MLT size

delweaver · Oct 25, 2008

I am getting ready to brew my first all grain batch on sunday and I wanted to know if my MLT is big enough?

I have converted a 5 gallon cooler with a stainless braided hose, the recipe I am using calls for 10 lbs of grain, which allows only 2.5 gallons of water I am assuming I have not use it yet but the grain came up to the 3 gallon mark on the side of the cooler. Would it be better to by a bigger cooler or should I use my cooler get as much water in the cooler as I can and then just fly sparge with 4-5 gallons to get the total of 6.5 gallons or so.

ajf · Oct 25, 2008

If you want to batch sparge, then definitely get a bigger MLT.
If you want to fly sparge, you can easily mash and sparge 12.5# grain in a 5g cooler, and can do more with as little difficulty. (You start running out of space for mashing out).
See http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml for some great calculators.

-a.

delweaver · Oct 25, 2008

All I have to do is instead of mashing in with 3.5 because my cooler won't hold that much I need to use as much water as I can fit to mash in and then make up the difference with my sparge water correct i.e... if my mash in was only 2 gallons when I sparge with 4 -4.5 correct to get 6.5 gallons of runoff.

BeaverBrewer · Oct 25, 2008

You can always collect the first runnings and split the batch sparge in two, as shown here.

ajf · Oct 25, 2008

You need to use enough mash water to keep the grain thoroughly wetted. In practical terms this means at least 1 qt water to lb grain, so with 10 lbs grain, you will need at least 2 1/2g water for the mash.
Each lb grain will absorb approximately 1 pt water (1/8g), so if you wanted to collect 6.5g, and you mashed with 2.5g. you would need to add an additional 5.25g (4.0g is 6.5 - 2.5, and 1.25 is 10 lbs * 1/8)

-a.

delweaver · Oct 25, 2008

ok I think I got it now I'm gonna need two coolers correct one for the mash and the second will act as a hot liquer tank correct to hold my sparge water right?