mlt size

[grrtt78]

ok im kinda confused. again. I am going to do my first all grain batch when i get home in a few weeks and i have a rectangular cooler that fits a little over five gallons of liquid (i used it for a bottling bucket a few times). I was wondering how big of a beer i can make with this and still make five gallons. Also i like to make big beers and john palmer said not to use too big of a cooler or your grainbed depth will be too low. do you all just use different mlts for different beers? should i just get another larger cooler and use it sometimes? if i do that what size would allow me to make big beers and medium 10 gallon batches?

 

[grampska]

Check out this calculator here: Can I Mash It?

A five gallon cooler will hold about 12 lbs of grain with some head room.

 

[Lil' Sparky]

If you're batch sparging I think the grain bed depth has less impact than if you're fly sparging.

You would want a 10 gallon MLT to make big 5 gal batches and up to medium 10 gal batches.

 

[Brewsmith]

I've maxed out my 5 gallon cooler with 14 lbs mashed at just under 1 qt/lb.

 

[CBBaron]

I can get a little over 12# in my 5 gal rubermaid. That gets a 1.050 to 1.060 beer without any help. If you want to do bigger beers you can add extract and/or sugar (Belgian's is one instance where this is appropriate).
For batch sparging the depth of the grain bed is less important but you still want a decent depth to setup you filtering. This is why most MLTs are vertically oriented like ICE CUBEs and round Rubbermaids. However a rectangle cooler can also work if properly sized.
Craig

 

[FlyGuy]

I really like my 10 gallon round rubbermaid cooler (see my signature). I think it is a perfect size for everything from lighter grainbills to really big ones, PROVIDED that you batch sparge. It might be too big for beers under 1.050 gravity if you fly sparge (no experience here, though).

My second choice would be for the 36 quart Coleman extreme. You won't get quite the depth in the grainbed, but by all accounts, a great cooler for batch sparging.

If you are going to fly sparge, the best setup would be one 5 gallon and one 10 gallon round cooler MLT. Use the 5 gallon for smaller beers and the 10 gallon for bigger beers. The unused one can then be used as a hot liquor tank, elminating the need for a second pot and burner. If I had it to do over again, this is what I would have built (although I would still stick with batch sparging).

 

[grrtt78]

If you are going to fly sparge, the best setup would be one 5 gallon and one 10 gallon round cooler MLT. Use the 5 gallon for smaller beers and the 10 gallon for bigger beers. The unused one can then be used as a hot liquor tank, elminating the need for a second pot and burner. If I had it to do over again, this is what I would have built (although I would still stick with batch sparging).

how would that work? use the brew pot to heat the strike water, then heat the sparge water and keep it in the unused cooler? let the mash runnoff into the brew pot then pour the other coolers water in for strike water? does this make sense?

 

[Drunkensatyr]

Dead on!!!!

 

[FlyGuy]

Yes, correct. Just remember to pre-heat the coolers first, or adjust your water temp to compensate. There are lots of online calculators that will do this for you.