Menards 5 gal coolers on sale

[ShineOn]

If your looking to build a MLT and HLT Menards is having a sale on the 5 gal coolers again

http://www.menards.com/main/outdoor...on-menards-water-cooler/p-1993703-c-13322.htm

15.99 with a 6.00 rebate makes final price 9.99!!!!!!!

I bought 2 back in spring

 

[user 157712]

Bought one during that same spring sale. Works awesome for smaller 3 gallon batches and couldnt beat the price...:rockin:

 

[KeninMN]

I recently bought one for a little bit more with a $5 rebate. (Final price was $12.99.) And it works great for 5 gallon batches at a 1.25 qt/lb mash thickness...

 

[mrgrimm101]

I've always read that a 5 gallon Cooler MLT is not ideal for 5 gallon batches. I've been slowly collecting parts to make one of these cooler MLTs, but have always been told to get a 10 gallon cooler.

 

[sumbrewindude]

I love my 5gal Menards cooler for 3gal batches.

If I was going to 5+gal batches, I'd move to a Coleman Extreme square cooler, don't even fool around with a 10gal round. Mo' room for grains is mo' betta!

:rockin:

 

[CKing]

I've always read that a 5 gallon Cooler MLT is not ideal for 5 gallon batches. I've been slowly collecting parts to make one of these cooler MLTs, but have always been told to get a 10 gallon cooler.

My all-grain system uses 5 gallon beverage coolers for mash tun and hot liquor tank.
Works great for any 5-gallon recipe up to 13.5 lbs of grain!

 

[HomebrewCraig]

Thanks for the tip.. Heading to Menards tomorrow

 

[mrgrimm101]

My all-grain system uses 5 gallon beverage coolers for mash tun and hot liquor tank.
Works great for any 5-gallon recipe up to 13.5 lbs of grain!

Could I potentially just get just 1 of the 5 gallon coolers and treat it as my MLT and batch sparge? From what I've read, this should eliminate the need for a separate HLT. I may be misinformed, as I've only just recently started looking into all grain.

 

[mrdauber64]

I have two mash tuns, one 5 gallon and one 10 gallon. I use my 5 gallon mash tun most of the time since most of the beers that I make are under 1.060. I do make bigger beers(IIPA's, Barleywines, RIS's) a couple times a year though. That is really the only time I bring out my 10 gallon cooler.

mrgrimm101, yes, you do only need one cooler if you are going to batch sparge. You will need two kettles though. One to drain your wort into and one to heat your sparge water in.

 

[JonM]

Could I potentially just get just 1 of the 5 gallon coolers and treat it as my MLT and batch sparge? From what I've read, this should eliminate the need for a separate HLT. I may be misinformed, as I've only just recently started looking into all grain.

Sure can. I did it that way for a long time. You just need an extra kettle to hold the sparge water. I picked up a really cheap AL kettle at the restaurant supply co. for that.

 

[mrgrimm101]

AL kettle.

Does this mean aluminum? Would pretty much any kettle/stockpot work for heating sparge water? What is the smallest size I could get for 5 gallon batches?

I'm still concerned about trying to make bigger beers with just a 5 gallon cooler. I want to try making a barleywine eventually, as well as a RIS, I may just go with a 10 gallon rectangular.

 

[JonM]

Yep, any kettle will work. I got aluminum because it was super cheap. If you do double batch sparge, I bet you could get away with a 3-gallon kettle. I got a 6-gal (I think) so I could heat up both batch sparge infusions at the same time.

Now I have both a 10-gal and my old 5-gal. For anything under 10 lbs of grain, I use the 5 gal. as the mash tun. Anything bigger I use the 10-gal. When I use the 10-gal, with a thin mash and a mashout, I never need more than 4 gallons of sparge water, so the 5 gallon works great as a HLT. The best part is they nest together for efficient storage.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Ok, so it sounds like it's not a bad idea to get a 5 gallon to start and upgrade down the line.

When you use your 5 gallon as a HLT, do you keep your fittings on it it, or do you put the plug back in it and move the valve and everything over to the 10 gallon? Or did you buy all new parts so you have them on both the 5 gallon and the 10 gallon?

Would there be any advantage or disadvantage to using a 10 gallon rectangular cooler instead of a round cooler? I've found rectangular coolers that are 10 gallons or more for much cheaper than the round and they seem to be comparable in its construction and durability.

 

[JonM]

There's a bulkhead and valve on each. I keep the bulkheads attached all the time and remove the valve from the 5 gal to make room for it to nest in the 10 gal.

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Would there be any advantage or disadvantage to using a 10 gallon rectangular cooler instead of a round cooler? I've found rectangular coolers that are 10 gallons or more for much cheaper than the round and they seem to be comparable in its construction and durability.

The general consensus on the rectangular coolers is that no - there is do difference between them and the round coolers. The rectangular coolers can be a little easier for stirring and mashing in.

Speaking of 5 gallon coolers, if you get into higher gravity beers and need more grains, you'll need a bigger cooler for a 5 gallon batch. The 10 gallon round coolers are expensive, but I found this 52 Quart (13 gal) cooler for $21 http://www.target.com/p/igloo-famil...pid=11905594&gclid=CKGL2-K3tsACFWho7AodVTwAnw

I couldn't really find anything that beat that price and provided enough space in the cooler for larger batches and big beers. That Target Igloo cooler also maintains temps perfectly - when I condition it before the mash, I maintain the same temperature for an hour+.

 

[mrgrimm101]

I was going to create an MLT based on this post:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

Were I to get a rectangular cooler that was 10 gallons or more, would just the 12" bazooka screen work, or should I look into building a manifold?

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

I was going to create an MLT based on this post:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/cheap-easy-10-gallon-rubbermaid-mlt-conversion-23008/

Were I to get a rectangular cooler that was 10 gallons or more, would just the 12" bazooka screen work, or should I look into building a manifold?

For my rectangular cooler I used the instructions exactly as listed from the post you referred to. I think I chose a braid/screen that was about 22" long or so - it was the exact interior length of the cooler. I thought about the manifold but decided to try the braid to see how it works. It's been good so far with a single braid, but I've thought about splitting it and adding a second braid.

I'd say you should go with a braid longer than 12" though, if you are using a rectangular cooler.

 

[mrgrimm101]

Ok I can do that. So 1, long, straight screen will work? I wouldn't have to bend it or anything?

I know it sounds like a dumb question, but would I still be able to do smaller gravity beers in a bigger, 10 gallon cooler? Or should I get a separate 5 gallon one for smaller beers?

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Ok I can do that. So 1, long, straight screen will work? I wouldn't have to bend it or anything?

I know it sounds like a dumb question, but would I still be able to do smaller gravity beers in a bigger, 10 gallon cooler? Or should I get a separate 5 gallon one for smaller beers?

1 long one will indeed do the job. If you get the correct length, you shouldn't need to bend it or anything. Once you build the valve component, it adds a little bit of length to the screen, and the screen itself can tend to stretch, so I'd suggest getting a screen that is 2" shorter than the cooler's interior for a perfect fit.

And yep absolutely you can do a lower gravity beer in the large cooler. Some people prefer a smaller cooler when they aren't using as many grains to avoid deadspace and perceived heat loss. In all my batches using a 52 qt cooler for ~5 gallon batches though, I have not lost heat (bearing in mind I do condition the cooler for 10 mins with hot water before mashing in). So, I don't think that should be a concern.

 

[NickTheGreat]

The general consensus on the rectangular coolers is that no - there is do difference between them and the round coolers. The rectangular coolers can be a little easier for stirring and mashing in.

Speaking of 5 gallon coolers, if you get into higher gravity beers and need more grains, you'll need a bigger cooler for a 5 gallon batch. The 10 gallon round coolers are expensive, but I found this 52 Quart (13 gal) cooler for $21 http://www.target.com/p/igloo-famil...pid=11905594&gclid=CKGL2-K3tsACFWho7AodVTwAnw

I couldn't really find anything that beat that price and provided enough space in the cooler for larger batches and big beers. That Target Igloo cooler also maintains temps perfectly - when I condition it before the mash, I maintain the same temperature for an hour+.

I use the 48 qt version of that for mine. And made a IIPA that damn near filled it. I'd be afriad a 10 gallon would even be too small!

But it holds temp like a champ (when conditioned).

 

[HarborTownBrewing]

Oh, and getting the braid screen separated from the rubber tubing is a huge pain in the butt. A few people on that forum you mentioned earlier said they would occasionally soak the braid in hot water, then wiggle it, then soak it, then wiggle it. I found this worked VERY well (still took a long time and a lot of work though!)

 

[thaymond]

I have 2 5 gallon Rubbermaid round coolers, but opted for BIAB for the low cost when I went all grain. I didn't want to buy all the conversion equipment at the time, and still haven't pulled the trigger yet on that equipment. I usually won't use more than 13# of grain for any batch.

Are the conversion parts the same on the round coolers as the rectangular? Could I follow the parts list from the 10 gallon Rubbermaid conversion thread to complete my setup? I was going to take it a step further an build a sparge arm out of PVC into the lid, and use the other as a HLT. Any recommendations before I start purchasing parts? Any HBT wisdom welcome!