Mash Tun selection for 10 Gal Batch

[brewfarmDan]

I will start brewing again after 15 years off. Just received my new 12.5 gallon SS conical fermenter and cleaned up all my old equipment. I used to use a 5 gallon bucket with a false bottom, drain line, and a perforated copper 'tee" pipe that mounts to the lid and spins to sparge. It worked great but I read the Sticky link bellow and it looks like it will be too small for a 10 gallon batch. I was also planning to use 2 kettles on a 2 burner set up which may also be a hassle. So what to do to get it right with out spending too much-more?. I found this http://www.brewinternational.com/15...ottom-and-weldless-ss-ball-valve-thermometer/ 15 gallon mash tun for about $240 delivered with false bottom, valve, and thermometer. I am thinking I can mash, use my old spinning sparge pipe in a home made lid with a center hole in it. After sparge drain into 2 of my old 8 gallon kettles, rinse the new 15 gallon and remove the false bottom, then pour back into the 15 and start the boil. Any comments would be appreciated. Also any experience with brew international? Are they a sponsor here? Thanks Dan

Sticky: This is how big your Mash Tun needs to be (Multi-page thread 1 2 3 ... Last Page)

 

[wilserbrewer]

If I were you, I would convert a 70 qt Coleman extreme cooler with a valve and stainless braid and batch sparge. Cost about a hundred dollars.

While you could mash and boil in the same pot, it would be labor intensive.

 

[brewfarmDan]

Wilser .......... If I go with the cooler for mash/sparge what do you think of boiling in 2 kettles? The advantage I saw in going with this mash tun is that I also get a 15 gallon kettle? Thanks for the reply Dan

 

[wilserbrewer]

Dan,

While you could certainly boil in two pots, or mash and boil in the same pot, I guess I'm just trying to make this easier for you

For the same money, you could build a cooler MT, and buy the same kettle without the false bottom.

http://www.brewinternational.com/15...h-tri-clad-bottom-weldless-valve-thermometer/

Or buy the kettle above, and a BIAB bag and pulley

Many, many ways, some more convenient than others...personal preference as well...cheers!

ps take a look at this therad below, apparently the Brew International kettles only come with the holes, and not the parts / valve / thermometer???
confusing???

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/brew-international-15-gal-kettle-507624/

The poster in this thread finally opted to go with a concord kettle available on ebay... 60 qt., 90-100 bucks shipped

 

[brewfarmDan]

Thanks for the link Wilser. Looking at the add ................. "This is a 15 gallon 304 stainless steel mash tun with drilled holes for the weldless thermometer and weldless ball valve. Both the thermometer and the ball valve come with this item and are both stainless steel. The thermometer has 6" probe. The 6" probe reaches into the mash to accurately measure the mash temperature.
The face of the thermometer is 3" and reads from 0 - 220 degrees F or -10 to 100 degrees C. The thermometer is easily calibrated using a set screw on the back of the dial." ................ I will verify with them before I order if I go with this tank. I will start researching the cooler option. Decided last night my 1st batch will be a 5 gallon with my old equipment and the new conical fermenter
for a trial run before buying any more 10 gallon equipment. Thanks Dan

 

[brewfarmDan]

Thanks Wils.... I just ordered the 70qt Xtreme for $38 inc tax with free pick up at the local Walmart http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-70-Quart-Xtreme-Cooler/4807332 . Researching this option I did read that the ss braid has issues with stuck sparges and was thinking of going with copper, any thoughts? I also plan to order the 15 gallon SS pot with valve, thermometer and sight glass, no false bottom. Plan to make a new 50' X 1/2" immersion chiller for the big pot then I think I will be ready to run.

 

[augiedoggy]

Thanks Wils.... I just ordered the 70qt Xtreme for $38 inc tax with free pick up at the local Walmart http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-70-Quart-Xtreme-Cooler/4807332 . Researching this option I did read that the ss braid has issues with stuck sparges and was thinking of going with copper, any thoughts? I also plan to order the 15 gallon SS pot with valve, thermometer and sight glass, no false bottom. Plan to make a new 50' X 1/2" immersion chiller for the big pot then I think I will be ready to run.

I use a bazooka tibe with a stainless braid inside of that which acts as a dual layer course then fine filter which helps prevent the stuck sparges... actually I have brewed about 45 batches of beer this way and have yet to get a stuck sparge I now use a false bottom about the bazooka tube though for additional filtration which allows let restricted flow (I use small 2.5 gallon per minute food grade pumps) http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-24V-...t=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item1c4b7c7399
so I have to prevent any grain from being sucked into the pumps...

another great option is to use one of wilsers bags for the grain along with a cheap bazooka tube I just ordered a bag from him myself to experiment with plus I plan on using it for a BIAB system for my brother in law.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks Wils.... I just ordered the 70qt Xtreme for $38 inc tax with free pick up at the local Walmart http://www.walmart.com/ip/Coleman-70-Quart-Xtreme-Cooler/4807332 . Researching this option I did read that the ss braid has issues with stuck sparges and was thinking of going with copper, any thoughts?

Yea, my thoughts are the reports you have read regarding issues w/ a braid are not accurate IMO, or resulted from an incorrect or poor choice of braid / installation. Go ahead and build a copper manifold if you like, but I would much sooner use something like this below and batch sparge....FWIW it should take about two minutes to cut the fittings off the braid and zip tie it to your bulk head...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Fluidmas...yp7g62yLnngIZeeUV96RgaAjp38P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[brewfarmDan]

Thanks Wils, Is 18" long enough? I saw some posts using braided dish washer hose which should be available in 4 or 6' lengths?

 

[augiedoggy]

Thanks Wils, Is 18" long enough? I saw some posts using braided dish washer hose which should be available in 4 or 6' lengths?

That's what I made my 30" stainless braided filter off my diptube for my boil kettle from and it works well. the longer the better since theres more surface area.

 

[wilserbrewer]

Thanks Wils, Is 18" long enough? I saw some posts using braided dish washer hose which should be available in 4 or 6' lengths?

18" of that bulky large braid is more than enough IMO. What i believe actually happens is that MOST or almost all of the wort enters the braid within the first several inches of the bulkhead. Everything beyond 6" or so is just for show. The honorable Denny Conn also reports little difference b/w a short and long braid FWIW....

 

[brewfarmDan]

I picked up a 24" X 3/4" Water Heater flex today. So after cutting the ends and removing the tube do you loop this and hook both ends to a tee at the bulk head or plug one end and just run it straight?

Thanks Dan

 

[blackbeer]

i use the 18" braid and what i did was to strip the insulation off of a piece of 12/2 romex electrical wire and cut off a length of the bare ground wire about 3 feet long and wrap it around a pencil over and over to form a stiff copper coil which i then inserted carefully into the whole length of the braid to keep it from flattening out under the mash bed. you will need almost twice the length of the braid because you obviously lose length during coiling. i have used it for 3 batches so far and it works great. might not be necessary but certainly doesn't hurt.