Mashing in bottling bucket

[TurkCowan]

Ok, so I know there are about a million threads on this but I'm curious why the general consensus seems to be that it's ok to get a HDPE cooler up to 170 for sparging but it could be risky for a HDPE bottling bucket? I know lots of people do it. It just seems like it would cut out an additional piece of equipment for the space-impaired.

What do the the commercial breweries use? I would guess concrete or metal.

FWIW my true brew bucket says not to get it above 140F. I wonder if that's specifically so people won't mash in it? Anyone have any insight?

 

[cvstrat]

Commercial breweries do just about everything from boiling to mashing to fermenting in stainless or sometimes copper if they can afford it.

I don't now about chemicals leeching into the mash, so I won't comment on it. I can comment on the fact that an uninsulated mash tun is going to lose heat over the 60-90 minute rest period. You'd have to find a way to keep the mash at a consistent temperature for that time. Using a cooler takes that problem out of the equation and is way easier than trying to rig some way to heat a bucket full of mash.

 

[COLObrewer]

As you've said people do it, it is just a pain compared to a cooler. You have to keep it insulated somehow, also you have to be certain you clean it really well before you use it for bottling because there are a bunch of nasties in malt that you dont want in your bottles.

Just get a 10 gallon cooler, you can store other equipment inside it when it's not in use.

 

[Shaggyt]

never mashed in the bottling bucket but I used to lauter/fly sparge in one using a Phil's false bottom (plastic)...got some great efficiencies out of it. Used some flexible duct insulation to wrap around the bucket to maintain sparge temps as much as possible...worked great.

That said, definitely wouldn't mash in it.

 

[kanzimonson]

I mash in a kettle, and then when it's done I pour into a bucket system (the drilled Zapap thingy). I recommend this to anyone who wants to get into AG - definitely the cheapest method. I thought about doing the whole mash in the bucket, but decided I really like being able to add heat to the mash if needed.

 

[Revvy]

Um, the old Zapapap or Zapagap or whatever it is called in Papazian's book was done in plastic buckets. That was the De Rigeur way to do cheap all grain for decades til someone decided to start mashing with a cooler and toilet parts...

Here a pic of the Zapap Lauter tun...

From here....http://wingnutsunited.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/batch-20-bombay-ipa/

NOOOWWWWW, does anyone STILL have any issues? Didn't you all read the Complete Joy of Homebrewing? It's part of homebrewing history. And last I checked Charlie Papazian still only has 1 head.

So I think you'll be fine.

There's nothing WRONG with using it....But most of us prefer our coolers to that old method.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Baby bottles "R7" were pretty traditional too, the precedent doesn't mean it's OK.

That said, I see no problem.

I used a grain bag with a pasta strainer in the bag to make my bottling bucket a mash tun.

Buckets don't have insulation. That is the main problem.

I have used the bucket twice.

Once it was 97F outside, so it held 150 for a LOOOOOOOOONG time.

The second time, I set the bucket by a nice fire inside. That was probably a bad idea in retrospect, but both worked.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I still have my Zapap, I keep it just in case I get some stuck mash from hell so I can just dump into it and get going with brew day. Murphy's Law is that if I get rid of it I'll stick a mash badly, so I won't get rid of it.

EDIT: I never used mine for mashing, I always did that in a big pot. I just lauter/sparged with it.

 

[Revvy]

I still have my Zapap,

Any idea how it got it's name????

 

[kanzimonson]

Zapap = Papaz(ian) was my thought?

One time I set one of these buckets maybe 3 feet from my burner during the boil and by the end the plastic had partially melted to this really thin wall. Cool stuff.

 

[berencamlost]

Hmmm.... these pictures look familiar...

Um, the old Zapapap or Zapagap or whatever it is called in Papazian's book was done in plastic buckets. That was the De Rigeur way to do cheap all grain for decades til someone decided to start mashing with a cooler and toilet parts...

Here a pic of the Zapap Lauter tun...

From here....http://wingnutsunited.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/batch-20-bombay-ipa/

NOOOWWWWW, does anyone STILL have any issues? Didn't you all read the Complete Joy of Homebrewing? It's part of homebrewing history. And last I checked Charlie Papazian still only has 1 head.

So I think you'll be fine.

There's nothing WRONG with using it....But most of us prefer our coolers to that old method.

 

[Revvy]

Hmmm.... these pictures look familiar...

Did you just happen to be cruising by and saw a posting about you or what??? Or are you a regular lurker, and just decided to join because of this Either way, welcome, and thanks for have some great pics.

 

[berencamlost]

Yeah, I got a pingback on my blog, saw you using my pics, and had to comment.
Though now I'm here, I'll check the forums out. Don't know why I haven't been to this site before.

Did you just happen to be cruising by and saw a posting about you or what??? Or are you a regular lurker, and just decided to join because of this Either way, welcome, and thanks for have some great pics.

 

[Kugster]

Yeah, I got a pingback on my blog, saw you using my pics, and had to comment.
Though now I'm here, I'll check the forums out. Don't know why I haven't been to this site before.

wow..almost sounds like someone is a little bitter...???

 

[redm18]

If your really hard up for space maybe look into brew in a bag it's all grain with only one vessel.

 

[Edcculus]

I used to use the Zapap setup too, but only for a lauter tun. I mashed in a pot on the stovetop since the mash lost so much heat this way, I needed it to be direct fired.