Replacement Mash Tun?

[andy6026]

Goodmorning!

I am in the market for a new mash tun. My original mash tun I converted myself out of a 48 quart rectangular cooler. However, the filter hose has become all mangled over years of use and now that I'm brewing 10-gallons batches using the batch sparge method, it's just not big enough to sparge in one shot.

Ideally what I'd like to buy is a ready made large cooler-style tun that can handle 10 gallon batches using single-sparge batch sparges. Initially I was attracted to the idea of a false bottom, but I've read that they leave a lot of room at bottom that is then kinda useless. Do the ready made bazooka screens work well or do they tend to get stuck?

Any advice would be helpful! Thank you very much.

 

[Manufacturedevolution]

I've been using a 15 gallon cube cooler with a bazooka screen for years and have never had a stuck sparge.

 

[andy6026]

I've been using a 15 gallon cube cooler with a bazooka screen for years and have never had a stuck sparge.

What's your typical batch size? Can you batch sparge a 10-gallons batch in one shot? Did you convert it yourself or did you buy it ready-made? If the latter, from where? Thanks!

 

[Manufacturedevolution]

I doubt it. I normally collect ~7 gallons for a 5.5 gallon batch. I do party-gyle a bit and do collect 7 gallons in one shot but with that amount of grain it is typically filled to the brim. I converted it myself. Took all of 5 minutes. (If that even) I do split batches as well sometimes where I will collect ~14 gallons and then split between two 10 gallon kettles for two separate boils but I do a "normal" batch sparge.