Rectangles or Circles; Building a Mash Tun

[dollhousebrewery]

Hello All,

I am new to brewing (only on my 6th right now) but have already become addicted. I am getting my tax return soon and want to build a MLT. I have read several articles on how to make them, and looked at several kits. I would like to know if there are any major advantages/disadvantages to either type of cooler. If anyone has any tips on building your own, or knows any good articles for me to read, that would be great. I also would like to be able to put a thermometer in it, and havent found any articles on how to do this either. I dont really know that much about mashing, although I have read a bit. Like I said, I am still new to brewing all together, and loving it.

Doll House Brewpub Masta,
Nizate

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I compromised and went square with a 60 qt Igloo Ice Cube. I fly sparge with it and have achieved 80% efficiency (the most recent number...it keeps increasing with every brew).

You are stuck batch sparging with most rectangular designs (too hard to avoid channeling over a wide grain bed). You can choose your sparge method (batch or fly) with the square or round designs.

For the thermometer, skip the through-wall design, and just use a digital probe. They're more accurate.

 

[WOP31]

I would tend to agree that fly sparging is a bit more dificult with a rectangular cooler, but with enough practice and trial and error I have achieved mid to upper 70's on my last few batches. I think that it will be a matter of deciding what it is that you want out of your mash tun and then persuing that. If you are looking for easier fly sparges and not too worried about doing bigger (i.e. above about 1.090) then the round ten gallon is the way to go. But for bigger beers you need a bigger mash tun, hence the bigger 50 or 60 quart coolers, which you can find now in a square design, that keep a deep narrow grain bed more like the round coolers do. The Igloo ice cubes, I belive they are called, Try for the wheelless ones from what I have seen they are easier to convert.

Cheers

 

[dollhousebrewery]

Yuri, you got any pictures of your mash tun?

I want to be able to do 1.100+ 5 gallon batches. I would love to be able to do Imperials.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Here you go:

I do 15 gallon batches. My last brew had an OG of 1.078, and the mash tun wasn't quite full.

 

[dollhousebrewery]

Is the grate on the bottom a false bottom? What is the tube above it for? Are you running a manifold under the false bottom, if thats what it is? Why did you choose a false bottom rather than a manifold?

Sorry if these questions are kind of dumb, you know.

Like I said, right now I will be doing 5 gallon batches, maybe some 10 gallon batches in the near future.

I found an Igloo Ice Cube for ~40 dollars on Amazon. It is a 48qt, but has no spigot. Is that a good price, or should I search some more? How about the size?

 

[mew]

15 gallons of 1.078 sg wort in a 60 qt mash tun?! I didn't think that was possible.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I chose a false bottom because I wanted to fly sparge. There is no need for a manifold underneath the false bottom. The fitting you can see above it is for a thermometer. I hate the thermometer - it doesn't extend far enough into the mash to be effective.

The price you found is about average.

 

[Bsquared]

I found an Igloo Ice Cube for ~40 dollars on Amazon. It is a 48qt, but has no spigot. Is that a good price, or should I search some more? How about the size?

I got a 48 quart Icecube at big 5 for $40. It has been working well for 5 gal brews up to 1.075 so far. I still have some space to go bigger but I don't have the means to boil more that 7gal.
HTB has a good description on how build a manifold. In hind sight I think if you have the skill to fabricate a false bottom like Yrui do so. cutting all the slits in to a manifold is a pain in the arse. You will have to install a valve in the cooler as well so don't worry too much if it has a spigot or not. its just one less hole to drill if it has the spigot.

 

[dollhousebrewery]

How did you make your false bottom?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I cut a piece of stainless perforated sheet to fit and used some stainless machine screws as "legs" to hold it off the bottom.

 

[Blender]

For the batch sparging alternative check this page from Denny Conn. http://hbd.org/cascade/dennybrew/

 

[dollhousebrewery]

So I just realized, I have a REI Member money to spend. I found this on their site http://www.rei.com/product/723277 and wanted some opinions. I will probably be batch sparging, as it is the most simple way. The only thing I worry about is that it has wheels, and I worry that the inside not being fully rectangular, and having areas where it wont properly drain. Should I invest my free money into this, or use it for something I will use elsewhere (like camping gear), and just buy a round or cubic cooler?

 

[Bsquared]

get a sleeping bag at REI, go for a round or square cooler. JM2¢

 

[bjzelectric]

Hey Yuri,

I have the same mash tun except with a manifold and am thinking about getting some perforated sheet. Just wondering how you cut yours out so perfectly being such an odd shape an all. Also what did you cut it with... a grinder ?

 

[InLimbo]

I batch sparge in my giant rectangular cooler and consistently get into the 70s efficiency range. On the homebrewing scale, achieving maximum efficiency doesn't matter that much. What's important is knowing the efficiency that your personal set up achieves so you can plan your recipes accordingly in order to hit your numbers. Consistency trumps all IMO.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

Hey Yuri,

I have the same mash tun except with a manifold and am thinking about getting some perforated sheet. Just wondering how you cut yours out so perfectly being such an odd shape an all. Also what did you cut it with... a grinder ?

Some old tin snips and a stationary belt sander worked very well.

 

[Zixxer10R]

Since this got resurrected today i figured i'd weigh in with my thoughts on shape.

Whatever you do, STEER CLEAR OF WHEELED COOLERS!!!! I cannot tell you how much a PITA my wheeled mash tun is. The drain spout is at an angle that forces me to hang the edge of the cooler over a ledge because the ball valve protrudes beyond the wheel base.

 

[Clementine]

I just did my first Ag batch in a square Coleman coolere. I did a 5 gallon hefe and used 11 lb and batch sparged and it was a success. The issue that is pertinent to this post is grain bed depth. I found i had to vaulauf a lot with such a shallow grain bed. As the square coolers get bigger smaller batches have less grain bed to act as a filter. I like the shape of yuri's cooler giving him more depth than the Coleman one I have. Mine was free so I guess beggers can't be choosers.
Clem