Mash tun size

[juggabrew]

Ok trying to understand, I'm new so if I'm only doing 5 gal batches no bigger than 1.090 I would need a 36 qt cooler

(90x5)/17=26.5 qt minimum tun. Calculations from bobby_m

Is this correct? I want to have the option of both batch and fly sparging, does this play into it?

 

[homebrewdad]

You're on the right track. Not sure how many 36 quart coolers you'll find... probably have to go to 40. At that point, you'll be able to brew pretty much any gravity beer for a five gallong batch (up to OG 1.118 assuming 70% efficiency).

I don't expect I'll ever do ten allon batches, but I still went with a Coleman Xtreme cooler - it has wheels, is easy to clean, and at 62 quarts, will allow to make a monster 10 gallon barleywine, if my heart so desires. For around $40, that's tough to beat.

 

[GrogNerd]

40 qt/ 10 gallon round is good, but that's as big as the round ones go; rectangular go 5x bigger. round seems to be better for fly sparging, because the grainbed is taller than in rectangle. not to say that you can't batch in a round or can't fly in a rectangle

there's a good chance you'll come to regret going smaller, but rarely regret going bigger. I never thought I would brew a beer any bigger than 1.070, but my 1.090 barley wine is waiting for bottling and i'm anxious as heck wanting to pour a taste before it's ready around Christmas time.

 

[AVLbrewing]

A good rule of thumb is always buy bigger or better so you wont have to replace it because you out grew it. It's cheaper in the end if you only buy one more expensive cooler as opposed to upgrading down the road. Even if you never end up upgrading, and least you will have the possibility.

 

[GrogNerd]

A good rule of thumb is always buy bigger or better so you wont have to replace it because you out grew it. It's cheaper in the end if you only buy one more expensive cooler as opposed to upgrading down the road. Even if you never end up upgrading, and least you will have the possibility.

when I was selling guitars I always pushed the customer to spend a little more than he wanted, not for the sale, I wasn't on commission, but for that regret factor

"sure, I can sell you this $199 guitar and you'll enjoy it. for maybe 5 years. but in 20 years your kids will be playing this $899 guitar and your grandkids will be playing this $1599 guitar in 50"

 

[Clonefan94]

I have a 48 Qt. rectangular cooler. It's worked great for the 5 gallon batches I do. I would think anything less than 10 gallons and you might be making a big mistake. On those bigger beers, you have to remember, when batch sparging, if that's what you do, that grain has soaked up a lot of water, Yeah, you might only be sparging with 4.5 gallons of water, but on a bigger beer, you might already have 4 gallons of space taken up with the saturated grain in there. From my experience, I wouldn't go with anything less that 40 Qt.

 

[juggabrew]

You're on the right track. Not sure how many 36 quart coolers you'll find... probably have to go to 40. At that point, you'll be able to brew pretty much any gravity beer for a five gallong batch (up to OG 1.118 assuming 70% efficiency).

I don't expect I'll ever do ten allon batches, but I still went with a Coleman Xtreme cooler - it has wheels, is easy to clean, and at 62 quarts, will allow to make a monster 10 gallon barleywine, if my heart so desires. For around $40, that's tough to beat.

Coleman has a 36 qt extreme for ~$40 on amazon. Deciding between that or 10 gal HD round cooler

 

[Toga]

Wally world has the 50 quart Coleman Xtreme 50 quart for less than $30. http://www.walmart.com/ip/14574676?wmlspartner=wlpa&adid=22222222227000000000&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=&wl3=21486607510&wl4=&wl5=pla&veh=sem If you do not go this route at least get the 10 gallon round hd beverage cooler. I use the 10 gallon cooler and it works great for 5 gallon batches however If I were to continue to do larger brews and step them up to 10 gallon I would need to mash twice or get a larger tun.