it all before starting anything, like California Burrito said if it's only a few dollars more it'll be worth just buying one that has already been put together!

Thanks again! Cheers!