mash tun not big enough... ideas?

[amaier48]

i am using the 5 gallon igloo cooler... i wish i would of went 10 gallon from the beggining but i didnt. i am going to be making an ipa that is going to be borderline on having enough room. what are my options for still getting good results and not trying to pack 16lbs of grain in a 5 gallon cooler?

 

[stpug]

If you went with a 1:1 water grist ratio you could barely fit it, but you'll have no room to spare. It might be worth a shot. Alternatively you could leave off a pound or two and substitute some DME in the boil.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

If you went with a 1:1 water grist ratio you could barely fit it, but you'll have no room to spare. It might be worth a shot. Alternatively you could leave off a pound or two and substitute some DME in the boil.

That would be my suggestion as well. Add some DME to the boil.

 

[hypergolic]

You could mash twice.

 

[JonM]

Either make a slightly smaller batch or drop some base malt and add an equivalent amount of DME to the boil.

 

[amaier48]

Thanks,

 

[mgortel]

Hate to state the obvious.....but, get a bigger mash tun!

 

[Aunt_Ester]

i am using the 5 gallon igloo cooler... i wish i would of went 10 gallon from the beggining but i didnt. i am going to be making an ipa that is going to be borderline on having enough room. what are my options for still getting good results and not trying to pack 16lbs of grain in a 5 gallon cooler?

I hear you on that. I consistently brew session ales: bitters, 60/-, milds, but last weekend I thought I would get crazy and do a bourbon barrel stout. I fit 12 lbs of grain, but missed my 1.25 grist ratio by about a quarter gallon.

My friend keeps egging me to do a barley wine. Guess it's partial grain batches for you and I.

 

[heyblinkin]

I have this problem as well with IPAs. My house ipa uses 12 lbs base malt, which takes it to the top. I steep the crystal malt. You could do a mini-mash during your main mash as well.

 

[RM-MN]

If you have a big enough boiling pot you can do BIAB and mash right in the boil pot. I would think you could do it in a 30 qt turkey fryer but it would be tight with that much grain. If the turkey fryer was all you had you could modify and mash with slightly less water and sparge to get your preboil volume.